Praised by The New York Times for her “impressive musicality, a crisp touch and expressive phrasing,” Japanese pianist Rieko Aizawa has performed in solo and orchestral engagements throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe, including Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall, Boston’s Symphony Hall, Chicago’s Orchestra Hall, and Vienna’s Konzerthaus. At the age of thirteen, Ms. Aizawa was brought to the attention of conductor Alexander Schneider on the recommendation of the pianist Mitsuko Uchida. Schneider engaged Ms. Aizawa as soloist with his Brandenburg Ensemble at the opening concerts of Tokyo’s Casals Hall. Later that year, Schneider presented her in her United States debut concerts at the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall with his New York String Orchestra. She has since established her own unique musical voice.
Ms. Aizawa is also an active chamber musician. The youngest-ever participant at the Marlboro Music Festival, she has also performed as a guest with string quartets including the Guarneri Quartet and the Orion Quartet. Ms. Aizawa is a founding member of Horszowski Trio and Duo Prism with violinist Jesse Mills, which earned the 1st Prize at the Zinetti International Competition in Italy in 2006. With Mr. Mills, Ms. Aizawa became co-artistic director of the Alpenglow Chamber Music Festival in Colorado in 2010. March 2005 marked the release of Ms. Aizawa’s first solo recording of Shostakovich’s and Scriabin’s “24 Preludes,” on the Altus Music label. Her second album, of Messiaen’s and Faure’s preludes, will come out in 2012. Rieko Aizawa was the last pupil of Mieczyslaw Horszowski at the Curtis Institute and she also studied with Seymour Lipkin and Peter Serkin at the Juilliard School.