I have been a professional harpsichordist for over 20 years. I was born in Kyoto, Japan. At age of 3, I started learning the piano, which became something of an obsession (!) before it was replaced in my affections by the harpsichord, after the harpsichordist Shin-ichiro Nakano performing for the first time. His performance convinced me for the first time that the harpsichord was capable of conveying contrasts of dynamics and tone and he became my first teacher on the instrument, and I owe him a huge debt for the development of my interest in early keyboards from my late teens.
In 1998, I moved to London to study with Laurence Cummings at the Royal Academy of Music where I graduated with Distinction. While I was studying in London, I was strongly influenced by many musicians including Laurence, Kenneth Gilbert and Rachel Brown, as well as Simon Standage who had been the first person to encourage me to study in the UK. During my studies, I had wonderful opportunities to take part in a number of international music competitions. I was awarded the top prize at the Yamanashi Early Music Competition in Japan and an honourable mention at the International Early Music Competition in Bruges.
I have experience working as orchestral musician with a number of professional orchestras both in Japan and the UK, working, for example, with the Kyoto Philharmonic, Royal Northern Sinfonia and the London Handel Orchestra. However, my focus has always been on solo repertoire and chamber music.
I am a founding member of the Herschel Trio and the Herschel Players with Graham O'Sullivan (flute and recorder), Huw Daniel (violin), Molly Marsh (oboe) and Susanna Pell (viols).
You can hear my playing on the LISTEN page of this website, where you will find tracks from several of the recordings I have made including, my debut solo CD Ascents of the Soul (Omnibus Classics), my more recent solo recording of the works of Royer (Resonus Classics), and, as a chamber musician with the Herschel Trio (A Concert near Darmstadt, Omnibus Classics) and with La Sfera Musicale (Baroque Dialogues, WAON Records).
I take great pleasure and satisfaction from my teaching, and recently was delighted to be invited to teach with members of Da Camera (Emma Murphy and Susanna Pell) for a course focusing on baroque trio sonatas for Benslow Music.
In 1998, I moved to London to study with Laurence Cummings at the Royal Academy of Music where I graduated with Distinction. While I was studying in London, I was strongly influenced by many musicians including Laurence, Kenneth Gilbert and Rachel Brown, as well as Simon Standage who had been the first person to encourage me to study in the UK. During my studies, I had wonderful opportunities to take part in a number of international music competitions. I was awarded the top prize at the Yamanashi Early Music Competition in Japan and an honourable mention at the International Early Music Competition in Bruges.
I have experience working as orchestral musician with a number of professional orchestras both in Japan and the UK, working, for example, with the Kyoto Philharmonic, Royal Northern Sinfonia and the London Handel Orchestra. However, my focus has always been on solo repertoire and chamber music.
I am a founding member of the Herschel Trio and the Herschel Players with Graham O'Sullivan (flute and recorder), Huw Daniel (violin), Molly Marsh (oboe) and Susanna Pell (viols).
You can hear my playing on the LISTEN page of this website, where you will find tracks from several of the recordings I have made including, my debut solo CD Ascents of the Soul (Omnibus Classics), my more recent solo recording of the works of Royer (Resonus Classics), and, as a chamber musician with the Herschel Trio (A Concert near Darmstadt, Omnibus Classics) and with La Sfera Musicale (Baroque Dialogues, WAON Records).
I take great pleasure and satisfaction from my teaching, and recently was delighted to be invited to teach with members of Da Camera (Emma Murphy and Susanna Pell) for a course focusing on baroque trio sonatas for Benslow Music.
