Nobuko Imai has been a leading viola player since the early 1990s. She studied at Tokyo's Toho Gakuen Music School before continuing at both Yale University and Juilliard. She is a former member of the Vermeer Quartet, known for sharp performances of the Mozart and Beethoven chamber repertoire. Since leaving this ensemble, she divides her time between performing as a soloist with the world's major orchestras, and teaching in Europe and Japan. She also serves as artistic adviser of Casals Hall in Tokyo and continues to be active in chamber music. The violist's superb discography includes more than 40 releases on labels such as BIS, Chandos, EMI, Hyperion, and Philips. She is known for an innovative approach to her instrument, and her unique accomplishments include creating viola adaptations of works for cello from the classical repertoire. An enthusiast for new works, her discography includes a collaboration with composer Toru Takemitsu. ~ Eugene Chadbourne