Kayoko Ikeda, official pianist

Born in Japan, she graduated in Music Pedagogy at Kyoto University of Education. She moved to Italy in 2010, obtaining the Ⅱ level academic diploma in Piano – accompaniment and collaboration with full marks and honors at ”Arrigo Boito” Conservatory in Parma.

She won the first prize of 7th Ottorino Respighi International Competition for repetiteur.

After winning a scholarship and the role of participation in the advanced specialization course for repetiteur held by Donato Renzetti and Leo Nucci, she collaborated for several years as repetiteur in the productions of Maestro Leo Nucci at Teatro Municipale of Piacenza, Teatro Municipale Pavarotti-Freni of Modena and Teatro Alighieri of Ravenna.

Always with the same role she was hired by following theaters and festivals: Teatro Regio di Parma, Teatro Municipale Pavarotti-Freni of Modena, Teatro Municipale Valli of Reggio Emilia, Teatro Giuseppe Verdi of Busseto, Teatro Alighieri of Ravenna, Teatro Municipale of Ferrara, Teatro Lorico Sperimentale of Spoleto and Festival Valle d’Itria of Martina Franca.

In particular, as collaborative pianist of Maestro Nucci, she accompanied him in various concerts and in his masterclass on Verdi’s repertoire at Casa Verdi, broadcasted on Rai 5.

She has also been the official accompanist in various international singing competitions: International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition, International Competition for Voce Verdiano in Busseto and International Opera Competition “Alfredo Giacomotti”.

She has been a guest of Munich Radio orchestra, Auturo Toscanini Philharmonic and Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra.

Since 2017 she has been being repetiteur and keyboard player in orchestra at Slovenian National Theater of Ljubljana, where she deals with the preparation for singers, musical rehearsals and various productions where she participates in orchestra as celesta, harpsichord and piano player.

Mizuho Furukubo, official pianist

She graduated from Toho Gakuen Music High School (2010), Toho Gakuen College Music
Department (2014), Conservatorio di Musica Giuseppe Tartini of Triste (2017) and
Conservatorio di Musica Benedetto Marcello of Venice (2021). She has studied piano with
Yuko Harashima, Kumiko Kumekawa, Nobuko Kondo, Naoko Shibanuma, Nobutatsu
Kawashima, Marcella Crudeli, Giuseppe Albanese, Francesco Bencivenga, Igor Cognolato,
cembalo/general bass with Naoki Ueo, Chiyoko Arita and piano accompaniment with
Fabrizio Del Bianco, Patrizia Tirindelli and Silvano Zabeo.
She has won the second prize at competition Lilian Carian XXX Edition-Chamber music
(2016) and XXXIV Edition-Chamber music (2021) at Trieste, special prize “Salotto Clara
Boggian” at International Competition Elsa Respighi 5th edition (2019) at Verona, first prize
at International Music Competition Online 2021 Europe-China “Crescendo” , special prize
“the best pianist accompanist” at 18th International Competition of Vocal Chamber music
“Seghizzi” (2021) at Gorizia and second prize Ex-aequo as soloist at 18th International
Competition for Young Musicians “Luigi Zanuccoli” (2021) at Sogliano al Rubicone.
In 2018 she was selected as scholarship musician for Bayreuther Festspiele 2018 by the
association Richard Wagner of Venice and has participated at concert at Bayreuth with
Mezzosoprano Miliam Albano.
She has worked as official accompanist of the 5th and 7th international music competition
“Città di Palmanova” (2017 and 2019), 13th and 14th nternational competition “Musica
Insieme” Musile di Piave (2018 and 2019) , XLVIII International Competition for singers
“Toti Dal Monte” Treviso (2018), 16th and 20th International competition of vocal chamber
music “Seghezzi” Gorizia (2018 and 2023) , International Music Competition “Giovani
Musicisti – città di Treviso” (since 2019), Internaitonal Music Competition “Musica
Goritiensis” (since 2022), International Violin Competition “Premio Rodolfo Lipizer” (since
2022) and National Music Competition “Città di Belluno” (since 2024).
She has worked as accompanist at Conservatory of Music Jacopo Tomadini of Udine
(2019/2020), Conservatory of Music Benedetto Marcello of Venice
(2019-2022) ,Conservatory of Music Giuseppe Tartini of Trieste (since 2020) and
Fondazione Musicale Santa Cecilia at Portogruaro (since 2022) and has accompanied
masterclasses with important musicians such as Leone Magiera (2019), Bruno De Simone
(2019), Maxim Vengerov (2021) , Stefano Cerrato (2022), Ilya Grubert (since 2022),
Stefano Pagliani (2022), Tommaso Benciolini (2023) and Emmanuel Pahud (2023).
She has worked also as chorus member for the opera “La Traviata” of Giuseppe Verdi at
Teatro Comunale of Treviso, Ferrara and Rovigo (2018), opera “Il Regno della Luna” of
Nicolo Piccinni at Teatro Malibran of Venice (2018) and as cembalist/repetitor for the opera
“La Statira” of Tommaso Albinoni and at Teatro Malibran of Venice and at Teatro Comunale
of Treviso (2019) and “La Serva Padrona” of Pergolesi at Teatro Malibran of Venice (2020).