BIOGRAPHY

YOKO NISHII was born in Ise, Japan. She began to play the piano at the age of 4. After graduating from Keio University in Tokyo with a BA in French literature in 1998, she entered the “Ino Mirković” Music Academy situated in Lovran, Croatia as a special full scholarship student. She graduated from the 4-year academic program in only 2 years with excellent grades under Prof. Evgeny Zarafiants in 2000. In July 2001, she earned “Master of Music Art” degree at the same academy, and from 2001 to 2003 she worked as assistant in the piano class of Prof. Zarafiants. Also she often worked as accompanist in “Flute Master Class” held in the same academy by Prof. Pierre-Yves Artaud from Paris. From 2005 to 2007 she did advanced study at the Zagreb Music Academy as the fellowship under the Japanese Government Overseas Program for Artists. She has won numerous awards at international competitions. From 2014 to 2019 she worked as a part-time lecturer at Aichi University of the Arts in Japan. Until now she studied with Prof. Mitsuko Tomio, Prof. Naofumi Kaneshige, Prof. Kyoko Ogawa, Prof. Hitoshi Kobayashi and Prof. Zarafiants.

She has given numerous solo recitals in Japan, Croatia, Italy, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro. In Croatia alone she has given over 50 solo recitals in 26 cities. She has also performed with the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Leonid Nikolaev in Zagreb and Opatija, Croatia, and the Cuban National Symphonic Orchestra conducted by Enrique Perez Mesa in Havana, Cuba. In December 2018, the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Croatia, she gave a concert co-organized by the Japanese Embassy in Croatia and Croatian Radio Television (HRT) at the HRT studio Bajsić in Zagreb, Croatia, which was broadcast live by HRT.

She is extensively involved in the research and dissemination of Croatian composers and music, as well as those from other neighboring countries. In February 2015 she released the world’s first CD (2 CDs) of the complete solo piano works by Croatian female composer Dora Pejačević, commemorating her 130th birth anniversary, from the Japanese CD label “Herb Classics”. In July 2020 she released her second solo CD album, “Yoko Nishii plays Sergei Rachmaninov”

She was awarded the Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendation for FY 2023 for her outstanding contributions as a pianist in promoting mutual understanding and friendship between Japan and Croatia, as well as enhancing diplomatic relations between the two countries, through her long-term activities in both nations.

【Recent activities】
In 2012 – she held the concert of the complete piano works of Dora Pejacevic as a project “the Cultural Transmission from Ise to the World” in Ise, Japan.

In 2013 – in June she held the Public Recording Concert titled “touring Croatian Music” organized by PTNA (Piano Teachers’ National Association of Japan) in Tokyo, presenting pieces by Ferdo Livadic, Blagoje Bersa, Josip Slavenski and Dora Pejacevic. In July she gave a concert in Vinkovci, Croatia celebrating the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Croatia and Japan, also a concert in Rijeka, Croatia at the international “Dino Ciani” Piano Master Classes and Festival, and 2 concerts at Rome Summer Festival. In October she held the Public Recording Concert titled “Piano works by Dora Pejacevic～A flower which bloomed at the turn of the century～on the 90th anniversary of her death” organized by PTNA in Tokyo.

In 2014 – in May she held Duo Concert with Goran Koncar (Vn) in Tokyo. In July she gave a concert by All-Pejacevic program on Dora’s own Bluthner piano in her memorial room in the Native Museum (the Pejacevic familiy palace) in Nasice, Croatia and also in the Euphrasian Basilica in Porec, Croatia as well as in Vinkovci.

In 2015 – in February she has published a set of 2 CDs which includes the complete solo piano works of Dora Pejacevic from Japanese CD label “Herb Classics” and in September she held 11 concerts-tour in Croatia on the 130th birth anniversary of Dora Pejacevic starting with the concert at the residence of Japanese ambassador in Zagreb. She held concerts titled “Fin de Siecle in Wien and Croatia” in Beppu in November and in Oita in December on the occation of opening exhibition vol. 2 “Dawn of Gods” at Oita Prefectual Art Museum (OPAM).

