Hailed for her “magnetic, wide-ranging tone” and her “rock solid technique” (The Philadelphia Inquirer), violist Ayane Kozasa enjoys a career that spans a broad spectrum of musical personas. A violinist turned violist, she holds a Bachelor of Music from the Cleveland Institute of Music, and Artist Certificates from both the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and the Kronberg Academy Masters school in Germany. Ms. Kozasa’s solo career took off when she won the 2011 Primrose International Viola Competition. Following the competition, she joined the Astral Artists roster and became a grant recipient from the S&R Foundation, an organization recognizing and supporting young aspiring artists of all mediums. Her international solo opportunities have been a platform to unearth seldom heard works and commission new pieces, an aspect of viola playing that she loves. Most recently, she commissioned a work by Brooklyn composer Paul Wiancko for viola and cello, which they premiered in Washington DC at the S&R Foundation.

Chamber music has also been a vital part of Ms. Kozasa’s musical career, and her interests have led her to appearances at numerous festivals, including the Marlboro Music Festival, the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, the Kingston Music Festival, and the Ravinia Festival. She is a founding member of the Aizuri Quartet, the 2014-2016 Quartet-in-Residence at the Curtis Institute of Music and prizewinner of the 2015 London Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition. With the Aizuri Quartet she has commissioned and toured with works by world-renowned composers such as Caroline Shaw, Yvgeniy Sharlat, Paul Wiancko, and Gabriella Smith.

From 2012 to 2016, Ms. Kozasa served as the principal violist of the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia. She is also a member of the IRIS Orchestra, and has played with notable ensembles such as the Jupiter Chamber Players, the Philadelphia Orchestra, A Far Cry, and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. Ms. Kozasa is deeply grateful for the mentorship she received from her past teachers, Nobuko Imai, Kirsten Docter, Roberto Diaz, Misha Amory, and William Preucil.

ayanekozasa.com
Photo credit: Suzuran Photography