Yoko Reikano Kimura is one of the most captivating artistic voices of Japanese koto and shamisen consistently praised by critics for her musical elegance and versatile repertoire. Based in the US and Japan, Kimura has concertized in major venues around the world, and is admired for her authoritative interpretation of the classics and her passionate advocacy of new music. The New York Times described her shamisen playing and singing as “superb.” New York Classical Review described her performance as “played with poise and verve.” Based in New York and Japan, Kimura has held recitals annually and concertized in over 20 countries around the world, including prestigious venues such as the Warsaw Autumn Festival, Israel Festival, The University of Cambridge, John F. Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Madison Square Garden, Kabuki-za and various World Heritage Sites. 

From an early age, Kimura started learning koto from Yukano Inoue. Since 1992, Kimura has studied with Kono Kameyama, the preeminent disciple of the legendary Yamada-school koto performer and a Living National Treasure, Kin’ichi Nakanoshima. Kimura also studied with Senko Yamabiko, a Living National Treasure of Kato-bushi shamisen and received master certificates from both Hiroko Nakanoshima VI and Kato-bushi Masumi-kai. Her awards include the First prize at the prestigious 10th Kenjun Memorial National Koto Competition. Kimura graduated from the Tokyo University of the Arts and continued her studies at the NHK (Japanese national broadcasting corporation) School for Young Professionals. In 2004, Kimura received a scholarship from the Agency of Cultural Affairs of Japan. At the Institute of Japanese Traditional Music, Kimura studied contemporary music with Akiko Nishigata, who pioneered the performance of new musical repertoire on the shamisen. Before moving to the US in 2010, Kimura was a faculty member at Senzoku Gakuen College of Music, where Kimura still gives lectures frequently. Since Kimura moved to the US, she has given workshops and lectures at various educational institutions, such as Harvard University, Columbia University, Princeton University, University of Chicago, University of Hawaii and New York Philharmonic’s educational program. Kimura also served as a Japanese music consultant for Carnegie Hall’s educational program in 2022. 

Kimura is an ardent champion of Koto Concerto: Genji by Daron Hagen and most recent engagements include the performance at Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art and the recording on Medici TV. Kimura is a founder of Duo YUMENO with cellist, Hikaru Tamaki. The duo received the 24th Aoyama Music Award and held its 10th anniversary recital at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in 2019. Their new album, Heike Quinto was released worldwide from NAXOS worldwide in 2024. Kimura has recorded for Albany Records, MSR Classics and many other labels in Japan; and has broadcasted on NPR’s Performance Today, NHK-FM’s Hogaku no Hitotoki, and Nippon TV’s The MUSIC DAY.     

https://www.yokoreikanokimura.com