Naoko Christ-Kato

was born in Yokohama (Japan). After completing her studies at the Tokyo University of Music with a Bachelor of Music, she came to Germany and studied with Prof. Konrad Meister in Hanover. She completed her artistic diploma in 2004 and her postgraduate studies (concert exam) in piano in 2006 with Prof. Manfred Fock at the Lübeck University of Music. Naoko Christ-Kato is a prizewinner of the "Young artist piano contest" and the "Best players contest" in Japan and also received the Education Association's award. In 2004 she premiered the piece "Invention & Etude" by the US composer Michael Tenzer (*1957), and in 2009 she recorded Tenzer's work "Let Others Name You" on CD (New World Records). In 2015 she founded the Gernsheim Duo with the soprano Anna Gann. Starting with this, she is committed to the discovery and performance of works by forgotten Jewish composers. In 2019, the duo's first CD, "Verborgene Schätze" (Hidden Treasures), was released by GENUIN, combined with a major tour of Japan. She maintains a busy concert schedule as a soloist, as a duo partner in song recitals and as a chamber music partner in various formations. Naoko Christ-Kato is a scholarship holder of the German Music Council.