JAPAN
Yoko Ishikura was born in Kanagawa, Japan. She began attending the Toho Gakuen School Of Music For Children at the age of three and she started taking violin lessons when she was five years old.
Yoko won 2nd prize at the Japan Mozart Music Competition in 2013, and the Ishikawa Music Academy Music Award in 2014. In 2016 she was selected as a finalist of the Louis Spohr Competition for Young Violinists, and she received an encouragement award at the Munetsugu Angel Violin Competition. In addition, she won 1st prize at the Leonid Kogan International Competition for Young Violinists, the top award at the Paris International Music Competition, 1st prize at the Concours International de Violon d’Avignon Ginette Neveu.
She participated at the Ishikawa Music Academy, Académie de musique française de Kyoto, Wiener MusikSeminar, PyeongChang Music Festival & School, and the Ozawa International Chamber Music Academy in Okushiga and in Switzerland, and she was a member of the 4th Suntory Hall Chamber Music Academy. She has appeared as a soloist with the Japan Century Symphony Orchestra, Kiev National Philharmonic, and the Orchestre national Avignon-Provence.
Yoko Ishikura graduated from the Toho Gakuen Music High School, Toho Gakuen College Music Department, and the École normale de musique de Paris. She studied with professors Koichiro Harada, Michiko Kamiya, and Régis Pasquier. She is currently studying with Jean-Marc Phillips-Varjabédian and Julien Szulman at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris.
PROGRAM
Online Round
Bach Grave and Fugue from Sonata in A minor for Solo Violin
Mozart Violin Concerto No. 4 in D major K. 218 (1st movement with cadenza)
Schubert Violin Sonata in A major D. 574
Enescu “Ménétrier” from Impressions d’enfance Suite Op. 28
Paganini Caprice No. 23
Semifinal
Poulenc Violin Sonata FP 119
Enescu Sonata No. 3 in A minor for Violin and Piano Op. 25, “dans le caractère populaire roumain”
Schnittke A Paganini
Final
Brahms Violin Concerto in D major Op. 77
