13-year-old VC Artist Himari to Make Berlin Philharmonic Debut

Himari will play Wieniawski’s Violin Concerto No. 1 with conductor Zubin Mehta in March 2025

The Berlin Philharmonic recently announced that it will feature the 13-year-old Japanese violinist and VC Artist Himari as a soloist in its 2024/25 season. She will play Wieniawski’s Violin Concerto No. 1 alongside conductor Zubin Mehta for three concerts on March 20, 21, and 22, 2025.

Born in 2011 in Japan, Himari began her violin studies at the age of 3 under the tutelage of Koichiro Harada and Machie Oguri. She gave her professional orchestral solo debut at age 6. In 2022, as one of the youngest applicants ever, Himari was accepted to the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where she currently studies with Ida Kavafian.

Himari has won top prizes at several international competitions, including the grand prize at the International Competition for Young Violinists in Honor of Karol Lipinski and Henryk Wieniawski, the first prize and special grand prize at the 12th Arthur Grumiaux International Violin Competition in Belgium, the first prize and special prize at the 26th Andrea Postacchini International Violin Competition in Italy, the first prize at the 20th Scherkunchik International Music Competition in Russia, and the first Prize at the 2nd Leonid Kogan International Violin Competition in Belgium, among others.

Also featured on the program is Schubert's Symphony No. 8 in G major "Great", and Carl Maria von Weber's overture to Oberon.

Advance tickets will be available for purchase from October 13, and you can purchase them — as well as finding out more about the concert — here.