“...the demeanour and virtuosity of soloist Eriko Daimo made this a performance to remember. Watching and hearing the four mallets play slow-moving, long-line, four part harmony was extraordinary....”
-The Irish Times
“Highly impressive. The delicate percussionist Eriko Daimo delivered her musical performance brimming with energy and superb dynamics.... The audience was ecstatic in its enthusiasm and would not let her leave the stage without an enchanting encore.”
-Volksstimme
Praised for her ‘mesmerizing combination of sound and sight’ (Irish Times), the award-winning marimbist, Eriko Daimo, is one of the leading artists of her field.
Her recent performances include concerto performances with some of the world’s leading orchestras such as the RTE Ireland National Symphony Orchestra, Tampere Philharmonic in Finland, Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra, Sophia Philharmonic in Bulgaria, Osaka Symphony Orchestra, Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra, Magdeburg Philharmonic Orchestra in Germany, Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra and Orchestra Nipponika among others; as well as recital tours over 25 countries in Asia, Europe and the Americas. She has given recitals and masterclasses in some of today’s most recognized percussion festivals, including the Taiwan International Percussion Convention, Italy PAS Percussion Festival, International Marimba Festival in Minneapolis, Internacional de Marimbistas in Mexico, Festival des Journees de la Percussion in Paris, Universal Marimba Festival in Belgium, KOSA International Music Festival in the US, International Percussion festival in Korea, International League of Artists Marimba Festival in Tokyo, Bamberg International Marimba Festival in Germany, and PASIC.
As an educator, she has given concerts and masterclasses at music institutions including the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, Paris Conservatory, Royal Irish Academy of Music, Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen, San Francisco Conservatory, Colburn Conservatory, among others. Also, she has been presenting a series of masterclasses at New York University since 2013.
She served as a judge for the New York International Percussion Competition(2016, 2018), Percussion Arts Society International Percussion Competition(2011,2012, 2013, 2017), Majaoja Percussion Competition(Finland), Italy PAS Percussion Competition, Latin America Marimba Competition in Mexico, and Bamberg International Marimba Competition(Germany), Universal Marimba Competition in Belgium.
As a student, she has won top prizes in numerous competitions, including 1st prizes at the International Marimba Competition 2004 in Belgium, Japan International League of Artists Competition, Japan PAS 20th Annual Percussion Solo Competition 2004, and Japan Soloist Music Competition and more.
Born in Kagoshima, Japan, Ms. Daimo began her musical studies at age five on the piano. She started studying the marimba when she entered high school in 1997, and went on to study at the Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music and the Boston Conservatory.
Ms. Daimo is an endorser of Marimba One, Zildjian company and Innovative Percussion Inc. which produces her signature mallet series. She is on the faculty at The Juilliard School pre-college division and teaches Marimba at the New York University Steinhardt as well. Daimo is an Artist in Residence at University of Music and Performing Arts Graz in Austria 2023.
