Eiko Kano

Founder/President  Shining Blue Dot NY, Violinist, Artistic Director

　Internationally acclaimed violinist and cultural visionary Eiko Kano is the founder of Shining Blue Dot NY, a nonprofit organization established in 2025 in New York. With a mission to inspire hope, compassion, and connection through the universal language of music, the organization promotes artistic expression as a pathway toward a more loving and enlightened world.

　Known for her deeply expressive performances, Kano has been praised as “an artist of overwhelming passion and lyrical expression” (Kyoto Shimbun) and “a captivating interpreter who mesmerizes audiences” (Ongaku no Tomo). Her distinguished career as a soloist and collaborator includes performances with renowned musicians such as Albrecht Mayer (Berlin Philharmonic), Eugene Drucker (Emerson String Quartet), and Ani Kavafian.

　A laureate of numerous international competitions and recipient of the Forval Music Scholarship, Kano has performed on some of the world’s finest instruments, including the Stradivarius “Rainville” and “Wilhelmj.” She has appeared with the New York Philharmonic and served as Assistant Concertmaster of the Grammy Award-winning Albany Symphony, as well as Concertmaster and Senior Artistic Advisor of Pegasus: The Orchestra.

　Driven by a passion for connecting music with broader human experiences, Kano has pioneered projects that merge art with storytelling, culture, and science. Her original stage work A Manhattan Story, blending violin masterpieces with narrative, was featured by Japan Airlines and received critical acclaim. In collaboration with the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), she serves as Honorary Music Director, bridging music and science in educational and creative initiatives.

　With Shining Blue Dot NY, Eiko is extending her mission beyond the concert stage—creating programs that empower communities, foster cross-cultural dialogue, and bring light to people’s lives through music.

Board of Director

• President/Artistic Director
  Eiko Kano (Violinist)

• Vice President
  David P. Janes, Ph.D.
  (Vice President, North America, International House of Japan)

• Secretary
  Ryo Okubo
  (Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu)