Artist Biography
Hinako Sato (Sometimes known as "Koko" on stage) is from Tsuruoka, a city located in Northwestern region of Japan. She started playing drum set on the at age 7, then later switched to Piano. She had her first solo Piano concert at age 11, and the same year also participated in a Piano Competition called the Joyful Sound Piano Concourse in which she won the 1st prize in Tohoku region as well as the Jury's Special Recognition Award in nation.
In 2002, Hinako studied classical Piano for a year while in Florida and won a superior award at the Florida district Piano competition. After returning to Japan in 2003, she formed her own group as a guitar and piano/vocal duo and started performing regularly. She occasionally directed a big band of her own, and also directed/accompanied a local Gospel-choir. She also occasionally performed with Swing Cranes Jazz Orchestra as a vocalist and as a Pianist.
In 2004, Hinako was awarded with scholarships to study at Berklee College of Music in Boston. She started her Piano performance study at Berklee in 2005, and graduated in honors with a Bachelor's degree in Music Business & Management. She studied Piano with Ed Bedner, Laszlo Gardney, Joanne Brackeen, Neil Olmstead, Frank Carlberg, Jetro Da Silva, and many others.
From 2006 to 2009, Hinako was the keyboardist & backup vocalist for Zili Misik, an award-winning Boston-based all-female band. With Zili, she has opened for well known artists such as Zap Mama, Shaggy, The Beautiful Girls, and has shared stages with State Radio, Queen Ifrika, Spiritual Rez, and many others.
Since 2010, she has been actively performing with a Boston-based vocal group called Women of the World (WOW) as their Pianist/Keyboardist/Accordionist. Since her joining, the group has performed at many prestigious venues such as the Carnegie Hall, the Blue Note New York, and the Scullers Jazz Club in Boston MA. With WOW, she performed with artists such as Angelique Kidjo, Nona Hendryx, Martin Zarzar of Pink Martini, and the group has been highly praised by well known artists such as Bobby McFerrin and Akiko Yano.
She has toured with WOW to Asia twice, a 5-city Japan tour in Summer 2012 and a month long tour to Japan/China in 2015. She is scheduled on another upcoming international tour with the group to Japan in August - September 2017.
Also since 2012, she has been working with Mario Frangoulis, an internationally renowned Greek Crossover Tenor. She joined his tour "The Beautiful Things Spring US/Canada tour 2012" as his Pianist/Keyboardist. In September 2014, she performend with Mario Frangoulis and the NERIT Orchestra at the Herodes Atticus Theatre in Athens Greece, along with another renowned Soprano, Sissel. She also performed with Mario Frangoulis again in December 2015 for a double bill concert with Smokey Robinson at the Peabody Opera House in St. Louis, MO. Other notable performances include her appearance at the annual Cairo Jazz Festival 2013 with a famous Japanese Marimbist Mika Stoltzman and her group Mikarimba.
Hinako has been playing piano at the Second Church (for two congregations) in Dorchester MA since 2012. She continues to work for various Boston-based artists, productions, events, and also does various accompaniments for choirs, classes, and recording sessions. She is also a dedicated educator and teaches Piano privately in Greater-Boston area.
For bookings or inquiries, get in touch here
Hinako's artist resume here!
In 2002, Hinako studied classical Piano for a year while in Florida and won a superior award at the Florida district Piano competition. After returning to Japan in 2003, she formed her own group as a guitar and piano/vocal duo and started performing regularly. She occasionally directed a big band of her own, and also directed/accompanied a local Gospel-choir. She also occasionally performed with Swing Cranes Jazz Orchestra as a vocalist and as a Pianist.
In 2004, Hinako was awarded with scholarships to study at Berklee College of Music in Boston. She started her Piano performance study at Berklee in 2005, and graduated in honors with a Bachelor's degree in Music Business & Management. She studied Piano with Ed Bedner, Laszlo Gardney, Joanne Brackeen, Neil Olmstead, Frank Carlberg, Jetro Da Silva, and many others.
From 2006 to 2009, Hinako was the keyboardist & backup vocalist for Zili Misik, an award-winning Boston-based all-female band. With Zili, she has opened for well known artists such as Zap Mama, Shaggy, The Beautiful Girls, and has shared stages with State Radio, Queen Ifrika, Spiritual Rez, and many others.
Since 2010, she has been actively performing with a Boston-based vocal group called Women of the World (WOW) as their Pianist/Keyboardist/Accordionist. Since her joining, the group has performed at many prestigious venues such as the Carnegie Hall, the Blue Note New York, and the Scullers Jazz Club in Boston MA. With WOW, she performed with artists such as Angelique Kidjo, Nona Hendryx, Martin Zarzar of Pink Martini, and the group has been highly praised by well known artists such as Bobby McFerrin and Akiko Yano.
She has toured with WOW to Asia twice, a 5-city Japan tour in Summer 2012 and a month long tour to Japan/China in 2015. She is scheduled on another upcoming international tour with the group to Japan in August - September 2017.
Also since 2012, she has been working with Mario Frangoulis, an internationally renowned Greek Crossover Tenor. She joined his tour "The Beautiful Things Spring US/Canada tour 2012" as his Pianist/Keyboardist. In September 2014, she performend with Mario Frangoulis and the NERIT Orchestra at the Herodes Atticus Theatre in Athens Greece, along with another renowned Soprano, Sissel. She also performed with Mario Frangoulis again in December 2015 for a double bill concert with Smokey Robinson at the Peabody Opera House in St. Louis, MO. Other notable performances include her appearance at the annual Cairo Jazz Festival 2013 with a famous Japanese Marimbist Mika Stoltzman and her group Mikarimba.
Hinako has been playing piano at the Second Church (for two congregations) in Dorchester MA since 2012. She continues to work for various Boston-based artists, productions, events, and also does various accompaniments for choirs, classes, and recording sessions. She is also a dedicated educator and teaches Piano privately in Greater-Boston area.
For bookings or inquiries, get in touch here
Hinako's artist resume here!