Naoko Yoshino is one of the most outstanding harpists in the world today. Born in London, she began to study harp at the age of six with the eminent Susann McDonald, professor of music at Indiana University. In 1985, after winning first prize at the ninth International Harp Contest in Israel, she started her worldwide career.
Ms. Yoshino's engagements with the world's top symphonies and chamber orchestras have included dates with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Zurich's Tonhalle Orchestra, The Philadelphia Orchestra and Concentus Musicus Wien among others. And conductors with whom she has shared the stage includ Menuhin, Ozawa, Sawallisch, Mehta, Dutoit, Sinopoli, Harnoncourt, Blomstedt, Dutoit and Vonk.
A frequent guest at the Stresa, Davos, Saito Kinen, Marlboro, Neuberg, and Mostly Mozart Festivals, Naoko Yoshino is also known as a recitalist and chamber musician. In 1994 she earned the honor of performing at The Vatican to commemorate the restoration of the Sistine Chapel. Through chamber music, she has come to work with such renowned musicians as violinist Gidon Kremer, violists Veronika Hagen and Nobuko Imai, oboist Hansjörg Schellenberger, flutists Aurèle Nicolet, Jean-Pierre Rampal, and Wolfgang Schulz.
As an advocate of new repertoire for harp, Ms. Yoshino has premiered many works, including Toru Takemitsu's "And then I knew 'twas Wind" and Toshio Hosokawa's "Harp Concerto".
Recordings to date include five releases on Sony Classical, four releases on Philips Classics, and one release on Teldec.