Jon Nakamatsu

Jon Nakamatsu is a Steinway Artist and Visiting Professor at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where he has served since 2015. As an active concert pianist, he has performed globally at prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, Berlin Philharmonic, and Beijing’s National Centre for the Performing Arts.

• Stanford University - German Studies & Secondary Education (Undergraduate & Graduate)
• University of Southern California’s Schoenberg Institute - Composition, Theory, Orchestration (10 years training)

His research interests focus on Piano Performance and Chamber Music, specializing in Romantic-era repertoire and technical mastery. He has recorded 13 acclaimed albums featuring works by Gershwin, Brahms, and Liszt, with particular emphasis on collaborative pieces and virtuosic sonatas.

Nakamatsu’s 1997 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition Gold Medal marked his international breakthrough. Notable recognitions include

• Van Cliburn International Piano Competition Gold Medal (1997)
• Top echelon Billboard Classical Chart achievement (2020)
• New York Times “Best of the Year” recognition for Brahms Sonatas recording (2008)

As an educator, he has conducted masterclasses at Boston University’s Tanglewood Institute and Chautauqua Institution’s Piano Festival. His administrative roles include Artistic Director of the Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival since 2007.