A note from Hiroki

I am delighted to have been selected as a recipient of the RPS Julius Isserlis Scholarship. The financial support I receive from the RPS will allow me to study the viola in Madrid with Professor Nobuko Imai at the Escuela Superior de Musica Reina Sofia. I started playing the viola only half a year ago after Ms. Imai strongly encouraged me to start playing. After playing a few notes, I felt an immediate connection with the instrument. The deep, resonant sound of the viola, which is much closer to my voice than the violin, allows me to be more expressive.

Since starting the viola, I have been studying a variety of music, such as Hindemith, Reger, Walton, and Ligeti, mostly on my own, but I cannot wait to finally receive lessons with Ms. Imai regularly in Madrid as she is one of the most admirable and down-to-Earth musicians I have ever met. She has a stellar career as a soloist, chamber, and orchestral musician, performing with legendary musicians across the globe. I hope to study as much viola and chamber music repertoire under her guidance and to inherit her incredible musical voice and experience. As I played the violin for almost twenty years, I would also love to actively arrange violin music that would suit the viola, and perform my arrangements around the world.

Biography

Hiroki Kasai has been performing the violin and the viola extensively across Europe, Asia, Australia, and the United States, where he has performed in prestigious venues, such as the Elbphilharmonie, Carnegie Hall, Tokyo Suntory Hall, Lincoln Centre, and Barbican Centre. He has appeared at prominent music festivals such as the Beethovenfest Bonn, Pacific, Pablo Casals, Schleswig-Holstein, and Gstaad Menuhin Festivals.

Hiroki graduated from the Royal Academy of Music with First Class Honours in 2021, studying under the tutelage of Rodney Friend. He continued his studies on the violin at the International Menuhin Music Academy. From 2023, Hiroki will study the viola at the Escuela Superior de Musica Reina Sofia in Madrid with Nobuko Imai. He has received further instruction from renowned musicians such as Aaron Rosand, Gabor Takacs, Rainer Schmidt, Kolja Blacher, James Ehnes, and Steven Isserlis.

As the winner of multiple competitions and awards, he has played as a soloist with orchestras around the world. His performances have been broadcasted by the NDR and the National Public Radio (US). Hiroki has performed chamber music with eminent musicians such as Lawrence Power, Ivan Monighetti, Sayaka Shoji, and Bruno Delepelaire. Hiroki is a scholar of the Seiji Ozawa Academy Switzerland and the Villa Musica Rheinland Pfalz. This summer, he will be attending the Marlboro Festival.