Kenneth Naito attends the 2024 TSM Academy courtesy of the Judith Humphrey & Marc Egnal Fellowship.

Hometown: Elkridge, Maryland 

American violinist Kenneth Naito has been dazzling audiences since his international concerto debut at the age of 11 with the Kostroma Symphony Orchestra in Russia. He has since gone on to perform at venues around the world, from Carnegie Weill Recital Hall, Merkin Concert Hall, Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, 92nd Street Y, and The German Consulate in New York; to The Big Hall of the Philharmonic in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, The Kennedy Center Terrace Theatre, The Music Center at Strathmore, The National Gallery of Art, and The Embassy of Japan.  

Kenneth has been a prize winner at national and international competitions, most recently receiving 2nd prize at the prestigious 2nd Viktor Tretyakov International Violin Competition, where his performances were broadcast live on The Violin Channel. He has twice been featured as a Student Artist for the Starling-DeLay Symposium on Violin Studies held at The Juilliard School, and has performed at many festivals, including Music Academy of the West, the Heifetz International Music Institute, Sarasota Music Festival, Taipei Music Academy Festival, and IMS Prussia Cove.  

Performing highlights include concerto appearances with the National Philharmonic, the United States Army Orchestra, the Kennett Symphony, the Londontowne Symphony Orchestra, the Krasnoyarsk Chamber Orchestra, and the Siberian State Symphony Orchestra. Upcoming appearances include a performance with the Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra in their 2024-2025 season.  

Kenneth holds a Bachelor’s degree from the Juilliard School, where he studied with Li Lin, and is currently pursuing his Master’s degree at Yale studying with Ani Kavafian.