My main goal with a student is to guide each unique talent to achieve the best possible performances. I believe those precious experiences will help them enjoy music throughout their lifetime.
About
Education
B.A.
Affiliations
HMTA, MMTA, Royal Conservatory Music Development, Musikgarten, MusicLink
Biography
Akiko Sanai is a distinguished pianist, teacher, and musical artist, with many years of experience teaching piano in Hawaii. She has resided in Honolulu, Hawaii more than 30 years, where she maintains a thriving piano studio. Akiko teaches piano for all ages and skill levels. Born in Hiroshima, Japan, Akiko began her piano studies at age 6. Her principal studies were with noted recitalist and Alfred Brendel pupil Paul Lyddon (Professor Emeritus of University of Hawaii), Italian recitalist and renowned Chopin researcher Roberto Poli and America’s premier concert pianist Michael Lewin.
She has been performing at her studio recitals twice a year. Her performance with strings or orchestra includes piano concerti in Orvis Auditorium at the University of Hawaii (Mozart piano concerto no. 20 in D minor, K. 466), and at the Ferstel Palace in Vienna, Austria (Mozart piano concerto no. 23 in A major, K. 488).
Akiko was awarded as top teacher from numerous organizations around the world. Steinway and Sons inducted her as Music Teacher Hall of Fame at their factory in New York City.
Her outstanding teaching is provided with 3 Steinway and 1 Bosendorfer grand pianos at 2 studio locations in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Presently, Akiko’s youngest student is 4 years old, and her oldest is 84. Levels vary from complete beginner to advanced students preparing for music school auditions or piano competitions.
Many of her students participate in the Royal Conservatory of Music development program, taking RCM performance and theory Exam.
Akiko's students have won prizes in many international piano competitions and performed at world renowned concert venue like Weil Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in NYC, Parco della Musica in Rome, Italy and Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall in Japan.
All of her students have the opportunity to perform twice a year at University of Hawaii Orvis Auditorium where her studio recitals are given.
The musical and personal growth of each student is uppermost to Akiko. She strives to encourage and guide each student in their personal music journey from where they build strengths experiencing new challenges.
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This directory is service provided to teaching members of the Hawaii Music Teachers Association and to the Hawaii community. While HMTA will do its best to connect Hawaii piano students with local piano teachers, the responsibility for fulfillment and content of piano lessons, as well as safety, rests solely with the individual teachers. If you are a piano teacher in Hawaii and would like to be listed in this directory, please consider becoming a member.