Kae Matsumoto (aka Kae M Black)

Kae Matsumoto (aka Kae M. Black) is a Los Angeles–based composer, orchestrator, and pianist/keyboardist whose career bridges the music scenes of the U.S., Japan and  Hong Kong . She has collaborated with legendary artists such as Prince, Dr. John, Randy Newman, Trevor Horn, and Ryuichi Sakamoto.Born in Tokyo, Kae began studying piano and composition at an early age as one of the first-generation students in the Yamaha Music Education System, co-founded by her father. At thirteen, she performed her own composition at the 2nd Yamaha Junior Original Concert in Japan. She graduated from the Tokyo University of the Arts and received an artistic scholarship from the Manhattan School of Music, where she pursued graduate studies.Kae made her professional debut as a composer and orchestrator by arranging works for the New York Philharmonic’s Japan Tour in the 1980s. Her subsequent credits include the award-winning animated feature “Summer Wars” (directed by Mamoru Hosoda), the Brazilian film “Corações Sujos”, Sony PlayStation’s “Resident Evil Outbreak”, and Japan’s iconic comedy-action film “Bayside Shakedown.”Her score for the short film “Orizuru” (2015) earned honors at the Hollywood Dreams International Festival, was screened at the United Nations Headquarters, and was presented to President Obama at the White House.

    As a performer, Kae has worked in numerous recording studios, theatrical productions, and concert halls across Japan and the U.S., including performances with the Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra and for the Antaeus Company in North Hollywood. After hearing her performance, the late Keith Emerson became her mentor; she later performed his final solo piece at the Keith Emerson Tribute Concert at the El Rey Theatre and served as Music Director for “The Legacy of Chiune Sugihara” at the Saban Theater in Los Angeles.Kae received the Best Original Score award at the St. Kilda Film Festival in Australia in 2021. The Keith Emerson Tribute Concert DVD/CD was released the same year, followed by her solo piano performance at Synthplex 2022.  Since 2024, Kae has also hosted a radio program on TJS Japanese Radio in Los Angeles. Most recently, in the summer of 2025, she recorded seven works by French Impressionist composers in New York City for filmmaker Don Freeman’s upcoming movie.              

       In addition to her creative work, Kae teaches piano and composition to Hollywood and European celebrities, including royal family members and state guests, sharing her artistry and mentorship across borders and generations.