Akiko Suwanai
violin
“Her big, focused, almost piercing tone took over, carving sonic space, a race car driver weaving in and out of (and even cutting off) traffic.” (The Washington Post)
Japanese violinist Akiko Suwanai has established herself as one of the most sought-after artists of her generation. Since winning the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1990 she has enjoyed a flourishing career, performing chamber music internationally and engaging at the highest-level with orchestras and conductors.
Universally acclaimed for her performances of the core violin repertoire, Suwanai released Brahms:The Sonatas for Violin and Piano and Bach's Complete Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin with Universal Music in 2024 and 2022, respectively. She is also recognised for her master interpretations of lesser performed works and passion for new music: she has recorded works by Takemitsu with NHK Symphony Orchestra/Järvi and given premieres of Peter Eötvös’ Seven at the Lucerne Festival under Pierre Boulez and in the following year at the BBC Proms conducted by Susanna Mälkki. Suwanai has also given Asian premieres of important new works including violin concertos by James MacMillan, Esa-Pekka Salonen and Krzysztof Penderecki.
In 2012, Akiko launched the Tokyo-based International Music Festival NIPPON as Artistic Director. This bi-annual festival presents a variety of guest orchestras and chamber concerts and commissions new works and world premieres by Japanese and international composers. At the festival, Akiko has premiered new works including Karol Beffa’s Violin Concerto alongside Die Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen and Dai Fujikura’s Pitter-Patter with Boris Berezovsky.
Suwanai performs on the Charles Reade Guarneri del Gesu violin, generously loaned to her by the Japanese-American collector and philanthropist, Dr. Ryuji Ueno.
