Ryu Goto (五嶋 龍, Gotō Ryū, born July 13, 1988) is an American concert violinist. Goto gained attention as a child prodigy,[1][2] first performing at the age of seven in the Pacific Music Festival held in Sapporo, Japan. In 2006, his debut tour of 12 cities of Japan was sold out.[3]
Early life
Goto's mother is a violinist. His elder (by 17 years) half-sister, Midori, is an internationally renowned violinist.[4] Goto began playing violin at age three.[4] He credits his mother for both his and his half-sister's success as musicians.[5]
Goto performed at the World Trade Center site during the official September 11 commemoration ceremony in 2003 and at the peace memorial concerts in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 2005.[3] In 2005, Universal Music signed Goto to its Deutsche Grammophon label.[8] In 2009, Goto played with the Ditto Ensemble in Korea,[9] and was scheduled to appear with them in the summer of 2010 in Japan.[10] In 2010, he made his Carnegie Hall debut. In 2014, he appeared to represent Japan at the Festival Internacional Cervantino in Mexico.[11]
Goto has been influenced by electric guitarists such as Jimi Hendrix, and sometimes uses an aggressive playing style described as "ferocious"[1] or "fiery."[13]
Goto has a black belt in karate, and holds a degree in physics from Harvard (2011), where he is a member of the Phoenix SK Club.[4] He also plays guitar.[6] In addition to classical he likes jazz, pop and electronic music.[11]
Discography
DVD:
Ryu Goto, Brahms Violin Concerto in D Major Op.77 – May 2006
Ryu Goto, Violin Recital 2006 – March 2007
CD/Digital
Ryu – July 2005
'Ryu Goto, Violin Recital 2006 – January 2007
Live in Suntory Hall 2004 – August 2007
The Four Seasons – June 2009
References
^ ab
Werb, Jessica (December 14, 2006). "Ryu Goto". Straight.Com. Retrieved April 3, 2010.