All sLs instructors are graduated from renowned music universities in Japan and overseas, who possess extensive experience in teaching, orchestra and chamber music performance both locally and overseas.
Yurie Farnsworth (Piano Instructor)
Japanese-American pianist Yurie Farnsworth has established herself as an emerging young artist across Oregon, Texas and Japan.
In 2008, Yurie won the 2nd place title at the National level of the MTNA Piano Competition. As a Junior at the Shepherd School of Music, Yurie became the first undergraduate student to win the school’s piano concerto competition in many years, and was subsequently presented as a soloist with the Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra in 2015. . In 2019, Yurie won 3rd prize at the Aoniyoshi Music Competition in Nara, Japan. In 2021, Yurie won the Grand Rachmaninoff Prize, as well as the overall 2nd prize at the 3rd International Rachmaninoff Piano Competition. In 2024, Yurie presented her doctorate thesis, “The art of intoning music: an alternative approach to analysis and interpretation of Rachmaninoff’s piano music through Boris Asafiev’s theory of intonation”, alongside a final exam performance consisting of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto and second piano sonata, the latter of which was arranged by Yurie as a mix of both the 1913 and 1931 versions.
Yurie has also performed in various venues across Japan and in Tokyo, including the salon concert halls at the Ginza Yamaha and Omotesando Kawai buildings, as well as with orchestra at the Sumida Triphony Hall. .
Andrés Spléndido (Violin Instructor)
Andrés is a professional violin teacher/performer graduated from the Universidad de Lanús. Academic in Argentina (Bachelor's Degree in Music)
He has been awarded Professor in Instrument: Violin. from Piazzolla Conservatory. In title on issue. Year 2021 and also a Violin and Viola Professor of the Berisso Orchestra-School. City of Berisso. From April 2014 to February 2018.
Regular violin lessons with Maestro José Bondar (Private), Violin Masterclasses with Professor Anastasia Storer (USA) Nicolás Favero (Argentina), Gilles Apap (France) Dmitri Berlinsky (Russia) and Campos do Jordao, Brazil.
He has been an active performer as a soloist and as a collaborative violinist for other instruments and various orchestras.
He was a violinist for Camerata Académica del Teatro, Orquesta Estable del Teatro and The National Symphony Orchestra Argentina.
Besides, he was also a guest member ( Violin ) for the Suginami District Philharmonic Orchestra (杉並フィルはハーモニー管弦楽団) and the Nakano District Citizens' Symphony Orchestra (中野区民交響楽団)in Tokyo.
Currently he is studying in Yokohama National University. Andres received a Japanese MEXT scholarship for the Teacher training program.
A very dedicated violinist and educator. His warm, humble and approachable personality one that has surely helped him succeed.
He speaks 3 languages - English, Spanish and Japanese.
Nanako Kobayashi (Cello Instructor)
She started performing while a student at Keio University.
While a postgraduate student at Tokyo University of the Arts, she studied at the Liszt State Conservatory of Music in Hungary. After performing in Budapest, where she was based, as well as in Germany, Austria and other countries, she returned to Japan.
Currently, in addition to guest appearances with orchestras throughout Japan, she is also active in a wide range of performance activities, such as supporting artists and collaborating with various artworks.
Not only as a player, but also as a songwriter and string arranger, producing and consulting on concert projects, writing liner notes and columns, magazine dialogues - her ways of expression are endlessly borderless. She also gives lectures and talks in various locations on the fascinating world of music and fragrance, including 'The Fragrance Floor' by S. Pies.Lecturer, Tokyo Junior Orchestra Society.
[Supporting Artists]
Yuzo Kayama/ Predawn/ Rayons/ X Japan/ YOSHIKI/ Nana Mizuki/ Billboard Classics etc.
[Guest orchestras].
Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra
Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra
Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra
Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra
Ayako Oya (Viola Instructor)
After graduating from Toho Girls' High School Music Department, she moved to the United States.
She won a full scholarship and she entered the Ohio State University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.
She then went to Hungary where she studied chamber music at the Budapest Liszt Conservatory.
On the recommendation of her former teacher, Walter Levin, when she was in Cincinnati, she entered the Basel Musikhochschule in Switzerland.
She has a Diploma in Music Education and a Performer's Diploma at the top of her class. While still in school, she became a member of the Basel Symphony Orchestra.
In 1997 she became a violist with the Lyon National Opera Orchestra in France.
While performing in the orchestra, she received the Soloist Diploma from the Lucerne University of Music in Switzerland with first place.
She was invited to join the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra where she served as Associate Principal Viola from April 2015 to August 2016.
In September 2016 she returned to the Orchester National de Lyon.
In May 2022, she formed Ensemble KOKOLO, hoping to create a world where people can respect each other and create a wonderful harmony beyond borders and races.
Naoko Aoki (Violin Instructor)
Naoko Aoki. After graduating from the Toho Gakuen School of Music, Naoko-sensei completed a master's degree in ancient instruments at the Conservatoire de Genève.
She has been active as a violinist and has participated in the Musique Musicale du Palais du Louvre under Marc Minkowski, Orfeo 55 under Nathalie Stutzmann, Classical Players Tokyo under Masahiro Arita and the Tokyo Mozart Players under Tatsunori Numajiri. She also has extensive experience in teaching mainly in Japanese and French.