Nobuko Imai studied at the Toho School of Music in Tokyo, Yale University and the Juilliard School. She is the only violist to have won the highest prizes in both the Munich and Geneva International Viola Competitions, and she was formerly a member of the Vermeer Quartet. Miss Imai now combines a distinguished international career with teaching at the High School of Music in Detmold, Germany, wehre she is a Professor. She is Artistic Advisor of the Casals Hall in Tokyo and a key member of the Saito Kinen Orchestra.

While Miss Imai has made numerous recordings under Philips, Chandos, BIS, EMI labels, she has also performed with many of the world's leading orchestras including the London Symphony, Royal Philharmonic, Montreal Symphony, Boston Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Berlin Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw and Orchestre de Paris. She was also the Artistic Director of the 'International Hindemith Viola Festival' held in Tokyo, London and New York between 1995 and 1996.

In 1993, Miss Imai was honoured in Japan with three prizes: the Education Ministry's Award for Services to Music, the Avon Art Award and the Mobil Music Award. She has further received the Mainichi Arts Award and Suntory Music Award in 1996.