Born in Tokyo, Japan, Hitomi Koyama has earned top prizes in consecutive years at Dichler Competition held in Vienna, Austria and was awarded a scholarship from Léni Fé Bland Music Foundation. Her performances span prestigious venues, including Carnegie (Weill) Hall, the Lincoln Center, the Spanish Institute, Steinway Hall and Yamaha Salon in New York, Bösendorfer Hall, Konzerthaus Wien, and Liszt Hall in Austria. Additionally, she has graced stages in Austria, Czech, Japan, and the United States.
As a versatile recitalist and chamber musician, Koyama embraces a diverse repertoire spanning from Baroque to contemporary compositions. Since 2016, she has been invited to the Atlantic Music Festival, collaborating with esteemed composers such as Chen Yi, Zhou Long, Pierre Jalbert, and Hannah Lash. Her affinity for chamber music has led her to collaborate with members from the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Munich Radio Orchestra, Houston Symphony, and Charlotte Symphony.
Koyama is a dedicated educator with a commitment to both collegiate and preparatory institutions. During her doctoral studies at University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), she served as a teaching assistant to Eugene and Elisabeth Pridonoff and as piano faculty at the preparatory school. Her teaching, fostering immediate improvements in students’ approach and achievements, led to her appointment as Adjunct Faculty of Piano at CCM and Wittenberg University. Subsequently, she became piano and chamber music faculty at New England Conservatory Preparatory School. Koyama has been invited to perform, give lectures, and conduct masterclasses at universities and conservatories in the U.S., Singapore, and Japan.
Her students have achieved notable success, winning scholarships and competitions, participating in prestigious competitions such as Van Cliburn Jr and Gina Bachauer Jr. Recent international competition prizes include 3rd prize at the Ettlingen International Piano Competition (Category A) in Germany and 1st prize at the Jeune Chopin Competition in Switzerland. Her students have been accepted into major U.S. conservatories and universities, including the Juilliard School, New England Conservatory, Eastman School of Music, Oberlin College, Cleveland Institute of Music, and Northwestern University.
As an administrator, Koyama has worked for summer festivals and music schools in the U.S. and Japan. Her fresh and innovative approach to program development has contributed to the growth and success of the institutions she has been associated with.
At the age of sixteen, Koyama moved to the U.S. as an exchange student, later enrolling at Idyllwild Arts Academy. She earned degrees from the Juilliard School (BM), Mannes School of Music (MM), and University for Music and Performing Arts Vienna (Post Graduate Diploma). Koyama holds DMA candidacy from University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music in Piano Performance and Arts Administration. She has participated in master classes with world-renowned pianists such as Mitsuko Uchida and Robert Levin. Her significant mentors include Martin Canin, Victor Rosenbaum, Peter Efler, and Eugene Pridonoff.
B.M. The Juilliard School; M.M. Mannes School of Music; PGDip. University for Music and Performing Arts Vienna; DMA Candidate University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Piano studies with Eugene Pridonoff, Peter Efler, Victor Rosenbaum and Martin Canin; Chamber Music studies with Jacob Lateiner, David Krakauer, Johannes Meissl