Dr. Kana Mimaki, Concert Director

Kana Mimaki, piano began her piano studies in Japan at the age of 3. By the time she was five she had won the first of many piano competitions. Her achievements include the Kapo-Barwick Memorial prize from the William Kapell International Piano Competition, the special prize from the Japan Arts Center, a nomination for the best pianist of the 2007-2008 recital series in Tokyo/Kobe Arts Center, First Prize awards from the Los Angeles Liszt Competition, the International Russian Music Competition and Catania International Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto Competition. Most recently Ms. Mimaki won the first prize in the Bradshaw and Buono International Piano Competition that made her Carnegie debut in May 2009.

After graduating from a renowned music High School, Ms. Mimaki found her way into the premeire Japanese school of music: the Tokyo National University of Music and Fine Arts. As an undergraduate, Herbert Stessin invited her to attend the Aspen Music Festival, where she went on to win the E. Nakamichi Piano Concerto Competition. Following completion of her Bachelor’s degree, Kana returned to the United States to receive her Master of Music degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She completed her Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Rice University.