Akira Wakabayashi's international career is ever expanding with more engagements by popular demand. Thus far in 2002, he has appeared in Music Toronto's Chamber Music Series, and the following autumn, he gave a recital in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall to have received highest acclaim. In spring 2003, he gave a recital in the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert Series in Chicago.
Mr. Wakabayashi entered Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music in 1984, and in that same year, studied with Professor Hans Leygraf at the Mozarteum Academy, from which he graduated in 1990. He completed his graduate studies in 1994 at the Hochschule der Künste Berlin.
While still a student, Mr. Wakabayashi captured second prize at both the 1985 F Busoni International Piano Competition and the 1987 Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition in Belgium. In Japan, he performed with the Vienna Oktett, Karl Leister(clarinet), Radek Baborák(horn), Fançois Leleux(Oboe) with for duo recitals.
In January 2001, he has performed concerts with Göteborg Symphony Orchestra/ Lazarev which was received with enthusiasm by the audience and critics alike. In March 2001, Mr Wakabayashi performed in a successful recital at 'Amorina Piano Recitals' in Stockholm. And also he performed a debut appearance with Nörrkoping Symphony Orchestra. In May, he performed with Russian National Symphony Orchestra/Spivakov on their Japan tour.