KARIN KEI NAGANO, Piano
Pianist Karin Kei Nagano was born in Berkeley, California and after
spending her first four years in San Francisco, began her academic and
musical studies in Paris, the city where she continues to reside.
After initial training from well known Japanese piano professor, Harumi
Kodama, Karin Nagano was presented to the internationally renown
professor, Madame Germaine Mounier of the Salzburg Mozarteum and Paris
Conservatory. Following her audition, Madame Mounier accepted Miss
Nagano into her prestigious private class, the studio where she
continued to study until the professor's untimely passing in 2006.
Miss Nagano then auditioned for and was accepted into the private class
of the equally renown Russian professor, Mr Igor Lazko as a student at
the Scriabine Conservatory in Paris and since this time has greatly
broadened her performing experiences. She also studies at La Schola Cantorum in Paris.
This year, under the guidance of Professor Lazko, Karin Nagano began
competing internationally, and in her first competition in February 2007,
won top prize at the Paris International Scriabine Competition,
competing against contestants from Europe, Russia, Asia and the United
States of America. In June 2007 she won first prize and best interpretation prize at the Berlin International Competition.
Later in 2007 we will see Miss Nagano appearing at the International Piano
Competition of St. Petersburg where she has been invited to perform and
compete with other prize winners.
Now eight years old, when not pursuing her piano studies, she attends the
French-English Bilingual School, "Ecole Jeanine Manuel" in Paris.
However her schedule still allows her to travel often with her parents,
musicians Kent and Mari Nagano, and to regularly join them on their
international tours. Fluent in English, Japanese, and French, when time
allows she at times also resides in Munich, Montreal, and Osaka as well as in
San Francisco.
When not focusing on her studies, Karin enjoys a love of a variety of
hobbies including creative writing, bicyling, painting, ballet, and
swimming.
Her 2007 appearance at the Forest Hills Musical Days marks her second
performance in the Bay Area, and follows her debut Berkeley appearance
in 2003.
