BIOGRAPHY

YOKO NISHII was born in Ise, Japan. She began to play the piano at the age of 4. After graduating from Keio University in Tokyo with a BA in French literature, she entered the “Ino Mirković” Music Academy in Lovran, Croatia as a special full scholarship student in 1998. She completed the 4-year undergraduate program in just 2 years with excellent grades studying under Prof. Evgeny Zarafiants, and earned a “Master of Arts in Music” degree in 2001. From 2001 to 2003, she worked as an assistant to Prof. Zarafiants in his piano class at the academy. Additionally, she frequently worked as an accompanist for Flute Master Classes held by Prof. Pierre-Yves Artaud from Paris at the same academy. From 2005 to 2007, she pursued advanced studies at the Zagreb Music Academy as a fellow under the Japanese Government Overseas Study Program for Artists. She has won numerous awards at international competitions. From 2014 to 2019, she worked as a part-time lecturer at Aichi University of the Arts in Japan. She has studied under Prof. Mitsuko Tomio, Prof. Naofumi Kaneshige, Prof. Kyoko Ogawa, Prof. Hitoshi Kobayashi, and Prof. Zarafiants.

She has performed extensively in Japan, Croatia, Italy, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro, both as a soloist and in collaboration with various ensembles and orchestras, such as the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Leonid Nikolaev and the Cuban National Symphonic Orchestra conducted by Enrique Perez Mesa. In Croatia alone, she has given more than 60 solo recitals in 27 cities and actively participates in events celebrating the diplomatic ties between Japan and Croatia, frequently performing at such occasions. A notable concert took place in December 2018 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Japan-Croatia diplomatic relations, co-organized by the Japanese Embassy in Croatia and Croatian Radio Television (HRT), with the support of the Croatian President’s Office, at the HRT Studio Bajsić in Zagreb, which was broadcast live on HRT. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Croatia, as well as other significant milestones, she held 3 concerts with Croatian soprano singer Marija Vidović in Tokyo, Tokamachi-City, and Osaka.

She is deeply engaged in the research, promotion, and dissemination of the music of Croatian composers, as well as those from its neighboring countries. In February 2015 she released the world’s first recordings of the complete solo piano works by Croatian composer Dora Pejačević in a set of two CDs under the Japanese label “Herb Classics”. The album was selected as a “Highly Recommended Disc” by Record Geijutsu, Japan’s leading music magazine, and also received widespread international acclaim, contributing to the revival of Dora Pejačević’s musical legacy. To celebrate this release and the 130th anniversary of Dora Pejačević’s birth, she held 11 concerts-tour across 10 Croatian cities – Vukovar, Vinkovci, Osijek, Našice, Ludbreg, Varaždin, Sinj, Split, Metković, and Zagreb – from September 10 to 28 that year, starting with the concert at the residence of Japanese ambassador in Zagreb. In March 2018, she released a CD with Croatian violinist Krešimir Marmilić, featuring works by the legendary Croatian violinist and composer Franjo Krežma, under the label “Nota Bene Records“. In July 2020, she released her second solo CD album, “Yoko Nishii plays Sergei Rachmaninov”, which was again selected as a “Highly Recommended Disc” by Record Geijutsu.

In 2023, she was awarded the Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendation for her outstanding contributions to mutual understanding, friendship, and the strengthening of diplomatic relations between Japan and Croatia.

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【Recent major activities】
In 2012 – she held the concert of the complete piano works of Dora Pejačević as a project “the Cultural Transmission from Ise to the World” in Ise, Japan.

In 2013 – in June she held the Public Recording Concert titled “touring Croatian Music” organized by PTNA (Piano Teachers’ National Association of Japan) in Tokyo, presenting pieces by Ferdo Livadić, Blagoje Bersa, Josip Slavenski and Dora Pejačević. In July she gave a concert in Vinkovci, Croatia celebrating the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Croatia and Japan, also a concert in Rijeka, Croatia at the international “Dino Ciani” Piano Master Classes and Festival, and 2 concerts at Rome Summer Festival. In October she held the Public Recording Concert titled “Piano works by Dora Pejačević～A flower which bloomed at the turn of the century～on the 90th anniversary of her death” organized by PTNA in Tokyo.

In 2014 – in May she held Duo Concert with Goran Končar (Vn) in Tokyo. In July she gave a concert by All-Pejačević program on Dora’s own Bluthner piano in her memorial room in the Native Museum (the Pejačević familiy palace) in Nasice, Croatia and also in the Euphrasian Basilica in Poreč, Croatia as well as in Vinkovci.

