Hikaru Matsukawa is a violin virtuoso who has established a long international career with highly distinguished techniques and the solid performing style. The repertoire ranges widely from baroque to late 20th century, particularly focusing on lesser-known, underated music that prospered in the preceding eras.
Born in Osaka (Japan) in 1992, Matsukawa began musical education at the age of 4. His career took off when he marked his debut in 2003 with the Kyoto Symphony Orchestra. After many years of guidance by Chihiro Kudo, then-leader of the Kyoto Symphony Orchestra, Matsukawa completed his studies with Simon Fischer at Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London where he acquired Master’s Degree with Distinction.
His first international media appearance was at the WXQR Radio of New York during the McGraw Hill Young Artist Showcase in 2009.
In the last decade, Matsukawa has performed world-wide with renowned artists such as Shlomo Mintz, a violin virtuoso & conductor, the Silesian Chamber Orchestra (Poland), the Danube Symphony Orchestra (Hungary), the Japan Century Symphony Orchestra, the Cambridge Graduate Orchestra (UK) etc, during which he was the concertmaster of the Teatro alla Scala Accademia Orchestra in Milan till 2018.
Some of the most significant awards Matsukawa has received are the Ivan Sutton Chamber Music Award (London), the 2nd prizes of the Romania International Music Competition (Tokyo) and the Munetsugu Angel Violin Competition, the Special Prize at the 2nd Concerto Masterclass & Competition in Budapest. Matsukawa was the overall winner of the Concorso Giovanni Internazionale Musicisti “Luigi Zanuccoli” (Italy).
HIKARU MATSUKAWA 