Rin ARAI

Originally from Japan, pianist and chamber musician Rin ARAI stands out as a curious musician, exploring all styles of music in a rich and varied approach.

Born in 1998, she started the piano at age of 3. She studied at first with Ayumi Yokoyama, Atsuko Okada, and Tomoaki Yoshida at Tokyo College of Music.

After studying at Tokyo College of Music, she worked in the University of Arts of Tokyo, with Chiharu Sakai, Katsuya Matsubara and Makiko Yoshioka, she received a Master Diploma in 2024.

Since 2024 she arrived in France to devolve the speciality of French music world « Piano Accompaniment » at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris (CNSMDP) with Reiko Hozu.

She performs very regularly in Japan, in Paris, Tignes, Vésinet in France. She also closely pianistic repertoire with Claudio Chaiquin.

Reiko HOZU

Reiko Hozu's interpretations of modern classical piano repertoire have drawn accolades from audiences and composers alike, repertoire that includes music of Ravel, Stravinsky, Schoenberg, Berg, Berio, Ligeti, and Kagel. Karlheinz Stockhausen notably singled out Reiko in 2005, bestowing upon her the prize for interpretation of the Klavierstücke X (Piano Pieces X) at his annual festival in Kürten near Köln, Germany.

A significant part of Reiko Hozu's career has taken place outside France, in Germany, Vienna, Geneva, Italy, Iceland, Tokyo, and Seoul. In France, she has appeared as a soloist in Paris at the Opéra Garnier, at the Cité de la Musique, with orchestras of Radio-France, the O.F.J., and the Orchestre Colonne. In 2004, she was the soloist in Stravinsky's Concerto with the Orchestre National d'Ile de France with the conductor Jonathan Stockhammer. She has played in venues such as Salle Gaveau, Salle Pleyel, and the Théâtre du Châtelet, and appeared at festivals in Sceaux, Périgord, St. Etienne (Piano Passion), and in Agen (Artepiano). Her performances have been broadcast on the radio (France-Musiques) and television (Arte, Mezzo, FR3).

Born in Japan, Reiko Hozu won a First Prize at the J.S. Bach Competition in Tokyo. In 1996, she received a “Soloist Diploma” from the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik in Stuttgart, Germany, after studying with Oleg Maisenberg. She then entered the Postgraduate class of Homero Francesch at the Zürich Konservatorium, Switzerland, where she was awarded the Landolt Prize. She also worked closely with Yevgeny Malinin, making her a privileged interpreter of the great Russian and romantic works for piano. In France, she developed her artistic personality by working with musicians such as Jean Hubeau, Jean Koerner, Jacques Rouvier, Alain Marion, Raymond Guiot, Michèle Auclair and Jorge Donn.

She was also the Official Pianist for the Long-Thibaud Competition, Jean-Pierre Rampal Competition, and the Rostropovitch Competition in Paris.

As Chamber Music partener, she collaborates with the violinistes Alexander & Albert Markov, Noah Bendix-Balgley, celliste Kyril Zlotnikov. In 2016 Reiko got the Best performer Prize in the festival Musée en Musique à Grenoble with violiniste Mohamed Hiber.
 
She also produced some records with Raymond Guiot, Noah Bendix-Balgley and as solo-piano's album « SCRIABISM » and « Souvenirs » by  Animarecord CD. (Ravel, Albeniz, Dupin)

In recital, Reiko often includes pieces from epochs that range from the Baroque to world-premieres. She now makes her home in Paris. Since 2000, she has been a Professor at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse in Paris.

Yu MATSUOKA

Pianist Yu Matsuoka was born in Yokohama, Japan, and he started learning piano at the age of 3.

While in Paris, he received his MA in piano accompaniment in 2014, and BA in choreographic accompaniment in 2015, then a prize in harmony, counterpoint and fugue at CNSMD of Paris.

He is also passionated about ancient musics and he has been studying harpsichord at CRR Boulogne-Billancourt since 2017 where he also received the diploma (DEM) of harpsichord and bass continuo at 2019.

He is currently a piano accompanist at CNSMDP, Pôle supérieur 93, CRD de Gennevilliers. He is also an organist at the church Notre-Dame-des-Vertus in Aubervilliers.