Dr. Misaki Saito
was born in Toyota, Aichi, Japan and began playing the piano at eight years old. When she was sixteen, she received a merit scholarship and was awarded the R. Graham Keevil Memorial Scholarship to study abroad at the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan. She also received full scholarship to complete her Bachelor’s Degree at Lynn University Conservatory of Music. Dr. Saito holds a Masters of Music and a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Piano Performance from University of Southern California Thornton School of Music. During her doctoral studies, she also minored in music theory, instrumental conducting and arts leadership, and completed the degree summa cum laude. Misaki’s primary mentors include eminent musicians Daniel Pollack, Kevin Fitz-Gerald, Roberta Rust, Michael Coonrod, and Larry Livingston.
Dr. Saito has had the honor of performing in established venues such as Walt Disney Concert Hall and Steinway Hall, and has performed in many parts of the world, including Japan, China, South Korea, Thailand, and Russia. Aside from her solo career, Misaki is also an active chamber musician and collaborator, receiving USC’s prestigious Keyboard Collaborative Award in 2017 for her extensive collaborative services to the school. She just completed a summer position as faculty member and artist-in-residence for Sitka Fine Arts Camp in Alaska. She has recorded for several films; the Annie Award winning movie “Nice to Meteor You” and Chinese film “Insomnia” where her interpretation of Bach’s infamously challenging Goldberg Variations was the main theme. Misaki has also collaborated with artist Cécilia Tsan and the popular YouTube piano group, Super Piano Brothers.
Dr. Saito maintains a teaching career in Los Angeles and is experienced in teaching students of all ages and levels. She strongly believes that music exists in our inner spirit; feelings that cannot be expressed with words are still conceivable through the sounds of music. Music-making is not only a skill, but also a life enriching element and a great tool that brings forth every individual’s unique voice. For the development of this ability, self-confidence and self-discovery is essential. One must also attain a deeper understanding and knowledge of the music that they are playing, such as theory, harmony, history, literature, structure, and other theoretical elements. All components are connected and intertwined, and they collectively bring up one’s musicianship to a new level. Artistry and poetry lives in all of us, but without a foundation built through knowledge and technique, that part cannot shine. Dr. Saito’s goal for her students is to be entrepreneurial in their quest for excellence, and to equip themselves with knowledge and inspiration so that they will be able to express themselves with their artistic voices.
In addition to performing and teaching the piano, Dr. Saito has a variety of creative interests and was professionally trained in ballet, figure-ice skating, Japanese traditional dance, voice, musical theatre, aviation, and mountain climbing. As a Japanese dancer, she was invited to teach as a guest lecturer at the Harvard Summer School Program in 2021 and 2022. She is also the founder and artistic director of heARTists, a collaborative platform where survivors of painful experiences collaborate with artists to transform stories of trauma, abuse, and injustice into works of art, compassion, and empowerment. Dr. Saito strives to transform and heal the world through art and was awarded the $10,000 Artists For World Change Grant Yusaku Maezawa and Mago Nagasaka in May 2021 to further the organization’s mission and vision.
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齋藤 岬
山梨県北杜市出身。8歳よりピアノを始める。高根中学校卒業後、奨学金を給付され単身アメリカへ留学。ミシガン州のインターロッケン・アーツ・アカデミーにてマイケル・クンラッド氏に師事する。在学中は同校の留学生としては史上初の学生大使に選ばれ、また全米から数人選抜されるメリット・スカラーシップを授与される。卒業後、リン大学音楽院にて、全額給費生としてロバータ・ラスト教授に師事する。その後、南カリフォルニア大学大学院（USC）ソーントン音楽学校修士課程を首席で修了する。ダニエル・ポラック教授、ケヴィン・フィッツジェラルド教授のもと学び、２０１７年には学内トップの伴奏者に与えられるKeyboard Collaborative Awardを受賞。現在、全額給費生として同博士課程在学中。ピアノソロのみならず、音楽理論、指揮、アーツ・リーダーシップを副専攻として学んでいる。
これまでに、レオン・フライシャー、フィリップ・アントルモン、レベッカ・ペニーズ等、著名ピアニストの公開レッスン生に抜擢される。室内楽では、五嶋みどり、エルマー・オリヴェイラ、マーティン・チャリフォー等に指導を受ける。２０１２年、ニューヨーク州シャタークワ音楽祭に奨学生として参加。ウォーレンシュタインコンクール、アルス・フローレスコンペティション等、各種アメリカ国内コンクールに入賞。2016年Great Composers CompetitionでBest Haydn Performance一位を受賞。
他方で、アニー賞ノミネート映画作品「Nice to Meeteor you」、中国映画「Insomnia」の劇中主題歌の演奏等、数々の映画音楽のピアノ演奏も担当する。また、人気YouTubeピアノユニットSuper Piano Brothersの「Carnivals of Pokemon」プロジェクトにゲスト出演。ウォルト・ディズニーコンサートホール、NYスタインウェイホールはじめ、日本、アメリカ、中国、タイ、韓国、ロシアなど世界各地にて演奏活動を行う。
趣味は、バレエ、フィギュアスケート、日本舞踊、映画鑑賞、ビデオゲーム、旅行、登山、美術館・博物館巡り、美しい建築を眺めること。写真撮影にも熱を注いでおり、これまでにTABIPPO夏の絶景ポストカードに写真が選ばれるほか、Getty Images, Adobe Stock, Shutter Stockなどに写真提供もしている。
演奏音源・動画はこちらから→Misaki Saito YouTube