Ayaka Taniguchi (23)

Ayaka Taniguchi is a Japanese violist currently studying with Prof. Tabea Zimmermann at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Frankfurt am Main.

As a soloist, she has performed a wide range of works, from Baroque to contemporary music, in various concerts and recitals. A highlight of her career was her performance in August 2023 in Japan, where she played Hindemith's Kammermusik Nr. 5 (Viola Concerto) with an orchestra. She has won several awards, including 4th prize at the Oskar-Nedbal Competition 2024, as well as 1st prize at the 74th TIAA Freshman Concert and the 75th TIAA All Classic Music Concert.

Chamber music is an important aspect of her career. In June 2024, her clarinet trio won 1st prize at the Lenzewski Chamber Music Competition. She has also had opportunities to collaborate with renowned musicians such as Lucas Fels, Alexander Hülshoff, Katsuya Matsubara, Nobuko Imai, Janet Sung, and Tim Vogler. Since September 2024, she has been a scholarship holder at Villa Musica.

She has participated in prestigious festivals and academies, including the Ravel Festival and Academy, the Pau Casals International Music Festival, the Internationales Kammermusikfestival Fliessen, the Rheingau Music Festival, and the Kirishima International Music Festival, and has studied with Veronika Hagen, Veit Hertenstein, Nobuko Imai, Wenting Kang, Walter Küssner, Nian Liu, and Jean Sulem.

Born in Japan, she began her studies at the Tokyo University of the Arts under Prof. Kazunori Kawasaki and moved to the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Frankfurt am Main in October 2023.