Mariko Furukawa

Mariko Furukawa

Japanese pianist Mariko Furukawa has reaped success at prestigious contests, such as the Porto International Piano Competition (Portugal), the Grand Prix for the American Conservatory in Fontainebleau (France), first prize at the Dorothey MacKenzie Competition (US), first prize at the All Japan Piano Competition, first prize at the Mannes Concerto Competition, resulting in a performance at the Lincoln Center, third prize at the Chopin Competition in Asia, and third prize at the Japan Chopin Piano Competition.

During the 15th International Chopin Competition, her performance of Ballade No. 4 was chosen by Polish National Radio and broadcast on multiple occasions. Mariko has also been an active chamber musician, collaborating with such renowned musicians as the Orion String Quartet, Charles Neidich, Anthony McGill and Jasmine Choi. In 2012, she was awarded a special prize in the All Japan Music Competition for her outstanding performance as a collaborative pianist. She has been an official pianist at music festivals and competitions such as Aspen and Kita-Karuizawa, in the Perlman Music Program and the Jacques Lancelot clarinet competition.

Mariko holds an MM from the Juilliard School and a BM from Mannes College of Music. In 2019, she moved to Helsinki and joined the Sibelius Academy at the University of Arts Helsinki as a full-time faculty member.