Sayaka Kinoshiro

II violin, principal

I am from Gunma, Japan. At the age of three, I became fascinated with the grand violin solo in Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake – it influenced my choice of instrument. The earliest thing I can remember is me with a violin, so I could not imagine life without it.

I studied at the Toho College of Music in Tokyo and at the Royal Academy of Music in London. I have played with the Tokyo Philharmonic and the Malmö Symphony Orchestra, and I was Alternating Leader of the Kuopio Symphony Orchestra from 2013 to 2021. I have appeared as a soloist with the Kanagawa Philharmonic and the Gunma Symphony Orchestra in Japan, with the Minho Chamber Orchestra in Portugal, with the Marschner Festival Orchestra in Germany and with the Royal Academy Soloists in the UK. My principal competition achievements are winning the international Marschner Violin Competition in 2008 and the Júlio Cardona Competition in 2009. I have released two albums, Loitsu (Sonare Art Office 2012) and Northern Fairies (Sonare Art Office 2017).

The best thing about being a musician is to share a feeling with the audience and with my colleagues. This work has also taught me about a lot of other things that I need in life. My favourite composers are Sibelius, Mozart, Tchaikovsky and Brahms. Music is not only a job for me, it fills my life in other ways too, in joy and sorrow, bringing me consolation and enjoyment. In my leisure time I like to cook, to work out and to do crafts.