String Quartet Hibiki
Schoolmates of Toho Gakuen College formed the string quartet in 2004. They named themselves “Hibiki (meaning sound, vibrancy)” after their will of empathizing harmonies of the sound unique to string quartet with the audience. In 2005, they played their debut concert at “Ensemble series cultivated by JT,” produced by Koichiro Harada in Tokyo and Nagoya, and received favorable notices.

The string quartet has been invited to regular concert in Miyako, Iwate since 2006, and released the first album as 5th anniversary for contentious anticipation for the concert in 2010. This second album was released as it’s 10th anniversary (in picture from left: Rintaro Omiya, Kyoko Une, Ayano Kamaei, Karan Nagase).

Rintaro Omiya
Born in 1981. From Yokohama. Studied with Akiko Tatsumi and Masabumi Hori. Third place at 69th Japan Music Competition (2000). First place and also won honorable mention at Millennium New Classic Audition (2000). Fifth place and won a special audience award at Sendai International Competition (2001). Second place at Menuhin International Competition for Violinists (2002), finalist at Prague Spring International Music Competition, and many more awards at music competitions from home and abroad. Passed the audition for NHK Symphony Orchestra when he was a senior at Toho Gakuen College. Held a recital in “Mainichi Solisten” sponsored by Mainichi Shinbun with pianist Kazuo Shimizu at Oji Hall (2005). Performed Violin Concerto No.5 by Mozart in joint performance with Vienna Virtuoso (2005). Studied at Freiburg, Germany from December 2008 by receiving a scholarship of Affinis Arts Foundation. Performed as a member of chamber groups including Seiji Ozawa Ongaku Jyuku’s Saito Kinen Festival, “Kioi Sinfonietta,” “Hibiki,” “PACE,” “Virtuoso Quartet,” “Quintet Speranza.” Currently plays a role of assistant concertmaster for NHK Symphony Orchestra.

Kyoko Une
Started to play violin from age of three. Graduated from Toho Girl’s High School music department and got her bachelor’s degree at Toho Gakuin College on Mach, 1999. Offered scholarship by NTT Docomo. Studied at Switzerland from 2002 and trained at Winterthur after she got master’s degree at the college. Got a soloist diploma at Zürcher Hochschule der Künste with a first-class honors degree as a Swiss government’s stipendiary student in 2004. Won first place at Tokyo Chamber Music Competition (1998). Sixth place at Paganini International Music Compatiiton (2002). Joined a caravan concert tour of late M.Rostropovich and Seiji Ozawa. Performed at Seiji Ozawa Ongaku Jyuku’s Saito Kinen Festival Matsumoto, Kusatsu Music Festival, Miyazaki International Music Festival, Tokyo Mozart Players. Studied with Shizuka Nakamura, Kenji Kobayashi, and György Pauk.

Joined NHK Symphony Orchestra in April, 2006. She currently performs actively not only as a member of the orchestra but as a solo and a member of various chamber music groups.

Ayano Kamei
Graduated from Toho Girl’s High School music department and switched over to viola in senior year at Toho Gakuin College.

Won first place at the 9th Japan Chamber Music Competition in 2000 (duo with a piano). Third place at the 2nd Awajito Shizuka Hall Viola Competition. Won the best new performer award at the 6th Ogaki Music Festival. Invited to International Sejong Soloists in New York as a honorary guest appearance and paired together with Sara Chang in sextet at Aspen Music Festival in the States. Performed with Nagoya Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, Toho Gakuen Orchestra, Chikasi Tanaka Academic Ensemble, Ensemble Tama, and the workshop for young musicians by Sito Kinen as a soloist in the orchestra including the one conducted by Seiji Ozawa.

Performed at NHK Classic Club, Chamber Music Recital by faculty members of Ishikawa Music Academy, Rainbow 21 at Suntory Hall, Seiji Ozawa’s Ongakujyuku, Kurashiki Music Festival, Dresden Music Festival, and Salzburg Music Festival, and also performed as a honorary guest appearance for orchestras from home and abroad.

Member of Tokyo Mozart Players, Kioi Sinfonietta Tokyo (season), String Quartet Hibiki, IBUKI Streichquartett, Quintette Pente Tria, and Cyprian Ensemble.

Studied violin with Masafumi Hori, Hiroyuki Yamaguchi, Keiko Urushihara, and Sachika Mizuno, and studied violin with Nobuo Okada and Wolfram Christ. A violist of Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra Baden-Baden and Freiburg since 2011.

Karan Nagase
Studied at Sydney St. Andrews Cathedral School at the age of 14 as a music scholarship student. Got diploma at Nagano Aspen Music Festival, and got scholarship at Chigiana Musical Academy. Got special prize for encouragement and outstanding performance award at Kirishima Music Festival. A prize winner of Japan Viva Hall Cello Competition. Joined a caravan concert tour of late M.Rostropovich and Seiji Ozawa in 2002 and 2005. Attended at the 80th anniversary ceremony of late M.Rostropovich held at Kremlin, Moscow in 2007. Finished soloist diploma course at Toho Gakuen College, and currently plays cello for Gunma Symphony Orchestra. Studied cello with Tozan Nagase and Hakuro Mori, and studied chamber music with Koichiro Harada, Tomoko Kato, and Shigeo, Shigeo Nerima.