Akemi Takayama, violin


Ms. Takayama is currently in her ninth year as violinist for the Audubon Quartet. Born to musical parents in Tokyo, Japan, Takayama began her violin studies with her mother at the age of three. Her professional violin career began in Japan at the age of 15. She has performed throughout Japan, France, and the U.S., including appearances with the Shinsei-Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, the Toho School of Music Orchestra, and on a "FM Recital" broadcast throughout Japan on NHK Radio.

Since 2004, Ms. Takayama appears regularly as both soloist and concertmaster with the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, performs with musicians from the RSO and other professional chamber ensembles, and is active as an educator and arts advocate throughout Southwest Virginia. Akemi's recent solo performances with the RSO include Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons", Beethoven's Violin Concerto, and Brahms' Double Concerto.

Akemi Takayama received first prize in both the Northwest Regional Music Teacher National Association and the Grand Junction Young Artist competitions. She has performed at and served on the faculties of the Chautauqua Institute in New York, the Idyllwild School of the Arts in California, the Brevard Music Center in North Carolina, Shenandoah Performs in Virginia, and at Virginia Tech. During her graduate studies, Akemi was a teaching assistant to the renowned Donald Weilerstein at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she earned both an Artist Diploma and a Master of Music degree.

Previously, she studied with Toshiya Eto and Ryosaku Kubota at the renowned Toho School of Music in Tokyo, where she earned her bachelor's degree in music performance. She also studied with Brian Hanly at the University of Wyoming where she earned her professional studies degree. Ms. Takayama won a position in the prestigious Marlboro Music Festival and the Isaac Stern Music Workshop. The late Isaac Stern said of Ms. Takayama "she is a true musician and will always bring credit to any group that she works with."
Her recordings with the Audubon Quartet include four CDs, all available on the Centaur and Composers Recordings labels. She plays a J.B. Ceruti violin made in Cremona, Italy, made in 1805.