Dr. Pianist, Makiko Hirata, will deliver intimate and interactive, live music to you! LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ON-CALL MUSICAL DOCTOR Youtube Campaign: Promoting my YouTube channel subscriptions and playtime! Poco Piano Savoring Music WATCH MAKIKO'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL NOW! "I have been very fortunate to see Ms. Hirata play live. She is very enchanting and her CD's are magnificent.
If you enjoy classical piano, you will enjoy her gift to the world." "Airy and sensitive, supple and stimulating.
Makiko Hirata's performance reflects her 'way of the piano'" CHECK OUT MAKIKO'S RECORDINGS NOW! Dr. Pianist, Makiko Hirata, will deliver intimate and interactive, live music to you! LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ON-CALL MUSICAL DOCTOR
 

Pianist Dr. Makiko Hirata has graced stages worldwide including Carnegie Hall and Ozawa Hall, and is passionately committed to harnessing the power of music for healing and unity. Seamlessly blending artistic excellence with advocacy, she has positioned herself as a pivotal figure in showcasing the profound influence of music on societal well-being. A US-Japan Leadership Program Fellow and a founding member of TEMPO: Music for Climate Action, Dr. Hirata has also been honored as Coeuraj’s 2022 ‘Global Courage Fellow’ for her instrumental role in fostering trust and unity in times of division.

Transitioning from her birth in Japan to her upbringing in Hong Kong and eventually to Juilliard at the young age of 13, Dr. Hirata’s diverse background has been the foundation of her belief in music as a universal language, central to her identity as a global citizen. Her international career began with a notable performance of Rachmaninoff’s Second Concerto with the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Bolivia at 18. Dr. Hirata’s journey has taken her to esteemed venues like the Coolidge Auditorium at the Library of Congress, Oji Hall in Tokyo, and the Wortham Theater Center in Houston. She has performed as a featured soloist under the batons of legendary conductors, including the Kennedy Center Honors recipient Leon Fleisher. Her playing has been described as “incandescent” (Telegram & Gazette), “estimably simpatico with the music,” (Boston Music Intelligencer) and “straight from the heart” (CVNC). 

Holding a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Rice University, Dr. Hirata’s influence extends beyond the stage. She has offered solace through her music to 9/11 rescue workers and raised over $20,000 for disaster relief following the 3.11 tragedy in Japan. A respected educator, Dr. Hirata has taught at New York University, Rice University, and Lone Star College, in addition to delivering master classes and lectures globally.

Currently, she serves as an instructor for the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE) and as a staff pianist at the Colburn Conservatory of Music. As a Shigeru Kawai Artist, Dr. Hirata continues to inspire through her performances, teachings, and initiatives, bridging cultures and communities with her musical message. Her commitment to showcasing music’s role in emotional and societal healing is evident in every aspect of her career.

Engagements and Travels

2025 – 2026 SEASON

  • 7/15~8/15/2025 Japan
    • 7/17 The University of Tokyo Seminar presented by Center for Advanced School Education and Evidence0based Research (CASEER) Hongo Campus
    • 7/18 3-5pm Telecommunication Technology Committee “Safe Listening” Seminar presentation and panel discussion (online) 3-5pm
    • 7/19 Nobuko Forum
      • the featured guest for Ms. Nobuko Sasae’s online salone-style discussion event
    • 7/25 6-7pm Chiba Japan, Retirement Community Concert
    • 7/26 “Mommy-and-Me” Concert @ Kodomo Koryukan Chiba Japan presented by Heart Kids Japan, NPO.
    • 7/27 13:30~15:30 Recital ”Music and Society”＠ Showa Music Concservatory, Musashi-kosugi Salon Hall. Musashikosugi, Kanagawa
    • 7/30 13:30~15:30 Ookuwa Village Hall, Kiso Japan.
    • 7/31~8/3 US-Japan Leadership Program Fellows Weekend
    • 8/3 Osaka World Expo
      • 1~1:30PM Jellyfish Pavilion “Music for the Ocean” with Chad Cannon
      • 8~8:30PM USA Pavilion “Music for the Ocean” with Chad Cannon
    • 8/6 San Diego WISH Worldwide Initiative to Safeguard Humanity Peace Memorial
      • Performance and Speech (online appearance)
    • 8/9 4-6pm Recital “Piano & and the Art of Time” Kasuya no Mori Museum
  • 8/20 Pasadena, CA
    • 12:10 PM Music at Noon Concert Series: Solo Recital (free admission)
  • 8/27 Pasadena, CA
    • 7PM Front Porch Concerts (Private Event) Recital
  • 9/25 Pasadena, CA
    • 7PM Front Porch Concerts (Private Event) Recital
  • 9/27 Woodland HIlls, CA
  • 10/8 Pasadena, CA
    • Pasadena Village Presents “Healing Power of Music” Piano Recital at the Steinway Piano Gallery (free admissions)
  • 11/2~4 Seattle WA
    • SPICE study group “The Future of Education” (Private)
    • Webrain “Music and Team-Building and Leadership” Workshop (Private)
  • 11/14 Pasadena, CA
    • 7PM Front Porch Concerts (Private Event) Recital
  • 11/15 Woodland Hills, CA
  • 12/5 San Diego, CA
    • 7PM “Resonance: A Concert for Peace“: Solo Recital
      • At Paper Moon Event Hall: 1241 Morena Blvd, San Diego, CA 92110
      • Presented by the San Diego-Yokohama Sister City Society, in partnership with SD-WISH (Worldwird Initiative to Safeguard Humanity) and the Trees for Peace program.

2026

  • 1/7~1/11 Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
  • 1/23 Pasadena, CA
    • Front Porch Concerts (Private Event) Recital: “Listening to History”
  • 1/24 Woodland Hills, CA
  • 1/28 Pasadena, CA
    • 12:10 PM Music at Noon Concert Series: Solo Recital (free admission)
  • 2/26~3/3 New York, NY
    • 3/1 3pm A home concert (private)
  • 3/4~7 Baltimore, MD
    • AWP Conference and Bookfair
  • 3/27 Pasadena, CA
    • 7PM Front Porch Concerts (Private Event) Recital
  • 3/28 Woodland Hills, CA
  • 7/17 1pm Woodland Hills, CA
    • 11AM Schatkun and Friends Concert Series at the Platt Branch Library. Free Admission, Free Parking
  • 7/30~8/2 Stanford University
    • US-Japan Leadership Program Fellows’ Weekend.
  • 9/5 1pm Woodland Hills, CA
    • 11AM Schatkun and Friends Concert Series at the Platt Branch Library. Free Admission, Free Parking