Lisa Nakamichi, known for her exquisite performances of Mozart has been called “born to play Mozart” by Honolulu Advertiser critic on her concerto performance with the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra.

The successful Tokyo solo debut recital at Tokyo Bunka Kaikan sponsored by the Japanese Ministry of Culture launched Ms. Nakamichi’s career in Japan. Ms. Nakamichi has since appeared in concerto performances throughout Japan among them the New Star Japan Philharmonic in Tokyo, the Kyushu Philharmonic in Nagasaki, Kyoto Symphony in Kyoto and the Hiroshima Symphony in Hiroshima. Her performance with the Hiroshima Symphony was reviewed as “brilliant Mozart playing”.

Concerto performances with the Honolulu Symphony and Hawaii Symphony have totaled over a dozen times and her performance of the Mozart Concerto was reviewed in the Honolulu Advertiser as “above all beautiful”. Notable performances with the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra include the inaugural concert under the baton of Japan’s maestro Naoto Ohtomo, performance of Mozart’s double concerto with world-renowned Austrian conductor, Hans Graf and most recently Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with maestro JoAnn Falletta. Nakamichi has also been the featured soloist in a performance of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, celebrating Louis Vuitton’s 150th anniversary.

Ms. Nakamichi has appeared in numerous recitals in major cities of the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Japan. Notable venues include the residence of the Japanese Ambassador to the United States in Washington, D.C., residence of the Consul General of Japan in Honolulu, Corcoran Art Theater (Washington, D.C.), Tokyo Bunka Kaikan (Tokyo, Japan), Eroica Saal (Vienna, Austria), residence of the Japanese Ambassador to Austria in Vienna, Libby Hall (University of Utah), University of Alaska in Anchorage, Montreal City Hall (Montreal, Canada), Portland Japanese Garden (Portland, Oregon), McCallum Theater (Palm Springs), among others.

Since 2000, Ms. Nakamichi has been on the artists’ roster of the Japan Foundation for Regional Art Activities (JAFRA). She has appeared throughout Japan in the Foundation’s outreach program holding workshops, masterclasses and performances to promote the regional development in arts and culture.

As juror, Nakamichi has served on the jury of the Cooper International Piano Competition (Cleveland), Waring International Piano Competition (Palm Springs), Alaska MTA, and Hawaii MTA, where she also conducted masterclasses. Since 2018, Nakamichi has been serving on the jury of the PTNA Competition (Piano Teachers’ National Association) for their national finals in Tokyo.

Ms. Nakamichi is the founding artistic director of the annual Aloha International Piano Festival and the triennial Ke’alohi International Piano Competition held in Honolulu, Hawaii attracting some of the most gifted young pianists from around the world.

Lisa Nakamichi received her Bachelor’s (BM) and Master’s (MM) degrees from The Juilliard School and doctoral degree (DMA) awarded from the State University of New York at Stony Brook.