Violinist Himari, Age 13, Signs with Decca Classics

March 17, 2025, 9:04 PM · The 13-year-old violin phenom Himari Yoshimura has signed with Decca Classics, the British record label announced Tuesday. The Japanese violinist is Decca's youngest-ever female artist.

Himari will release her debut EP on May 23, preceded by two singles: "Carmen Fantasy" by Franz Waxman (link here) and "Romance" by Amy Beach.

BELOW: Himari performs Carmen Fantasy by Franz Waxman with the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, Motonori Kobayashi conducting, in April 2024:

On March 20 she will make her European concert debut, performing Wieniawski’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in a series of three performances with the Berlin Philharmonic.

Himari began playing the violin at age three started performing with professional orchestras by the age of six. In 2022 she was admitted to the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where she currently studies with Ida Kavafian.

"If you’re listening to Himari and you close your eyes, you wouldn’t realize her age," Kavafian said. "Inside Himari, there is an older person and a wise musician… she’s immensely talented."

Himari has won a number of competitions, including first prize at both the Lipinski-Wieniawski International Violin Competition and the Arthur Grumiaux International Violin Competition. Last December she performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra and conductor Marin Alsop, with whom she will also perform with the Chicago Symphony at next summer's Ravinia Festival.

Himari plays the 1717 "Hamma" Stradivarius violin, on loan from Yusaku Maezawa, and a bow provided by the Munetsugu Collection.

"Signing a debut artist is always an exciting moment. In Himari we truly have a talent for the ages," Decca Classics Label Director, Dominic Fyfe said. "Technically fearless, Himari has purity, musicality and breathtaking temperament. There is a voice in Himari’s playing which can speak to any generation. All of us at Decca Classics welcome her to the label and are thrilled to bring her music-making to a global audience."

You might also like:

* * *

Enjoying Violinist.com? Click here to sign up for our free, bi-weekly email newsletter. And if you've already signed up, please invite your friends! Thank you.