Japanese born violinist Ryoko Arai has received a full-scholarship and come to study her violin in the U.S. in 1997.  Miss Arai has been performing various chamber music works including her performance with the Emerson String Quartet in 2000 at the Hartt School, where she was also selected to be a member of Hartt School’s honor’s chamber music ensemble, “20/20 chamber music program”.  

In 2001, she was the first prize winner at the Paranov Concerto Competition and performed with the Hartt Symphony Orchestra.  Miss Arai has participated music festivals including the Yellowbarn Music Festival, the Kuhmo Music Course in Finland, and the Pacific Music Festival in Japan.  

Besides her performances with various chamber groups, she is performing as a soloist with one of Japan’s leading orchestras, the Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa, during the 2006-2007 concert season.

She has previously studied with Minoru Mitsuzuka, Kosuke Hagiwara, Philip Setzer, Katie Lansdale, Barbara Barber, and had masterclasses with Fradell Lack, Cho-Liang Lin, Masao Kawasaki, and Werner Hink.  She has received her Masters and Doctoral degrees at Stony Brook University under Ani Kavafian.