MINAMI (Minami Yoshida) is widely recognized as one of the most promising young violinists to emerge from Japan. She currently performs on the 1716 “Booth” Antonio Stradivarius, generously on loan from the Nippon Music Foundation.

 

MINAMI received international acclaim for her remarkable result at the 2024 Queen Elisabeth International Violin Competition, held at the age of 25. In 2025, at the age of 26, she further distinguished herself by winning 2nd Prize and the Prize for the Best Performance of the Sibelius Violin Concerto at the Jean Sibelius International Violin

Competition, solidifying her status as a major voice among her generation of violinists.

 

She had already garnered wide recognition with achievements such as the Bronze Medal / 3rd Prize and Special Prize for Best Performance of a Classical Concerto at the 2022International Violin Competition of Indianapolis (age 24), being a Laureate of the Joseph Joachim International Violin Competition (2021, age 23), 3rd Prize at the Concours musical international de Montréal (2016, age 17), and receiving a prize at the Sibelius International Violin Competition in 2015 (age 17). In her home country, she won 1st Prize at the Music Competition of Japan in 2014 (age 16).

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MINAMI has also been recognized for her artistic integrity through awards such as the Salon de Virtuosi Career Grant Award (2019), the 7th Tokiko Iwatani Award Foundation for Youth (2016), and the 3rd Arion-Toho Music Award (2015).

 

She made her debut at age 12 with the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra and has since performed with prestigious ensembles such as the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, NDR Radiophilharmonie, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Miami, Taiwan

Philharmonic (NSO), Belgian National Orchestra, Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie, and numerous major orchestras throughout Japan.

 

Born in the ancient city of Nara, Japan, MINAMI began playing the violin at age five. She graduated from Toho Gakuen Music High School and earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees with the Dean’s Scholarship at the New England Conservatory,

studying under Miriam Fried. She also holds Artist Diplomas from the Toho Gakuen School of Music and the Tokyo College of Music, where she studied with Koichiro Harada and Kyoko Takezawa. She currently studies at the Kronberg Academy’s Professional Studies Program with Mihaela Martin, supported by the Georg Breuer Scholarship.

 

Her festival engagements include appearances at the Ravinia Steans Music Institute, the Taipei Music Festival and Academy, and the Ishikawa Music Academy, all under full scholarship. She has also received support from the Tan Family Education Foundation, the ROHM Music Foundation, and the Ezoe Memorial Recruit Foundation.

 

Starting in Fall 2025, MINAMI will begin her trial as a First Violinist with the BerlinPhilharmonic Orchestra.