Saeka Matsuyama - Violinist

Winner of numerous prestigious competitions and awards, including the First Prize and Audience Prize at the 2004 Sendai International Music Competition and the Second Prize Winner at the 2003 Hannover International Violin Competition, twenty-four year old violinist Saeka Matsuyama is in demand as a soloist for orchestral engagements, recitals, chamber musician, and festival appearances both in the United States and abroad.　

Ms. Matsuyama’s concert schedule includes performances as a soloist with the Tokyo Philharmonic for the Northern Japan tour, the Osaka Century Philharmonic, and the Rheinische-Philharmonie as well as recitals, chamber music appearances and competitions in Argentina, Belgium, France, Finland, Germany, and Japan.　

In 1999, Bridge Records released Ms.Matsuyama’s first recording, a live performance of the Carl Nielsen Violin Concerto at the Carl Nielsen Violin Competition in New York City.　Ms. Matsuyama also has been heard on WQXR-FM in New York City, and she was featured in Strad Magazine in 2004, as well as Ongaku no Tomo and Strad Japan in 2005.

Ms. Matsuyama has participated in internationally renowned summer festivals, including Norfolk Chamber Music Festival and Master Music in Kazusa, Chiba (2005), Marlboro Music Festival (2003-2004), the Schleswig-Holstein Music Academy (2003, Concertmaster), Tanglewood Music Festival (2000, Concertmaster for Mahler Symphony No.5, Accademia Musicale di Sienna (1998), Encore School for Strings (1995-1996), and the Aspen Music Festival (1990-1992).

Her accumulation of awards, prizes, and other distinctions is impressive.; In addition to winning prizes in the Sendai International Music Competition and the Hannover International Competition, Ms. Matsuyama won Grand Prize in the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra　Competition (2000), Second Prize in the Carl Nielsen International Violin Competition (1999), Second Prize in the National Competition in Texas (1998), Second Prize and the Tchaikovsky Prize in the 2nd Tchaikovsky International Competition for Young Musicians (1995) and First Prize in the Juilliard Pre-College Competitions in 1998, in 1995, and in 1992.　The Juilliard School also awarded Ms. Matsuyama several scholarships throughout the years she attended the school, an achievement award, and the Irene Diamond Graduate Fellowship.

Born in 1980 in Nishinomiya City, Hyogo, Japan, Saeka Matsuyma had studied violin with Ishikawa Seiko and Oguri Machie before she came to the United States with her family at the age of nine. Soon after her arrival in New York, she continued violin studies at the Juilliard Pre-College program with renowned teacher Dorothy DeLay (1990–1999), and later with Concertmaster of the Chicago Symphony Robert Chen (1994–1996). While achieving her Bachelors of Music, which she received form The Juilliard School in 2003, she studied with the Concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic, Glenn Dicterow (1999–2003).　Currently, Ms. Matsuyama studies with Ronald Copes and Michael Gilbert.

"Saeka has a control that's rare in Violinist her age, gorgeous sound and brilliant control"...  G.M.

"Dead on intonation, velvet tone, seductive power"... G.M.