Kayo Ishimaru Fleisher

A native of Osaka, Japan, Kayo Ishimaru-Fleisher began her musical studies on piano at age three and transferred to harp at age ten. She continued her formal study at Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. With a scholarship from the French government, she studied at the renowned Paris Conservatory, where she was awarded the coveted Premier Prix. As well as being the harp instructor at Jacksonville University and the University of North Florida, Ishimaru serves as principal harpist with Chicago’s Grant Park Music Festival Orchestra. She has performed with many orchestras in the United States, Japan, France and Mexico, including the St Louis Symphony, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Naples Philharmonic, NHK Symphony Orchestra and The Tokyo Philharmonic. She has appeared in concertos and solo recitals in France, Italy, Japan and the United States.

Ishimaru has written extensive duo harp arrangements with her husband harpist Dickie Fleisher and together they gave recitals in the United States, Europe and Japan. They also enjoy collecting harps, one of which is a prized harp that belonged to Harpo Marx and was featured in his movies.