MIYUJI KANEKO
In 1989, Miyuji Kaneko was born in Japan to a Japanese father and a Hungarian mother. At the age of 6, he moved to Hungary alone and stayed with his grandparents in order to study piano under Zsuzsa Cs. Nagy at the Bartok Elementary School of Music. At the age of 11, he skipped grades and was accepted to the The Special School for Exceptional Young Talents of the Franz Liszt Academy of Music, where he studied under Gabor Eckhardt, Gyongyi Kevehazi and Rita Wagner. After finishing all the courses at age 16, he returned to Japan and was admitted to the Tokyo College of Music High School. He studied under Kazune Shimizu, Akiyoshi Sako, and Katsuko Miura until he received a Master of Musical Arts Diploma at the graduate program of the Tokyo College of Music.
Miyuji has won several international competitions and awards, including the Bartok International Piano Competition in Hungary, 2008. In 2009 he became a Chanel Pygmalion Days Artist. He made his official debut at Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall, and also performed in front of His Majesty the Emperor at the 2011 Classic Aid Concert.
Miyuji has performed with numerous orchestras including the Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra; the NHK Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo; the London Philharmonic Orchestra; the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra; MAV Symphony Orchestra; Prague Symphony Orchestra; Japan Philharmonic Orchestra; Tokyo Symphony Orchestra and the Astana Opera Orchestra. Also played with conductors Zoltan Kocsis, Ken-Ichiro Kobayashi, Jonathan Nott, Jun Maerkl, Sylvain Cambreling, Junichi Hirokami, Kazuki Yamada, Keitaro Harada, Masato Suzuki, Janos Kovacs, Alan Buribaev and John Axelrod. Already performed around the World including Hungary, Japan, the United States, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Greece, the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Sinpapore, and Indonesia.
He played the piano for the movie “Honeybees and Distant Thunder” premiered in 2019, covering one of the main characters, Masaru’s music. Its soundtrack “Miyuji plays Masaru” was also released from Universal Music.
In recent years he has actively undertaken outreach activities, an important aspect of his life’s work. He appears regularly in TV and Radio programs, magazines and social media, also being a regular radio personality on NHK-FM’s program “Recital Passio”.
On his 10th anniversary of Japan Debut, he held a solo recital at Suntory Hall in Tokyo. His new Album “Freude” was released from Deutsche Grammophon in March, 2022.
In 2024, he became the Executive Producer of Japan=Hungary “Mirai” Project, actively supporting both cultural and educational exchanges between his home countries.
Miyuji Kaneko is an Honorary Citizen of Kismaros, Hungary. He is a Steinway Artist.
International Competition Awards:
First Prize at the Bartok International Piano Competition, Hungary, 2008.
First Prize at the USASU International Piano Competition, Arizona, the USA, 2006.
First Prize at the Konzerteum International Piano Competition, Greece, 2005.
Grand Prix at the Balassagyarmat International Music Festival, Hungary, 2005.
Other Awards:
The 12th Hotel Okura Music Award, 2011
The 22th Idemitsu Music Award, 2012
The 4th C.I.V.C. Joie de Vivre Award, 2012
The 10th Jomo Prize (Jomo Art and Culture Prize, Music Division), 2013.
Mainly appeared TV and Radio channels:
NHK
NHK-FM
TV Asahi
NTV
Fuji TV
TBS Radio
France Television
Magyar Televizio
Duna TV
Tengrinews TV