Masumi Yamamoto will be coming to Plumstead and bringing with her her harpsichord! She'll be performing a selection of baroque favourites but is eager to hear from local young pianists and invites "special requests" of repertoire for this recital.
Harpsichordist Masumi Yamamoto was born in Osaka Japan, grew up on Australia's Gold Coast and has been based in the UK since 2001. She has appeared with orchestras including St. James’s Baroque, Yorkshire Baroque Soloists and the International Baroque Players, and at venues such as the Purcell Room, the Royal Albert Hall, St. John's Smith Square and Cadogan Hall. Recent concerts have taken her to France, Germany, Norway and Italy, and she has also performed as far afield as Malaysia, Japan and Australia. Masumi was a prize winner at the prestigious International Harpsichord Competition in Bruges in 2007 and became the first Japanese harpsichordist to reach the finals in 21 years. She was also a semi-finalist in the International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition in Leipzig (2006), and the winner of 2012 Fenton House Keyboard Ensemble Competition with ensemble Akenside Players. A solo recital in London was also given a four-star rating in The Independent in 2012: "her tempi follow the pulse of the heart, and her ornamentation is as natural as breathing".
Masumi graduated with a University Medal from the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University in Brisbane Australia. In the UK, she studied at the Royal Academy of Music, then at Trinity College of Music as a pupil of harpsichordist James Johnstone and was later "The English Concert" Junior Fellow with ensemble Melopoetica.
Masumi is also passionate about the repertoire for two harpsichords and has appeared in concerts across the UK with her duo partner Takako Minami. They will make their debut in Japan later in 2015. Masumi is also active as a soloist, and during the 2014-2015 season, she made concerto appearances with Paulus Barokk in Norway, and London Concertante, Solisti Divini and the Keld Ensemble in the UK.
Now also a keen teacher, Masumi has given lessons and Masterclasses at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music in Singapore and Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University in Australia, and is Teacher of Harpsichord at St. Paul's Girls' School.