October 21, 2016 (Fri)<
Born in Japan, Mayumi Sakamoto made her orchestral debut with her hometown orchestra at the age of 11. She graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts, where she also received the Douseikai Prize (from the alumni association) and the Yomiuri Prize sponsored by the Yomiuri newspaper in Japan. She obtained a Konzertexamen from Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media in Germany, and graduated with a scholarship from the Rohm Music Foundation.
She was an invited Master Class lecturer, an instructor for chamber music, and an assistant to Professor Einar Steen-Nøkleberg at Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media.
She won both First Prize and the WDR Radio Orchestra Cologne Prize at the International Music Competition in Cologne in 2011. In addition, she won the First Prize and the Prix d’Oslo at the International Edvard Grieg Piano Competition in Norway, and the highest prize at the Pausilypon International Piano Competition in Italy. She was the Second Prize winner at both the Top of the World International Piano Competition in Norway and the Andorra International Piano Competition in Andorra.
She was a prize winner at the Pinerolo International Piano Competition in Italy, the Scottish International Piano Competition, and the 2003 Leeds International Pianoforte Competition; She was also a semi-finalist at the 2002 International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow and a diploma recipient at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.
She has also received prizes at numerous piano competitions in Japan, including First Prize at the All Japan Student Music Competition at the age of 15.
She recorded Mozart’s piano concertos with the WDR Radio Orchestra Cologne, and Grieg’s Piano Concerto with Gottingen Symphony Orchestra. In 2014, she performed Xaver Scharwenka’s piano concerto with the Brandenburg State Orchestra. Her new CD of Mozart’s piano concertos, recorded with the WDR Radio Orchestra Cologne, was released in 2015.
She has also been invited to several renowned music festivals and her performances have been broadcast on television and radio. She has given a number of solo recitals as well as performances with orchestras in Germany, Norway, Russia, Austria, Italy, Belgium, the U.S.A., and Japan. Her bold but delicate performances, filled with colorful and emotional sounds, have won great acclaim.