Asuka sumi
Orchestra leader
Asuka Sumi is a violinist based in Leeds and specialising in historical performance practice.
In 2013, Asuka won the Biber Competition’s “Romanus Weichlein Prize” in Austria; the judges praised her innovative programming, clear style, and a lyrical approach based upon solid technique.
Under the guidance of her father, the violin pedagogue Yasuro Sumi, she began to study historical performance on period instruments, subsequently obtaining degrees from the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. From 2009, she studied at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam with Lucy van Dael and obtained her Master degree in 2014 under Sophie Gent.
Asuka has been playing a significant role in the formation of several chamber music groups based in Europe, among them are Seconda Prat!ca (CD ‘Nova Europa’ m Harmonia Mundi), Fons Harmonicus (Fabulous Fringe prize at FOMU) and Amsterdam Corelli Collective (winner of Eeemerging). With those groups and as a soloist, she has been invited to perform in prestigious venues and festivals such as Resonanzen Festival in Konzerthaus Vienna, the Sablé and Ambronay festivals in France, Göttingen Handel Fenstival, Utrecht Early Music Festival, MA festival in Bruges and the Cambridge Early Music Festival in the UK.
She has also been active as a member of period instrument orchestras under the baton of Herve Nique, Enrico Onofri, Amandine Bayer, Sigiswalt Kuiken and Paul McCreesh.
Since moving in the UK, she is rapidly playing with groups such as the Gabrieli Consort, the English Concert, the Parley of Instrument, London Early Opera, and invigorating the Early Music scene in North by performing with Manchester Baroque, Baroque in the North and Leeds Baroque with which she is appointed to the orchestra leader from 2021.
Asuka is a passionate educator for both modern and baroque violin, and currently teaching Baroque Ensemble at University of York.
Asuka maintains a strong interest in the historical development of violin technique, especially free-ornamentation in the 17th century, and is engaged in continual investigation of the ‘Late seicento violin music in Bologna and Modena.’ Her recent contribution was a lecture-recital about C.A. Lonati and other Roman violinist at the University of Leeds International Concert Series with the Cecilian Ensemble.