Kenichiro Kojima
Kenichiro Kojima, pianist
In 2020 Marta Argerich gave Kenichiro Kojima special mentions at the Vigo International Piano Competition in Spain and Ivo Pogorelich gave him the Ivo Pogorelich Prize at the 5th Manhattan International Music Competition. He won the “Grand Prix Crown of Stars” (with the highest score of 100) for the Performing Section, as well as the Best Video Section at the Music and Stars Awards for his artist portrait “LEFT HAND’”.
In 2015 Kenichiro Kojima saw a personal crisis, in which he was diagnosed with focal dystonia and lost the function of his right hand. This enormous challenge not only brought out his determined and dedicated spirit but also encouraged him to work on repertoires for the left hand alone, some of which he had artfully arranged himself. Despite a set-back that might have wholly disheartened most pianists, Kenichiro Kojima has remained active and competed with repertoires for the left hand alone successfully in several competitions, earning him the 1st prize with two special prizes at the Livorno International Piano Competition in 2019 in Italy and the First Great Award at the 4th Manhattan International Music Competition in the USA, among others.
He has performed as a guest artist throughout Europe and Japan, including the Hamburger Klang Werk in Germany, International Music Festival Puplinge Classique in Switzerland, the Laieszhalle, the Gasteig in Munich, the Duke’s Hall of the Royal Academy of Music in London, the Palau de la Musica in Barcelona, the Kaunas State Philharmonic Hall in Lithuania, the Suntory Hall in Tokyo, and Spring Green Music Festival in Kanazawa, among many others.
He has appeared as a soloist with the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra under Kazuyoshi Akiyama, the Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra under Pascal Verrot, the Seto Philharmonic Orchestra under Kazufumi Yamashita, the Schleswig-Holsteinisches Symphony Orchestra under Harish Shankar, among others.
He graduated with Eliso Virsaladze at the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole and at the University of Music and Theater Hamburg with Stepan Simonian.
“His wonderful talent, intelligence, musicianship and personality clearly impress and move audiences and I testify that Mr. Kojima is both a brilliant pianist and a sensitive artist delivering profound and completely engaging performances.” – Prof. Eliso Virsaladze
“His playing is characterized by its combination of artistic profundity and a very touching early maturity, as well as its youthful vitality and, in the best sense, its musically uncompromising vigour. Needless to say, his strong technical abilities are every bit a match for his artistic diversity and he is consequently able to perform any repertoire with aplomb.” – Prof. Stepan Simonian
