Yurie (Piano Instructor)
Japanese-American pianist Yurie Farnsworth has established herself as an emerging young artist across Oregon, Texas and Japan.
In 2008, Yurie won the 2nd place title at the National level of the MTNA Piano Competition. As a Junior at the Shepherd School of Music, Yurie became the first undergraduate student to win the school’s piano concerto competition in many years, and was subsequently presented as a soloist with the Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra in 2015. .
In 2019, Yurie won 3rd prize at the Aoniyoshi Music Competition in Nara, Japan. In 2021, Yurie won the Grand Rachmaninoff Prize, as well as the overall 2nd prize at the 3rd International Rachmaninoff Piano Competition.
In 2024, Yurie presented her doctorate thesis, “The art of intoning music: an alternative approach to analysis and interpretation of Rachmaninoff’s piano music through Boris Asafiev’s theory of intonation”, alongside a final exam performance consisting of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto and second piano sonata, the latter of which was arranged by Yurie as a mix of both the 1913 and 1931 versions.
Yurie has also performed in various venues across Japan and in Tokyo, including the salon concert halls at the Ginza Yamaha and Omotesando Kawai buildings, as well as with orchestra at the Sumida Triphony Hall. .
Nanako (Cello Instructor)
She started performing while a student at Keio University.
While a postgraduate student at Tokyo University of the Arts, she studied at the Liszt State Conservatory of Music in Hungary. After performing in Budapest, where she was based, as well as in Germany, Austria and other countries, she returned to Japan.
Currently, in addition to guest appearances with orchestras throughout Japan, she is also active in a wide range of performance activities, such as supporting artists and collaborating with various artworks.
Not only as a player, but also as a songwriter and string arranger, producing and consulting on concert projects, writing liner notes and columns, magazine dialogues - her ways of expression are endlessly borderless. She also gives lectures and talks in various locations on the fascinating world of music and fragrance, including 'The Fragrance Floor' by S. Pies.Lecturer, Tokyo Junior Orchestra Society.
[Supporting Artists]
Yuzo Kayama/ Predawn/ Rayons/ X Japan/ YOSHIKI/ Nana Mizuki/ Billboard Classics etc.
[Guest orchestras].
Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra
Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra
Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra
Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra
Andrés (Violin Instructor)
Andrés is a professional violin teacher/performer graduated from the Universidad de Lanús. Academic in Argentina (Bachelor's Degree in Music)
He has been awarded Professor in Instrument: Violin. from Piazzolla Conservatory. In title on issue. Year 2021 and also a Violin and Viola Professor of the Berisso Orchestra-School. City of Berisso. From April 2014 to February 2018.
Regular violin lessons with Maestro José Bondar (Private), Violin Masterclasses with Professor Anastasia Storer (USA) Nicolás Favero (Argentina), Gilles Apap (France) Dmitri Berlinsky (Russia) and Campos do Jordao, Brazil.
He has been an active performer as a soloist and as a collaborative violinist for other instruments and various orchestras.
He was a violinist for Camerata Académica del Teatro, Orquesta Estable del Teatro and The National Symphony Orchestra Argentina.
Besides, he was also a guest member ( Violin ) for the Suginami District Philharmonic Orchestra (杉並フィルはハーモニー管弦楽団) and the Nakano District Citizens' Symphony Orchestra (中野区民交響楽団)in Tokyo.
Currently he is studying in Yokohama National University. Andres received a Japanese MEXT scholarship for the Teacher training program.
A very dedicated violinist and educator. His warm, humble and approachable personality one that has surely helped him succeed.
He speaks 3 languages - English, Spanish and Japanese.
Sachi (Piano Instructor)
( Sachi sensei )After graduating from Toho Girls' High School (Music), she graduated from the Toho Gakuen School of Music with a degree in piano.
Studied in the USA after participating in the JISA Music Festival in Canada. She completed her master's and diploma studies in piano performance at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. While in Boston, she has accompanied various instruments and has been asked to be a class accompanist by professors of double bass, violin, flute and oboe.
Currently, she is active in a piano duo with a friend from the New England Conservatory of Music, and also performs solo, chamber music and accompaniment, as well as teaching younger students.
As an external instructor, she has also provided music education programmes at nursery schools for more than 15 years, and is well-loved by the 2-5 year-old children in her charge.
Special Venue Music Awards 2025
First Prize, DUO category
Akina (Piano Instructor)
Akina earned a Master's degree from Pennsylvania State University and a Doctorate from West Virginia University (both in Piano Performance) after graduating from the University of Tokyo Faculty of Law and the Graduate School of International Relations. Studied piano under Sonoko
Hanai, Dr. Stephen M. Smith, Dr. José Ramón Méndez, Dr. Ching-wen
Xiao, and Dr. Lucy Mauro.
