Six Awarded Prizes in Nippon Contest

Japanese harpist Kyoko Okuda won the 21st Nippon Harp Competition held Nov. 11–15 in Soka, Japan. Other prizewinners included Mami Segawa, second prize; Ayano Kaji, third prize; Rieko Sato, fourth prize; Kei Nakayama, fifth prize; and May Miura, sixth prize. All of the prizewinners are from Japan. The competition was judged by a jury chaired by Japanese composer Teruyuki Noda, and including clarinetist Yasuaki Itakura, composer Michio Kitazume, and harpists Milda Agazarian, Fabrice Pierre, Erika Inoue, Yo Saito, Ayako Shinozaki, and Junko Tabuchi.
Okuda, 29, graduated from Musashino Academia Musicae. She studied with Kumiko Inoue, and Judith Liber. She also one first prize in the 2005 Moscow International Harp Competition. Okuda is an active soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral harpist, and teacher.