Yuko Kato

Yuko Kato began her musical studies at the Colburn School of Performing Arts in Los Angeles. She earned a Bachelor of Music degree with honors from Northwestern University, and Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in Piano Performance from Manhattan School of Music in New York. As a pianist, she gave her solo debut at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall and has performed at the Banff Centre in Canada, Musiksalon Erfurt in Austria, Songfest in Los Angeles, New Music Circle in St. Louis, and Illinois Symphony’s Sunday at Six Recital Series. Having been selected to join the 2025-2026 cohort of the NATS Mentoring Program for Composers, she is working with pianist/composer Jodi Goble and will have her song, “A Dream Within a Dream” premiered by the Cincinnati Song Initiative. She has performed recitals with internationally active mezzo-soprano Emily Fons and frequently collaborates with baritone David Dillard, who has premiered her songs at College Music Society conferences. She currently serves as Associate Professor of Piano at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.