Won Third Prize at the Pittsburgh International Piano Competition to perform at Carnegie Hall. Received Second Prize in the Adult Concerto Division at the American Fine Arts Festival. Founded Oto-no-irodori to bring diversity to Japan's music
scene.
Naoko (Violin Instructor)
Naoko Aoki. After graduating from the Toho Gakuen School of Music, Naoko-sensei completed a master's degree in ancient instruments at the Conservatoire de Genève.
She has been active as a violinist and has participated in the Musique Musicale du Palais du Louvre under Marc Minkowski, Orfeo 55 under Nathalie Stutzmann, Classical Players Tokyo under Masahiro Arita and the Tokyo Mozart Players under Tatsunori Numajiri. She also has extensive experience in teaching mainly in Japanese and French.
Maria (Violin Instructor)
Maria has been playing the violin since the age of 13. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Arts from UCASAL (Universidad Católica de Salta). Throughout her career, she has performed with several ensembles and orchestras, including the Orchestra of the Bicentenary, the Young Symphonic Orchestra of Salta, and Camerata Stradivari.
In addition to her musical background, Maria has a strong interest in languages. She is
fluent in Spanish and English, has basic knowledge of Portuguese, and is currently
studying Japanese.
Ayako (Viola Instructor)
After graduating from Toho Girls' High School Music Department, she moved to the United States.
She won a full scholarship and she entered the Ohio State University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.
She then went to Hungary where she studied chamber music at the Budapest Liszt Conservatory.
On the recommendation of her former teacher, Walter Levin, when she was in Cincinnati, she entered the Basel Musikhochschule in Switzerland.
She has a Diploma in Music Education and a Performer's Diploma at the top of her class. While still in school, she became a member of the Basel Symphony Orchestra.
In 1997 she became a violist with the Lyon National Opera Orchestra in France.
While performing in the orchestra, she received the Soloist Diploma from the Lucerne University of Music in Switzerland with first place.
She was invited to join the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra where she served as Associate Principal Viola from April 2015 to August 2016.
In September 2016 she returned to the Orchester National de Lyon.
In May 2022, she formed Ensemble KOKOLO, hoping to create a world where people can respect each other and create a wonderful harmony beyond borders and races.
Reiko (Flute Instructor)
Born in Tokyo, Reiko is a flute player who has devoted herself to classical and contemporary music. Reiko won the First Prize at the “Kyogaku VII” (The 7th Contemporary Music Performance Competition founded by JSCM) and received the 16th Asahi Contemporary Music Award. As a performer and an improvisor, she has appeared in the United States, France, England, Germany, Singapore, South Korea and Japan. While having giving premiers of the works written by living composers, she collaborates dancers and visual artists. Reiko holds a BM from Toho Gakuen School of Music, an MFA degree from California Institute of the Arts, and a DMA in Contemporary Music Performance from the University of California, San Diego.
During her graduate studies, she worked for UC San Diego as an instructor of music fundamentals, chamber music and flute lessons. After moving back to Japan she has taught a wide range of generations between 6-year- old and in their 70s. Her innovative practice cultivated through contemporary music performance helps her students learn all kinds of music quickly.
“Would you like to learn both flute playing and language? If so, I think I am the right person for you. Besides flute teaching, I have been a teacher at a language school in Tokyo for over 10 years. Furthermore, my unique experience in music industry will broaden your mind towards art as well. Let’s enjoy playing the flute!”—Reiko
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Saeko (Cello Instructor)
Saeko studied at the Music Department of Toho Girls’ High School and graduated from the Faculty of Music at Toho Gakuen University. She was selected to participate in and perform at the Yo-Yo Ma / Emanuel Ax Master Class held at Suntory Hall.
As a scholarship recipient of the Meiji Yasuda Quality of Life Cultural Foundation, she graduated from the School of Music at Illinois State University and The Juilliard School. She appeared annually at the Focus Music Festival as Principal Cellist of the Juilliard Orchestra, and was invited to perform at music festivals throughout the United States, as well as in various European countries and South Korea.
She received the 24th New York Debut Award presented by Artists International and made her recital debut at the award concert at Carnegie Hall. She was also selected for the Alumni Winner Series and gave a recital at Merkin Hall in New York.
In Japan, she held her debut recital at Casals Hall and appeared on NHK-FM Recital. Since returning to Japan, she has been active in a wide range of performances, including solo, chamber music, and collaborations with orchestras.
Her principal teachers include Keiko Matsunami, Sumiko Kurata, Hakuro Mohri, Ko Iwasaki, and Harvey Shapiro.