In 2016 – in March she was invited as a Jury member at the 2nd International Piano Competition “Memorijal Jurica Murai” in Varazdin, Croatia and also gave the humanitarian concert for the blind in the presence of their guide dogs which was organized by Japanese Embassy in cooperation with Croatian Society for Training Guide Dogs and for Mobility during the Japanese Culture Week at the hotel Westin in Zagreb. In September she held 8 concerts-tour in Croatia, Montenegro and Hungary. The concert in Budapest was held at the museum of Music History co-organized by Croatian Embassy and Japanese Embassy in Hungary and there she performed on Bartok’s own Boesendorfer Imperial piano.

In 2017 – in January she gave a concert at Croatian Embassy in Japan on the occation of the 25th Anniversary of the International Recognition of the Republic of Croatia. In September she had 6 concerts-tour in Croatia including concerts at Mimara Museum in Zagreb and at Academy of Arts in Split both organized by Japanese Embassy in Croatia.

In 2018 – in March she published CD “Franjo Krezma: Reverie – Miniatures for violin and piano” with Kresimir Marmilic (Vn) from Croatian CD label “NOTA BENE Records” and held 9 Duo concerts-tour in Croatia. In September she held a concert in honour of the 180th anniversary of Franciscan classic grammar school in Sinj & the 25th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Croatia and Japan in Sinj, Croatia. She also held a Japan – Mostar friendship concert in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. In December she gave a concert co-organized by Japanese Embassy in Croatia and Croatian Radio Television (HRT) at the HRT studio Bajsic in Zagreb, Croatia on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Croatia and Japan, which was broadcast live by HRT.

In 2019 – in September she held a concert in Porec, organized by Croatian Olympic Committee for the purpose of promoting the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

In 2020 – in January she had a recording session in Tokamachi-City, Niigata. In July she has released her second CD album “Yoko Nishii plays Sergei Rachmaninov”. In October she gave lectures on Croatia at Toba High School in Mie Prefecture, as a preparatory study for a lecture on the EU by the Croatian Ambassador to Japan. In November, she held “Piano Concert and Lecture on International Understanding” mainly focused on Croatia at the elementary school and the junior high school in Ise city, organized by the Ise City Board of Education.

In 2021 – in March, April, May she held concerts on the occasion of celebrationg the Opening of Kagura Hall in Ise. In July she held a concert in Echigo Tsumari Auditorium “Danjuro” in Tokamachi-City. Also performed at Croatian Embassy in Japan.

In 2022 – in April she held a concert at Kagura Hall in Ise. In May she performed at Croatian Embassy in Japan. In July she held a concert at Shoto Salon, Takagi Klavier in Tokyo. In August she performed on the Opening ceremony of Setting “Street Piano” at Ujiyamada Station. In September & October she held 4 concerts in Croatia (Vinkovci, Zupanja, Vukovar, Rijeka) and a concert in Sarajevo. In November she held a concert at Bouji-an in Ise. In December she performed on the occasion of celebrating the 40th anniversary of Shinto Lions Club in Ise. Also performed at Croatian Embassy in Japan.

In 2023 – on March 5, she held a concert at Croatian Embassy in Japan on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the diplomatic relation between Japan and Croatia. In July she held 3 concerts with Croatian soprano singer Marija Vidović in Tokyo, Tokamachi-City and Osaka on the occasion of celebrating 30th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Japan and Croatia. In August, she was awarded the Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendation for FY 2023 for her outstanding contributions as a pianist in promoting mutual understanding and friendship between Japan and Croatia, as well as enhancing diplomatic relations between the two countries, through her long-term activities in both nations. In September she held several concerts in Croatia. On September 13, the award ceremony of the Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendation was held at the Japanese Ambassador’s Residence in Croatia.

In 2024 – on May 19, she held a concert at the Naha Cultural Arts Theater “NAHArt”, organized by the Honorary Consulate of Croatia in Naha City, Okinawa as a cultural exchange program between Croatia and Naha City as well as a charity concert to support the recovery from the Noto Peninsula Earthquake.