Himari: the young violin sensation on Brahms, Heifetz and her debut album

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At the age of just 15, Japanese violinist Himari has already been described as a ‘once in a generation talent’. Born Himari Yoshimura on 24 June 2011 in Japan, she began playing the violin at the age of three, studying under Koichiro Harada and Machie Oguri, and made her orchestral debut when she was six years old. In 2022 she was admitted to the Curtis Institute of Music as its youngest-ever student, where she currently studies with Ida Kavafian. 

Himari has won numerous competition prizes including the grand prizes at the Arthur Grumiaux Competition in Belgium (2019) and the International Competition for Young Violinists in Honor of Karol Lipinski and Henryk Wieniawski, Lublin, Poland (2021), as well as the 26th Andrea Postacchini International Violin Competition in Italy and the Kogan International Violin Competition in Belgium. 

In March 2025, at the age of 13, Himari made her European debut with the Berlin Philharmonic and Sebastien Weigle, playing Wieniawski’s First Violin Concerto. A recording of this live performance forms the centrepiece of her recently released album Debut for Decca Classics, alongside a selection of virtuoso showpieces, including works associated with Jascha Heifetz. The album reached no.3 in Japan’s all-genres Oricon Weekly Album Ranking, making Himari the youngest artist ever to achieve a Top 3 placing with a classical album.

She spoke to The Strad about her musical influences and performing on two celebrated instruments: the 1717 ‘Hamma’ Stradivari, on loan from Yusaku Maezawa, and the 1732 Guarneri del Gesù ‘Ferni’, on loan from Hikaru Shimura.

Which violinists have influenced your playing the most, either through recordings or in person?

There are many violinists who have influenced me, but Jascha Heifetz and Ida Kavafian hold a special place in my heart. I find great inspiration in Heifetz’s recordings, and through my lessons with Ida, I am learning to engage more deeply with music.

Are there any composers whose music you feel a particular affinity with?

I feel a particular affinity with Brahms. I also find Beethoven’s music sublime and beautiful, and I admire it very much. One day, I would love to record Brahms’s Violin Concerto, his violin sonatas and his chamber music. There are so many other works I would love to explore, too.

What inspires you most as a musician?

Brahms’s music gives me a great deal of inspiration, as do the performances of many of the great virtuoso violinists. I find it fascinating how the same piece can take on different colours and characters depending on who is playing it.

What are the most valuable lessons you’ve learnt from studying with Ida Kavafian?

The most valuable lesson is to read the score deeply and remain faithful to the composer’s intentions. Ida always encourages me to look beyond the notes and think about the meaning behind them. I am continually learning to respect the individual style of each composer and each work.

How do you deal with reviews and outside expectations?

I try not to let either positive or negative reviews affect me too much. This is advice Ida gave me some time ago. I trust myself and focus on making music together with the musicians I am performing with.

How do you hope your musicianship will develop in the years ahead?

As I study more repertoire and perform with different musicians, I hope my understanding of music will continue to deepen. I want to remain faithful to the composer’s intentions while becoming more natural and confident in expressing what I truly feel through sound.

You perform on both the ‘Hamma’ Stradivari and the ‘Ferni’ Guarneri del Gesù. What have you learned from playing these instruments?

The ‘Hamma’ Stradivari and the ‘Ferni’ Guarneri del Gesù are both wonderful instruments, each with its own distinct personality. Getting to know an instrument through playing it is an important part of learning for me. At the moment, I am especially fond of the ‘Ferni’, and I look forward to spending more time exploring its sound and expressive possibilities.