Keila Wakao

Sunday, April 25, 2027
Brahms Violin Concerto

Boston-born Japanese-American violinist (b. 2006) Keila Wakao is praised for her “crystalline sound” and the “special energy she brings to the stage.” She made her BSO debut at the 2024 Opening Night Gala under Andris Nelsons and her Tanglewood debut in July 2026 performing the Barber Violin Concerto. She studied with the late Joseph Silverstein and Donald Weilerstein, and now studies with Miriam Fried at New England Conservatory.

RECENT HONORS

Signed with Concert Artists Guild (CAG) — announced August 2026, joining a roster that also added guitarist Hao Yang, conductor Paul-Boris Kertsman, and the Nois Saxophone Quartet
2026 CAG Louis and Susan Meisel Prize
2026 Avery Fisher Career Grant ($25,000) — announced March 2026 alongside violinist Nathan Meltzer, cellist Leland Ko, and pianist Dmitry Yudin
First Prize, 2026 National Schadt String Competition ($12,000 and a February 2027 solo engagement with the Allentown Symphony Orchestra)
Debut CD released on Octavia Records (July 2026), featuring her final performances as a teenager
Earlier honors: First Prize, 2021 Menuhin International Violin Competition Junior Division (plus the Composer Award); Gold Medal and Bach Prize, 2021 Stulberg International String Competition; 2023 Aoyama Music Foundation Award (Japan); 2024 Next Generation Distinguished Cultural Achievement Award, Japan Society of Boston

UPCOMING

In October 2026, Yo-Yo Ma invited her to join him on a six-concert tour of Taiwan and Japan, performing Shostakovich’s Piano Trio No. 2 alongside pianist Yun Janice Lu.