Born in Tokyo, Japan, Kishin Nagai started playing the piano at the age of four. After studying with Hiroshi Nagao at the Tokyo University of the Arts (Tokyo Geidai), he was unanimously admitted to the Paris Conservatoire (CNSMDP) where he later completed his three Bachelor’s degrees in Piano, Chamber Music and Accompaniment, as well as four Master’s degrees in Piano, Chamber Music, Vocal Accompaniment and Piano Accompaniment.

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At the conservatoire, he studied with Jacques Rouvier, Prisca Benoit, Denis Pascal, Laurent Cabasso, Hortense Cartier-Bresson, Fernando Rossano, Michel Moragues, Géraldine Dutroncy, Anne Le Bozec, Claire Désert, Jean-Frédéric Neuburger as a scholarship student of a foundation owned by one of Japan’s largest life insurance companies, The Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company.

 

​An avid chamber music player, he often works with other instrumentalists or singers, such as Jacques Deleplancque (French Horn), Benoît de Barsony (French Horn), among others.

He has won numerous awards and recognitions at international competitions such as 3rd prize as well as special prize for the best interpretation of the commissioned work at the Voice & Piano Duo section of 20th Lyon International Chamber Music Competition (Sop. Yui Nanasawa), Pro Musicis International Award 2021, Académie des Beaux-Arts Prize (2nd prize) at the 34th European Chamber Music competition of the FNAPEC, semi-finalists at the Violin & Piano Duo section of 16th Lyon International Chamber Music Competition, and finalist at the Parkhouse Award 2021 in London (Vn. Magdalena Geka).

 

​He has already appeared at many music festivals and on radio stations  including Les Nuits d’été de Mâcon (France), Les Clefs de Saint-Pierre (France), the Festival International de Piano de La Roque d'Anthéron (France), "Générations France Musique, le live" (Radio France) both as a soloist and as a chamber musician, and has already performed on prestigious halls including the Salle Cortot in Paris, the Concert Hall at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre and the Wigmore Hall in London.

 

​As a soloist, he already performed with different orchestras such as the Orchestre du Conservatoire (Paris Conservatoire Orchestra) and the Tokyo New City Orchestra, working with famous conductors including Pierre-André Valade.

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His discography includes "En Italie" (Released from Initiale. Recommended album on Record Geijutsu Online, 4 stars on CLASSICA magazine), "Béla Bartók Sonatas & Rhapsodies for Violin and Piano" with Magdalena Geka (Released from Paraty. Luister 10 prize on Luister magazine and 4 tuning forks on Diapason magazine), "Five Verses" with Saxophonist Carlos Zaragoza (Released from IBS Classical. Melómano de Oro prize from Melómano Magazine).

An album in duo with French Horn player Jacques Deleplancque, containing Frech repertoires for French horn and piano is set to be released in 2025.

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he is currently a collaborative pianist in both classes of horn and double bass at the CNSMDP.

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