Yoko Reikano Kimura, koto and shamisen, has concertized in about 20 countries around the world based in New York and Japan. The New York Times described her playing and singing as “superb.” Kimura has performed at prestigious venues such as Warsaw Autumn Festival, Israel Festival, Nova Arts in Bordeaux, John F. Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Metropolitan Museum, United Nation, Japan Society, and throughout Japan including Kabuki-za and World Heritage Sites. Her performances have broadcasted on NPR’s Performance Today, NHK-FM’s Hogaku no Hitotoki, and Nippon TV’s The MUSIC DAY.

As a koto soloist, Kimura has performed Daron Hagen’s Koto Concerto: Genji with the Wintergreen Music Festival Orchestra conducted by Mei-Ann Chen and several string quartets. In 2021, Kimura gave the Japan premiere performance of Hagen’s concerto with the members of New Japan Philharmonic. Her performances have featured at renowned opera and theater works, such as Michi Wiancko’s Murasaki’s Moon, Pietro Mascagni’s Iris by American Symphony Orchestra, Basil Twist’s Dogugaeshi, and Heiner Goebbels’ Hashirigaki. Kimura is a founder of Duo YUMENO, with cellist Hikaru Tamaki. The duo received the Kyoto Aoyama Barock Saal Award in 2015. The duo held its tenth anniversary recital at Carnegie Hall in 2019.

Her awards include the First prize at the prestigious 10th Kenjun Memorial National Koto Competition, the First prize at the 4th Great Wall International Music Competition, and a scholarship from the Agency of Cultural Affairs of Japan. Kimura graduated from the Tokyo University of the Arts and Music, and continued her study at Institute of Traditional Japanese Music, an affiliate of Senzoku Gakuen College of Music in Japan, where she was a faculty member until 2010. In 2000, she received her stage name Reikano and Kyoju (master) certificate from Hiroko Nakanoshima Ⅵ, daughter of the legendary koto and shamisen performer and composer, Kin’ichi Nakanoshima.