In 2015 – in February she released the world’s first recordings of the complete solo piano works by Croatian composer Dora Pejačević in a set of two CDs under the Japanese CD label “Herb Classics” and in September she held 11 concerts-tour in Croatia on the 130th birth anniversary of Dora Pejačević, starting with the concert at the residence of Japanese ambassador in Zagreb. She held concerts titled “Fin de Siecle in Wien and Croatia” in Beppu in November and in Oita in December on the occasion of opening exhibition vol. 2 “Dawn of Gods” at the Oita Prefectual Art Museum (OPAM).

In 2016 – in March she was invited as a Jury member at the 2nd International Piano Competition “Memorijal Jurica Murai” in Varaždin, Croatia and also gave the humanitarian concert for the blind in the presence of their guide dogs which was organized by the Japanese Embassy in cooperation with the Croatian Association for Guide Dog Training and Mobility during the Japanese Culture Week at the hotel Westin in Zagreb. In September she held 8 concerts-tour in Croatia, Montenegro and Hungary. The concert in Budapest was held at the museum of Music History co-organized by the Croatian Embassy and the Japanese Embassy in Hungary and there she performed on Bartok’s own Bösendorfer Imperial piano.

In 2017 – in January she gave a concert at the Croatian Embassy in Japan on the occation of the 25th Anniversary of the International Recognition of the Republic of Croatia. In September she had 6 concerts-tour in Croatia including concerts at the Mimara Museum in Zagreb and at Academy of Arts in Split both organized by the Japanese Embassy in Croatia.

In 2018 – in March she published CD “Franjo Krežma: Reverie – Miniatures for violin and piano” with Krešmir Marmilić (Vn) from Croatian CD label “NOTA BENE Records” and held 9 Duo concerts-tour in Croatia. In September she held a concert in honour of the 180th anniversary of Franciscan classic grammar school in Sinj & the 25th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Croatia and Japan in Sinj, Croatia. She also held a Japan – Mostar friendship concert in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. In December she held a concert to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Japan-Croatia diplomatic relations, co-organized by the Japanese Embassy in Croatia and Croatian Radio Television (HRT), with the support of the Croatian President’s Office, at the HRT Studio Bajsić in Zagreb, which was broadcast live on HRT.

In 2019 – in September she held a concert in Poreč, organized by the Croatian Olympic Committee for the purpose of promoting the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

In 2020 – in January she had a recording session in Tokamachi-City, Niigata. In July she has released her second CD album “Yoko Nishii plays Sergei Rachmaninov“. In October she gave lectures on Croatia at Toba High School in Mie Prefecture, as a preparatory study for a lecture on the EU by the Croatian ambassador to Japan. In November, she held “Piano Concert and Lecture on International Understanding” mainly focused on Croatia at the elementary school and the junior high school in Ise city, organized by the Ise City Board of Education.

In 2021 – in March, April, May she held concerts on the occasion of celebrationg the Opening of Kagura Hall in Ise. In July she held a concert in the Echigo Tsumari Auditorium “Danjuro” in Tokamachi-City. Also performed at the Croatian Embassy in Japan.

In 2022 – in April she held a concert at Kagura Hall in Ise. In May she performed at the Croatian Embassy in Japan. In July she held a concert at Shoto Salon, Takagi Klavier in Tokyo. In August she performed on the Opening ceremony of Setting “Street Piano” at Ujiyamada Station. In September & October she held 4 concerts in Croatia (Vinkovci, Županja, Vukovar, Rijeka) and a concert in Sarajevo. In November she held a concert at Bouji-an in Ise. In December she performed on the occasion of celebrating the 40th anniversary of Shinto Lions Club in Ise. Also performed at the Croatian Embassy in Japan.

In 2023 – on March 5, she held a concert at the Croatian Embassy in Japan on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the diplomatic relation between Japan and Croatia. In July she held 3 concerts with Croatian soprano singer Marija Vidović in Tokyo, Tokamachi-City and Osaka on the occasion of celebrating the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Croatia. In August, she was awarded the Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendation for FY 2023 for her outstanding contributions as a pianist in promoting mutual understanding and friendship between Japan and Croatia, as well as enhancing diplomatic relations between the two countries, through her long-term activities in both nations. In September she held several concerts in Croatia. On September 13, the award ceremony of the Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendation was held at the residence of Japanese ambassador in Croatia.

In 2024 – on May 19, she held a concert at the Naha Cultural Arts Theater “NAHArt”, organized by the Honorary Consulate of Croatia in Naha City, Okinawa as a cultural exchange program between Croatia and Naha City as well as a charity concert to support the recovery from the Noto Peninsula Earthquake. In October & November she held 6 concerts-tour in Croatia (Vukovar, Osijek, Vinkovci and Zagreb), Hungary (Budapest), and Bosnia&Herzegovina (Mostar).

In 2025 – in May & June she held a concert tour in Croatia (Županja, Vinkovci, Labin, Sisak) and Bosnia&Herzegovina (Mostar).