Biography

Critics aver that it is in the tone of her violin playing that the beauty lies: clear, bright, warm, soft, gentle and pure are the words which best describe it.

Erika Hanamura was born in Tokyo, Japan, where she was under the tutelage of Professor Toshiya Eto – who was among the distinguished group of pupils under Efrem Zimbalist – and his wife, Angela. Erika studied at the Toho Gakuen Music High School and the Toho Gakuen College Music Department. In her first year at the High School, she was a prizewinner in the Student Music Competition of Japan. After graduating from the Toho Gakuen College, she continued her studies overseas, taking a post-graduate course at the Royal College of Music in London in the United Kingdom, where she studied under Professor Rodney Friend. Here she participated in the chamber ensemble course, and played in concerts directed by Sir Yehudi Menuhin, which she found to be invaluable experiences. While attending the Royal College of Music,
Erika was also awarded the ARCM Performing with Honors Prize. In addition to these accomplishments of her stay in London, she performed in many solo concerts, earning great praise.
Since returning to Japan, she has also received high commendation for her beautiful tone and for the sheer musicality of her performance in halls throughout Japan.
Erika has performed in acclaimed concerts across Europe. These include performances of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto, with the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Vladimir Valek, at the Dvorak Hall in Prague, the Czech Republic in 2002; and Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, with the Warsaw Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Marek Sewen at the Warsaw Philharmony Hall in 2005. She has also performed with the Berlin Sinfonietta at Berlin Philharmonie, the St. Petersburg State Academic Symphony Orchestra in St. Petersburg, the Chamber Orchstra of Balkan, in Skopie, Macedonia in 2007, the West Bohemian Symphony Orchestra, the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra in Sofia Music Weeks International Festival, and the Ruse Philharmonic Orchestra.
Erika was greatly impressed by Viennese maestro pianist Jörg Demus, whose performance soars beyond the boundaries of the piano as a musical instrument, and even beyond the boundaries of music, due to the depth of his poetic expression. Performing alongside him in 2007, she was strongly inspired by his interpretation and by the essence of his music. Their musical partnership continues.
Erika is interested in the origin of music, and has a particular passion for the research of traditional Persian music and dancing.