Piano Masterclass with Akiko Ebi

Akiko Ebi launched her career after winning the 41st Music Competition of Japan in her freshman year at Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. After graduating at the top of her class from the Paris Conservatoire, she continued her studies there in the graduate school.

​

Ebi won the 2nd Grand Prix of the Marguerite Long-Jacques Thibaud Competition, where she was also awarded four special prizes by jurors including Artur Rubinstein. She also received the 5th prize of the International Chopin Piano Competition in 1980.

​

She has received numerous awards and official commendations, including the Frederic Chopin Society of Japan Award, two Japan Gold Disc Awards, the Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the French Government, a medal as an honorary citizen of Paris, and the Exxon-Mobile Music Award (Japan).

​

Ebi has long been active as a worldwide artist. To date she has performed in 36 countries including Japan, numerous countries in Europe and North America, Russia, China and countries in the Middle East. She has appeared with many orchestras including the NHK Symphony, Yomiuri Nippon Symphony, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony, Warsaw National Philharmonic, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Monte Carlo Philharmonic, Argentine National Symphony, major British orchestras, Slovak Philharmonic, and Orchestra of the Sofia National Opera. A piano duo concert performed by Ebi and Martha Argerich was televised in countries throughout Europe and also in Israel and Japan, receiving high acclaim. Ebi has performed in many of the world’s major concert halls, among them the Theatre des Champs-Elysees, Salle Pleyel, Gewandhaus, Berlin Philharmonie, Wigmore Hall, and Suntory Hall.

​

Her discography includes Chopin’s complete etudes, preludes, nocturnes impromptus and Concerto No 1. Also works by Fauré, Franck, Grieg, Lekeu, Pierné, Ravel, Webern and Dynam-Victor Fumet. She was awarded twice Grand Prix d’Or for her recordings of the works of Hikari Oe.

​

Ebi is often invited as a jury member at international competitions including the Chopin International Piano Competition in Warsaw in 2010, 2015 and 2021, and was the President of the jury at Hamamatsu International Piano Competition in 2012 and 2015. She is President of the Chopin Society in Japan and Chair of the Yokohama City International Piano Concerts for young pianists.