Masao Kawasaki

Masao Kawasaki, violin, leads an international career as a soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, orchestral musician, and pedagogue of both violin and viola. He has performed extensively with orchestras throughout Europe, Asia, and North America, and has collaborated with distinguished artists including Isaac Stern, Pinchas Zukerman, Lynn Harrell, Yo-Yo Ma, Gil Shaham, Yefim Bronfman, Joseph Suk, Joshua Bell, Cho-Lian Lin, Nadja Solerno-Sonnenberg, and Leon Fleischer. Guest appearances include performing with the Tokyo, Emerson, Juilliard, and American string quartets. Mr. Kawasaki has recorded for the CBS Sony, EMI, Nonesuch, Phillips, and Bis labels and has been featured globally on radio broadcasts. Television appearances include NHK-TV Classic Hours and PBS’ Great Performances Series. Mr. Kawasaki frequently presents master classes and is invited to serve on juries of competitions for both violin and viola in the United States and abroad. In 2004 he was awarded the prestigious Presidential Scholars Program’s Teacher Recognition Award. In addition to his activity as a performer and teacher, he co-hosted the 2010 International Viola Congress in Cincinnati and is regularly featured at The Miyazaki International Music Festival. Currently, he is on faculty at The Juilliard School and the Aspen Music Festival and School. Mr. Kawasaki resides in New York City with his wife, Fumiko. Masao Kawasaki is an artist-faculty member of the New Horizons Program, which is made possible by an endowment gift by Kay and Matthew Bucksbaum.