Harpist Kaori Otake

Harpist Kaori Otake’s powerful, radiant performance and vibrant energy of her soaring on majestic wing will reverberate in your heart. Ms Otake has won numerous competitions including the 1st prizes of the Japan International Harp Competition in all divisions. (Professional, Advanced, Junior Divisions) The winner of the Indiana University Harp Concerto Competition where she appeared as a soloist with the IU Concert Orchestra under the guest conductor, Sergiu Comissiona, a former music director of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. She was also awarded the Marilyn Costello Memorial Prize in the USA International Harp Competition.

Ms Otake has given solo recitals and concerto performances around the world. Including recent performes of the Debussy Danses with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and the Handel Concerto with the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra conducted by Ken Hsieh. Some of her other concerts includes guest performer at the Carnegie Hall in New York in a harp duo with her sister, Miya Otake, several television programs, appearances in the World Harp Congress in the Focus on Youth Concert in Seattle and the Prize Winner Concert in Geneva. She has also performed the Mozart Concerto with the Nippon Phil conducted by Kenichiro Kobayashi.

Kaori Otake graduated from Indiana University under Susann McDonald, The Juilliard School under Nancy Allen, and The Curtis Institute of Music under Marilyn Costello. In earlier years, she studied at the Vancouver Academy of Music and the Victoria Conservatory under Taka Kling where she received many prizes and awards from the Conservatory and various music festivals.

Born in Aichi, Japan, Kaori Otake began studying the harp at the age of five in Japan and moved to Canada at the age of nine to continue her harp studies. She currently resides in Vancouver, Canada.