The sisters Yuka and Ayaka Yamamoto have been performing together as a piano duo since 2009 and have won numerous prizes in national and international competitions. Within the first year after founding the duo, the Yamamotos won first prize and a special prize at the PTNA Piano Competition and the Grand Prize at the 3rd Yokohama International Music Competition. In 2010, they received first place and the Critic’s Award at the 13th Concorso Internationale “Pietro Argento” in Italy as well as the Grand Prize at the 16th International Piano Duo Competition in Japan. The duo was accepted into the second round of the 59th International ARD Competition in Munich 2010. In 2011 they received a special honorable mention at the “Liszt 200” International Piano Duo Competition in Chicago.
The Yamamoto piano duo have performed at various venues throughout Italy, Austria, and Japan, including the Gläsernen Saal (Magnum Auditorium) of the Musikverein in Vienna in 2011. In addition to their performance career, the sisters have also participated in masterclasses with Professor Matti Raekallio and Professor Dmitri Alexeev. Yuka and Ayaka are currently studying at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Rostock under the duo professors Hans-Peter Stenzl and Volker Stenzl. In May 2013 they won first prize and Gold Medal at the 12th Murray Dranoff International Two-Piano Competition in Miami.
