🎹 Junko Uchibayashi – Piano Instructor / Performer

Born in Ibaraki Prefecture,Junko Uchibayashi graduated from Toho Gakuen School of Music and is currently enrolled in the Master’s Program in Performance Studies at Toho Gakuen Graduate School.

She studied piano for many years under Chiharu Hanaoka and Yusuke Kikuchi, and currently under Hiromi Okada and Kyoko Tabe. She has also studied musicology with Mai Ikehara.

During her studies, she performed chamber music with violinist Tamaki Kawakubo and cellist Hisaya Dōgin, and appeared as soloist with the Toho Orchestra Academy under the baton of Kimbo Ishii. These experiences span from chamber music to large-scale concerto repertoire.

In 2001, she was awarded the highest prize in the Piano Solo Division at the 12th Ibaraki no Meishu Meikashu-tachi Competition, which led to a performance at the Art Tower Mito (ATM Hall). In 2006, she presented her first solo recital at Steinway Tokyo and has since continued to give annual recitals and chamber music performances.

She has participated in numerous academies and masterclasses both in Japan and abroad, including the Moscow Conservatory, furthering her artistic development. Alongside her performance career, she has also engaged in research, pursuing projects that integrate both performance and academic perspectives.

She has frequently appeared on radio programs, where she performs and provides commentary, introducing the richness of classical music to wider audiences.

As a full member of the Piano Teachers’ National Association of Japan (PTNA), representative of the Kawaguchi Nishi Station, and PTNA Step Advisor and juror, she is also deeply committed to music education. With over 20 years of teaching experience at Yamaha and Kawai music schools, she now teaches at Junpia Music. Her students have been accepted to music high schools, conservatories, and universities in Japan and abroad, and have won prizes in domestic and international competitions; many now pursue careers as professional musicians.

In addition, she holds a degree in Clinical Psychology and Counseling. Drawing on this background, she offers lessons that are sensitive to both “sound and heart,” nurturing each student’s individuality, sensitivity, and capacity for expressive artistry.