About
Tokyo-born Yuki Yoshimi did not decide to pursue music professionally; he first “met the piano” at a friend’s house when he was 5 years old and has “loved the piano since then.” A graduate of the Toho Gakuen School of Music, where he worked with Hisako Ueno and Kei Itoh, his studies eventually brought him to the United States; he has attended the New England Conservatory of Music under Alexander Korsantia since 2020.
Yuki won the first prize in the 86th Music Competition of Japan, becoming the youngest winner at the age of 17. Two years later, he won silver at the Manhattan International Music Competition and just last year made the semifinals of the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition.
He has given recitals throughout Japan, including at Hamarikyu Asahi Hall and Toppan Hall. In addition, he was selected as a Chanel Pygmalion Days artist in 2019 and gave six recitals at Nexus Hall. He has performed with the Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, and New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra. In December 2020, he substituted for Michel Dalberto at Suntory Hall, performing the Mozart Concerto No. 17 in G Major, K. 453 with the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra—a concert he calls “the most enjoyable performance I have ever had.”
Competition Repertoire
Preliminary Round
- HOUGH Fanfare Toccata
- LISZT Sonata in B Minor
Quarterfinal Round
- MOZART Sonata in D Major, K. 311
- BRAHMS Variations on a Theme by Paganini, Books I and II
Semifinal Round - Recital
- DEBUSSY Preludes, Book II
- PROKOFIEV Sonata No. 7 in B-flat Minor, op. 83
Semifinal Round - Mozart Concerto
- MOZART Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major, K. 488
Final Round - Concerto 1
- CHOPIN Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor, op. 11
Final Round - Concerto 2
- PROKOFIEV Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, op. 26
Meet Yuki
Performance Videos
Preliminary Round
LISZT Sonata in B Minor
Quarterfinal Round
BRAHMS Variations on a Theme by Paganini, Books I and II
Relive the 2022 Competition
Own the 30 live recordings of each competitor’s Preliminary Round performance of Sir Stephen Hough’s Fanfare Toccata.