About Us

BIOGRAPHY

Mayu Kishima

Violin

Appointed Visiting Producer

First Prize winner in the First Shanghai Isaac Stern International Violin Competition in 2016.

In 2000, she caused a stir in the music world when she took top prize as the youngest-ever Japanese top prizewinner in the Junior Division of the 8th Wieniawski International Competition in Lublin. In 2011 she was awarded First Prize, as well as the David Garrett Award for outstanding musical interpretation in the International Music Competition Cologne.

In June 2004, Kishima performed with the Russian National Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vladimir Spivakov. Her performance was lauded by a Russian newspaper, which said: "It's no wonder the great Mstislav Rostropovich calls her 'the world's best young violinist.' She awed the audience with her superb technique and mature understanding of the music."

In 2005, Kishima performed with the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, conducted by Mstislav Rostropovich (Rome and Madrid, February); the National Symphony (Washington, D.C., May); the London Symphony Orchestra (London, June); and the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks (Munich and other locations, July). She was praised by the influential Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper, which said: "She was made known to the world by Rostropovich in the same way that Karajan made Anne-Sofie Mutter famous and Maazel made Hilary Hahn famous."

Kishima has participated in several recordings thus far. On the strong recommendation of Vladimir Ashkenazy, who had become Music Director of the NHK Symphony Orchestra, she performed "Tzigane" on Ravel: Orchestral Works. She has also released the solo albums Chaconne and Rise. The recording of her performance at the 2015 Progetto Martha Argerich festival in Lugano was included in the live recording CD Argerich & Friends, released on Warner Music in May 2016.

Currently Kishima is based in Paris and Cologne and performs frequently in Europe. Her recent activities include performances at the Martha Argerich festival in Lugano, and concerts with the Saito Kinen Orchestra and Mito Chamber Orchestra.

Kishima has received instruction from Izumi Hayashi, Kazuyo Togami, Toshiya Eto, Dorothy DeLay, Masao Kawasaki, Machie Oguri, Chihiro Kudo and others. She also participated in the Seiji Ozawa Academy in Switzerland in 2008 and 2009. In spring 2012, she graduated with the top grade from the Hochschule fur Musik in Cologne, where she studied with Zakhar Bron. In autumn 2015, she graduated at the top of her class from the graduate school of the Hochschule fur Musik, with all professors awarding her highest grades, and received Germany's national qualification for musicians.

In 2002, Kishima received a fellowship for overseas study from the Japanese Ministry of Culture.

Kishima plays Antonio Stradivarius ex Petri 1700, kindly loaned by Dr. Ryuji Ueno.

Official website: http://kishimamayu.seesaa.net/