MINAMI (Minami Yoshida) is one of the most promising young violinists in Japan. She is currently performing on A. Stradivarius 1716 “Booth”, generously on loan from the Nippon Music Foundation.

 

MINAMI catapulted to international acclaim after her triumphant at the Queen Elisabeth International Violin Competition in 2024 (the age of 25).

Prior to that, she had already won numerous awards, such as the Bronze Medalist / 3rd prize, and also the special prize “Best performance of Classical Concerto” at International Violin Competition of Indianapolis in 2022 (the age of 24), the Laureate at Joseph Joachim International Violin Competition in 2021 (the age of 23), the 3rd prize winner at Concours musical international de Montréal in 2016 (the age of 17), the prize winner at Sibelius International Competition in 2015 (the age of 17), the 1st prize winner at The Music Competition of Japan in 2014 (the age of 16).

 

And also she has received these following music award for her musicality : the “Salon de Virtuosi Career Grant Award” in 2019 (the age of 21), the “7th Tokiko Iwatani Award Foundation for

Youth” in 2016 (the age of 17), and “3rd Arion-Toho Music Award “ in 2015 (the age of 16).

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At the age of 12, MINAMI debuted with the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra and has continued to be featured with orchestras including the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, NDR Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Miami, National Symphony Orchestra (TaiwanPhilharmonic), Belgian National Orchestra, Antwerp

Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre Royal de chamber de Wallonie, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra, Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, City of Kyoto Symphony Orchestra, and the Kansai

Philharmonic Orchestra and so on.

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Born in Nara, a traditional ancient city, MINAMI began violin at the age of 5. After graduating from Toho Gakuen Music High School, she received her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music as the recipient of Dean’s Scholarship at the New England Conservatory, studying with Miriam Fried, along with that she got her Artist Diplomas at Toho Gakuen School of Music, and Tokyo College of Music studying with Koichiro Harada and Kyoko Takezawa. She is now continuing her study at Kronberg Academy Professional Studies Program with Mihaela Martin.　These Studies are funded by the Georg Breuer patron.

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MINAMI’s festival participation has included at the Ravinia Steans Music Institute by Ravinia Festival with full scholarship, the Taipei Music Festival and Academy with full scholarship, Ishikawa Music Academy with full scholarship.

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In addition to her scholarship, she has gotten the supports as the recipient of Tan Family Education Foundation, ROHM Music Foundation, Ezoe Memorial Recruit Foundation.

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Starting in fall 2025, MINAMI will begin her trial as a first violin player with Berlin Philharmoniker.

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