Pianists of the masterclasses
Our accompanists are in great demand at the most prestigious cello competitions as piano accompanists – and can be heard in their own concerts worldwide.
Nicolai Gerassimez
University of music Hanns Eisler berlin
Nicolai Gerassimez has established himself as one of the leading pianists of his generation, both as a soloist and chamber musician. He attracted considerable attention when he won first prize at the German Music Competition in both 2010 and 2012.
Solo concerts and recitals have taken him to the most prestigious music centres in Europe and the USA, as well as to major international festivals.
He studied with Prof. Galina Iwanzowa and Prof. Matthias Kirschnereit, graduating with distinction in piano and chamber music. Since 2018, he has been teaching at the Hanns Eisler Academy of Music in Berlin.
Masterclass: Attila Pasztor & Denis Severin
Website: www.nicolaigerassimez.de
Yoko Kuwahara
University of Music Lübeck
A graduate of the renowned Toho Music High School and Toho Gakuen College of Music in Tokyo, she studied in Lübeck, where she earned a Master of Music in Accompaniment under Prof. Inge-Susann Römhild.
As a concert pianist, she gives numerous concerts in Japan, Belgium, France, Italy, Israel and Germany, where she can be heard both as a soloist and as a chamber musician.
She is an accompanist at international masterclasses and competitions, as well as in several instrumental classes at the conservatories in Lübeck and Rostock
Masterclass: Natalie Clein
Mana Oguchi
University of Music Hanns Eisler Berlin
Mana Oguchi was born in Sapporo, Japan, and has been playing the piano and violin since the age of three.
She studied piano at Tokyo University of the Arts with Prof. Kei Itoh and at the University of Music, Drama and Media Hanover with Prof. Karl-Heinz Kämmerling. After completing her artistic training with piano as her main subject, she went on to complete her master's degree in chamber music with Prof. Markus Becker in Hanover.
She currently teaches at the Hanns Eisler Academy of Music in Berlin and works as an accompanist at the Kronberg Academy
Masterclass: Jakob Spahn
Website: www.manaoguchi.com
Julien le Pape
Conservatoire de Boulogne-Billancourt
After completing his studies at the Paris Conservatory, the French pianist reached the final of the Clara Haskil Competition in 1999. This was followed by engagements as a soloist in France, Japan, and the United States. Alongside theatre productions with Didier Sandre, Fanny Cottençon, and Shiro Saito, Le Pape has participated in numerous chamber music recordings.
His complete recording of Maurice Ravel’s chamber music with Ensemble Sésame received top distinctions in 2022, including the Choc de Classica and 5 Diapasons. Le Pape teaches piano accompaniment and sight-reading at the Conservatoire of Boulogne-Billancourt.
Masterclass: Marc Coppey
Website: www.julienlepape.com
Naoko Sonoda
Berlin University of the Arts (UdK)
Naoko Sonoda studied at the Berlin University of the Arts. She received musical inspiration from R. Becker, M. Woskressenski, and T. Zimmermann, among others.
Since completing her studies, she has been engaged as an artistic assistant at the Berlin University of the Arts and is also a piano accompanist at the Kronberg Academy.
She has been a guest at international festivals and has performed in venues such as the Mariinsky Theatre, the Berlin Philharmonic, Wigmore Hall and Carnegie Hall.
As a piano partner, she has won several prizes, including at the Lutosławski International Competition (2015, 2018), the International Tchaikovsky Competition (2015, 2019), and the G. Enescu International Competition (2021)
Masterclass: Jens Peter Maintz
Website: www.naokosonoda.com
Yukie Takai
Universities of Music Stuttgart, Freiburg and Weimar
After studying at the Toho-Gakuen College of Music in Tokyo (Prof. Tsunemi Naraba) and the Freiburg University of Music (Prof. Hiroko Tsuruoka-Barth, Prof. Helmut Barth), she completed her training with Prof. André Marchand at the Stuttgart University of Music.
She is in high demand as an accompanist at competitions (Geneva, ARD, etc.), festivals and master classes, as well as at the conservatories in Stuttgart, Freiburg and Weimar.
As a soloist and chamber musician, she performs regularly in Germany and abroad, and also makes radio recordings for SWR and BR.
Masterclass: Sebastian Klinger
Yukino Kaihara
Berlin University of the Arts (UdK Berlin)
Yukino Kaihara was born in Hiroshima, Japan. In 2015, she reached the semifinals of the International Long-Thibaud-Crespin Competition in Paris, and in 2016, she qualified for the preliminary round of the International Chopin Competition in Warsaw. In the same year, she won 3rd prize at the Tokyo Music Competition.
As a soloist, she has performed with renowned Japanese orchestras including the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra and the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2018, she made her debut at Suntory Hall performing Ravel’s Piano Concerto.
Since 2023, she has been working as a répétiteur at the Berlin University of the Arts, and since 2025 also at the Franz Liszt University of Music in Weimar.
Masterclass: Danjulo Ishizaka
Kiyoko Wakamatsu
Rostock University of Music and Theatre
The Japanese-born pianist graduated from the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo before studying at the Lübeck University of Music with Peter Roggenkamp and completing her postgraduate studies in piano accompaniment and chamber music. Masterclasses with Arie Verdi, Vitalij Margulis and Andrzej Jasinski complemented her training.
Since 1999, she has been working as a répétiteur at the Rostock University of Music and Drama, and since 2017 also at the Berlin University of the Arts (UdK).
As accompanist, she plays at international masterclasses and renowned competitions, including the Rostropovich Competition (Paris) and the German Music Competition
Masterclass: Claudio Bohórquez
Chifuyu Yada
University of Music Munich
Born in Japan, Chifuyu Yada began to learn the piano at the age of four. Later she studied in Munich with Prof. Gerhard Oppitz and in Saarbrücken with Prof. Nerine Barrett and Prof. Bernd Glemser, during which time she was a prizewinner at the Walter-Gieseking Competition.
Following her studies, Chifuyu Yada joined the faculty at the Academy of Music in Saarland and in 1995 changed to the Academy of Music and the Performing Arts, Munich, whereshe teaches since 2008. Alongside her regular performances as a soloist and chamber musician she can also be heard on CD and radio broadcasts from SR, HR, MDR and BR.
Masterclass: Wen-Sinn Yang