Biography

Rieko Makita is a multi-award-winning Japanese pianist based in London. She is currently the Constant & Kit Lambert Junior Fellow and Artistic Diploma student at the Royal College of Music, supported by the Help Musicians Postgraduate Award.

Growing up in Sydney, Rieko moved to London to pursue her dreams as a performer and to undertake the Master of Performance course at the RCM. She was a recipient of RCM Scholar Award, Nosward Charity Award and Bliss Trust Scholarship. She was selected as the 2021 piano fellow for the Philharmonia MMSF Instrumental Fellowship Programme and became an ambassador for the Benedetti Foundation in 2022. She is a DEBUT Classical Artist, actively working to promote classical music to a wider audience.

Rieko has performed in prestigious venues across Australia, Japan, Italy, Germany, and Austria, including the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall and the City Recital Hall in Angel Place. Her performances have been broadcasted on Fine Music FM. Rieko has also had the opportunity to participate in masterclasses with renowned musicians such as Angela Hewitt, Akiko Ebi, Benedetto Lupo, and Maxim Vengerov.

In addition to her piano performances, Rieko is also passionate about composing music. Her works have been performed at Shoreditch Treehouse in 2022 and at the RCM Museum as part of the 2023 FestivALL.

This year, Rieko will be collaborating with visual artists alongside performers and composers of the RCM, and curating concerts that promote Asian music throughout London.

Musicians’ Company Prize: Lambert Fellowship 2023

Page Updated: Jul 2023

Photo Credit: None