Seiji Okamoto

A Berlin and Kronberg-based Japanese violinist Seiji Okamoto was born in 1994, began to play the violin at the age of three. 

In 2014, Seiji won 1st prize and audience award at 19th International J. S. Bach Competition in Leipzig (Germany), became the first Asian winner of the event (violin category). He also won many international prizes such as 2nd prize at 15th International Wieniawski Violin Competition in Poznan (Poland) in 2016 and a “Laureate” of the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition in Brussels in 2019. In 2021, he won the 1^st prize at the ARD International Music Competition in Munich (which was the first time in last 12 years in violin category of the competition), as well as special prizes for the best interpretation for the commissioned work, Brüder-Busch Prize and so on.

As a soloist, he has performed various concertos at the concerts with great orchestras such as Konzerthausorchester Berlin (subscription concerts in 2023 May), Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (Symphonieorchester des Bayerishcen Rundfunks), MDR-Sinfonieorchester Leipzig, Württemberg Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn, Pforzheim Chamber Orchestra, Philharmonie Südwestfalen, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Vienna Chamber Orchestra (Wiener Kammerorchester), NFM Filharmonia Wroclawska, Opole Symphony Orchestra, Lodz Philharmonic Orchestra, Plock Symphony Orchestra (Poland), Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra, St. Petersburg State Academic Symphony Orchestra, Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, New Japan Philharmonic, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa and so on.

He has invited to performing in music festivals such as Bachfest Leipzig, La folle journee au Japon, Musica Mundi Festival in Brussels, Wieniawski Festival in Sczawno-Zdroj, Kronberg Academy Festival, Moritzburg Festival and Schwarzwald Musikfestival. He is also working actively on chamber music and has own recital series with 5 years plan in Japan featuring Bach and all duo repertoires of Schumann and Brahms.

His first CD album “frei aber einsam” is available on Apple music, spotify and other services.

In addition to these, he is a core-member of “JNO” (Japan National Orchestra) which was founded by Kyohei Sorita with the fresh spirits as a flexible ensemble and playing often as concertmaster and soloist.

He has studied with Kimiko Nakazawa, Gerard Poulet, Kazuki Sawa and taken masterclasses with many wonderful musicians not only violinists but also conductors, pianists, violists and cellists. After graduating Tokyo University of the Arts (Tokyo Geidai) in 2017, he moved his main base of activities to Germany and started studying with Prof. Antje Weithaas at Hochschule für Musik “Hanns Eisler” Berlin and finished his master’s degree.

From 2019 to 2024 he studied at Kronberg Academy with Antje Weithaas. His studies were funded by the Gingko Foundation. He is now also working as an assistant at Prof. Weithaas’s class in HfM Hanns Eisler Berlin.

Seiji is currently using Matteo Goffriller instrument from 1702 on generous loan from “Munetsugu Collection”.