Placed first in the 88th Music Competition of Japan while simultaneously receiving numerous awards, including the Leucadia, Sumi and Kuroyanagi Awards. Performed together with the NHK Symphony Orchestra, the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra and more as a soloist under the conducting of Chikara Iwamura, Masahiro Ueno, Gen Ota, Hiroyuki Mito and Kazumasa Watanabe.
Also recognized for his recitals and chamber music. Has played with noted Japanese and overseas performers that include Yekwon Sunwoo, Kazune Shimizu and Konstantin Lifschitz.
Is the youngest core member of the Japan National Orchestra produced by Kyohei Sorita.
Has been featured repeatedly as a guest concert master and assistant concert master in major Japanese orchestras that include the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, and the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra.
Has numerous media appearances that include “Recital Passio” on NHK-FM, “Kyohei Sorita Growing Sonority” on MBS Radio, “Chiko-Chan ni Shikarareru” and “Uta-Con” on NHK Sogo, “Classic TV” on NHK E Tele, and “Untitled Concert” on tv asahi. Serves as presenter on “Ryota Higashi: Capriccioso Musica”, a regular program on the OTTAVA Internet radio station.
Released a CD titled “Ryota Higashi IN CONCERT Recorded at Takasaki City Theatre 2022” on the Octavius Record label as part of the Takasaki City Theatre T-Shot series. Also released a digital single titled “Pachelbel: Canon” on the Universal Music label.
Vigorously engages in a wide range of performance activities that include solo, chamber music and orchestra performances.
Graduated top of his class from the Toho Gakuen College Music Department. Enrolled for two years as a scholarship student in the master’s program offered at that college’s Graduate School of Music, where he studied under Akiko Tatsumi. Has thus far studied violin under Chihiro Morikawa and chamber music under Kikuei Ikeda, Kazuhide Isomura, Michiko Okamoto, Ikue Koike, Nobuko Yamazaki and Akira Wakabayashi.
Was a scholarship student for the 2018 and 2019 academic years at the Aoyama Music Foundation and again for the 2021 and 2022 academic years at the Rohm Music Foundation. Was loaned a 1716 A. Stradivarius by the Itoh Foundation for a two-year period starting in 2019. Is loaned instruments from the Munetsugu Collection. 6th and 7th Fellow of the Suntory Hall Chamber Music Academy. Was a participating artist in CHANEL Pygmalion Days 2023. Oversees performances by the main character of the “Ao no Orchestra” animated series broadcasted on NHK E Tele starting April 2023.
Twitter: @HigashiRyota_Vl
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