Japanese-American violinist Keila Wakao has rapidly emerged as one of the leading young artists of her generation, earning international acclaim for her “crystalline sound” (Boston Globe) and exceptional musicality. A recipient of the 2026 Avery Fisher Career Grant, Wakao first gained international recognition after winning First Prize at the 2021 Menuhin International Violin Competition (Junior Division), where she also received the Composer Award for Outstanding Performance of a Commissioned Work.

Recent highlights include her Boston Symphony Orchestra debut under Andris Nelsons at the orchestra's 2024 Opening Night Gala, her 2026 Tanglewood Music Festival debut performing Barber's Violin Concerto with Nelsons and the BSO, and the release of her debut album on Octavia Records. This season, she joins Yo-Yo Ma for a concert tour of Taiwan and Japan, performing Shostakovich's Piano Trio No. 2. Additional career milestones include premiering Bobby Ge's Violin Concerto with the Albany Symphony under David Alan Miller, as well as performances with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Baden-Baden Philharmonie, Richmond Symphony, and Baltimore Chamber Orchestra.