Meet The Performers

Pianist Akiko Tsukamoto is an active soloist and an enthusiastic collaborator in chamber music and piano duos. Born in Nagasaki, Japan, she graduated from the Toho Gakuen School of Music and moved to the U.S. in 1999 to study at the Yale School of Music.

A certified teacher of the Alexander Technique, Akiko is passionate about helping musicians play with freedom and ease.She runs a private piano studio in Watertown, teaching students of all ages to listen deeply, move efficiently, and enjoy making music. Akiko is a member of the Massachusetts Teachers National Association, the Massachusetts Music Teachers Association, American Society of Alexander Technique, and the Lexington Music Club.

She joined this charity concert in 2011 and has served as President/Executive Music Director since 2013.

Chihiro Larissa Tsukamoto is a prize winner at several competitions and has performed internationally in venues including Haydn Hall at Esterházy Palace (Austria), the Béla Bartók Conservatory (Hungary), the Schumann House (Germany), and Boston’s Jordan Hall and Symphony Hall. She studied piano at New England Conservatory, The Juilliard School, and Manhattan School of Music, and also studied percussion at Manhattan School of Music. In addition, she served as a volunteer harpist at Yale–New Haven Hospital. Chihiro holds a B.A. from Columbia University, an M.A. from the University of Iceland, and a Ph.D. from Yale University, where her research explored the ways music has been used for healing. She has participated in Boston Charity Concert since 2013.

Masabumi Koinuma is a community musician and clarinetist who enjoys collaborating with regional players in chamber and orchestral settings. Born in Kanagawa, Japan, he began playing clarinet in university and soon performed as both a soloist and orchestral musician. In Japan, he played with ensembles including Amadeus Orchester Tokyo, Blumen Philharmonie, Ensemble Meson, the IBM Philharmonic Orchestra Japan, and the University of Tokyo Orchestra. As a soloist, he performed Richard Strauss’s Duet-Concertino for Clarinet and Bassoon with Blumen Philharmonie in 1999. After moving to the United States in 2005 to work as an engineer, he continued his musical activities and is currently a member of the New Philharmonia Orchestra. He studied with Kunio Hirabayashi and joined Boston Charity Concert in 2017.

Julianne Johnston’s classical training on flute came from New

England Conservatory, Augusta State College (BM) and

University of South Carolina (MM). She also studied with Geoffrey Gilbert, William Bennett and Julius Baker and Keith Underwood in masterclass settings. 

She has held principal flute positions in several orchestras and regional operas. Julianne taught at the Brookline Music School for 28 years.

Julianne began studying jazz saxophone with Billy Novick in

2002 and she currently performs on flute and sax in a variety of

settings the Boston area. She also enjoys performing regularly

with her husband Barry Johnston on guitar.

Mika Stoltzman is an internationally acclaimed marimba virtuoso known for her bold artistry and genre-crossing vision.

Equally at home in classical, jazz, and contemporary music, she has expanded the marimba repertoire through innovative arrangements and collaborations with leading composers and performers.

Her recordings, praised for their expressive depth and refined technique, have reached audiences worldwide.

A passionate advocate for new music, she brings warmth, rhythmic vitality, and lyrical sensitivity to every performance.

Whether on major concert stages or in intimate settings, Stoltzman captivates listeners with her distinctive voice and radiant musical presence.

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Yoko Schwarz is a pianist and piano instructor based in Waltham, Massachusetts. Born in Tokyo, she began studying piano at age three. She graduated from Toho Music School and later earned her B.A. from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris. An award-winning performer, she has appeared at festivals and competitions in the United States, Europe, and Japan, including the Aspen Music Festival, the William Kapell International Piano Competition and Festival, and festivals in Lugano, Delémont, and Noyers-sur-Serein, as well as the KMF Music Festival and the International Rachmaninoff Musical Festival. Today, she performs regularly in recitals, frequently collaborates with local musicians, and is a member of the Lexington Music Club and the New England Piano Teachers’ Association. She has been part of BCC since 2013.

Sanae Koinuma performs as a soloist, accompanist, and collaborative pianist in a variety of chamber ensembles. She appears in concerts throughout the Boston area, including faculty recitals at Longy School of Music of Bard College. Sanae is also a dedicated teacher, maintaining a private studio in Lexington with about 25 students; her students have earned awards and recognition in multiple competitions. She is a member of MTNA and MMTA. Currently, she is a trainee with Andover Educations, studying Body Mapping for musicians. Sanae received her M.A. in Music from Longy School of Music, where she studied with Victor Rosenbaum and Robert Merfeld, and she previously worked with Dr. Margaret Evans at Meredith College in North Carolina. She earned her B.A. from Kunitachi College of Music in Tokyo.

Multi-instrumentalist Ririka Tokushige has been involved with music all her life. Based in the Boston area for the past two decades, she performs actively with a wide range of local ensembles. Her main instruments are saxophone, clarinet, and flute, and her playing spans many styles and settings—from small groups to larger bands. After studying jazz at Berklee College of Music, her musical interests expanded to include rock, funk, blues, gospel, classical, Latin, and other world music. Ririka has recorded numerous CDs with a variety of groups, reflecting her versatility across genres. In addition to performing, she is a dedicated educator who teaches both private and group lessons throughout Greater Boston, helping students develop strong fundamentals, musical curiosity, and confidence.

Kevin Hiromoto is a Boston-based entrepreneur, drummer, chef, and educator. He moved to the United States in 1991 to study with jazz drumming legend Al Anderson. In 2017, he performed with master bassist Eddie Gomez and continues to maintain close ties with clarinetist Richard Stoltzman and other musicians. Hiromoto has taught at the Boston Japanese School since 1992 and later became a board member. Since 2021, he has also served as a part-time lecturer at Kyushu University. In May 2025, he received the Consul General’s Commendation from the Consulate-General of Japan in Boston. In business, he founded Eliot Cafe in 1993 and later established EBISUYA Japanese Market, and is expanding efforts to share outstanding Japanese cuisine in Boston.