'..An exciting stage presence and tremendous emotional resources make Junko Urayama's performances truly memorable. She has all the ingredients to make her music speak from the heart. I always enjoyed working with her..'
Sulamita Aronovsky, Chairman of London International Piano Competition

"...her sensitivity to the piano sonorities helped to convey a transcendentalism worthy of Liszt, the work's dedicatee..."
Musical Opinion, London

Junko Urayama’s ability to captivate audiences through her dazzling virtuosity and sensitive interpretations has attracted enthusiastic acclaim in Austria, Italy, Spain, Ukraine, Belarus, Poland and Portugal as well as in Japan and Britain.

Born in Japan, Junko began piano lessons at the age of four, attended the Toho Gakuen High School of Music and continued her studies at the Toho College of Music with Kazuo Yasukawa.

She entered postgraduate studies with Andrzej Stefanski at the Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, where she won 1st Prize and Special Chopin Prize at the Radziwill International Competition in 1995, leading to engagements all over Poland. Later awards included the top prize in the Cagliari International Piano Competition (1998) in Italy.

Since 1996, she has been studying with the renowned pedagogue Sulamita Aronovsky and her performances since moving to London have taken place at the South Bank Centre, Wembley Arena, St John’s Smith Square and a highly successful debut recital at the Wigmore Hall. Junko’s concerto performances have included the Philharmonia Orchestra, London Mozart Players, Lvov Philharmonic, Orchestra of the Millennium, London Soloists Orchestra and the Artesian Ensemble.

Junko’s association with the Philharmonia began in 2002 with a special Anglo/Japanese Gala Concert performance of Grieg’s Piano Concerto conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy. She was also invited to perform with the Philharmonia at the Chichester Festival. As a chamber music player, Junko is involved with several groups comprising of members of the Philharmonia and Royal Philharmonic Orchestras.
Junko has released two solo CD recordings under her own dedicated independent label Symphonika records.
Future plans for 2005 include recital tours in north Japan, Singapore and Malaysia as well as dates around the UK.