About Masumi Urakami

Masumi Urakami began studying piano at five years old in Japan . She came to the United States and studied with Victoria Mushkatkol at Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan , achieving a Superior Award upon graduation.

Ms. Urakami moved to Los Angeles to study with her uncle Yohsuke Suga, an accomplished concert pianist and educator. At the California Institute of the Arts, she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Piano Performance under the guidance of Bryan Pezzone and Dr. Vicki Ray. She worked with Norman Krieger and Dr. Yossi Reshef at the University of Southern California, receiving a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance.

Her experience included master classes with world-renowned artists: Logan Skelton, Robert Roux, and Oxana Yablonskaya, and private studies with Konstantin Sirounian and Gyorgy Nador. She won first prize in the Sonata Sonatina Competition of California Association of Professional Music Teachers (CAPMT) and several honors with Music Teachers Association of California (MTAC) piano solo/chamber music competitions.

Ms. Urakami is a founding member of the Los Angeles Piano Unit, a unique collaboration of pianists whose mission is to introduce to the public little known piano repertoire such as pieces written for four hands and multiple pianos.

Masumi believes that one important mission in life for a true artist is the sharing of knowledge to others. Through her years of experience, she is committed to educating the next generation of pianists.