Biography
Kensuke Akaogi was born in Yuki City, Ibaraki, Japan, in 1985. Yuki has a history spanning nearly a thousand years, and its renowned textile, Yuki Tsumugi (pongee silk fabric), is registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. I spent my childhood in the old town, surrounded by traditional craftsmen whose workshops and tools were a familiar part of the streetscape. Their quiet dedication, the smell of wood and natural materials, and the rhythm of handwork left a deep and lasting impression on me. Growing up in such an environment nurtured my appreciation for craft and artistry, and it gradually shaped my sensitivity toward objects made with patience, skill, and intention.
I began playing the violin at a young age, and over time my interest naturally shifted toward the structure and craftsmanship of the instrument itself. It was during that period that I began to dream of becoming a maker of stringed instruments.
I went on to study biology at university while continuing to play the violin and viola in an orchestra, which broadened my musical perspective. In graduate school, I conducted research in cell biology and was awarded a Research Fellowship for Young Scientists from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). Despite the intensity of my research schedule, I published multiple scientific papers and earned my Ph.D.
After graduation, I worked as a researcher at a major chemical company in Japan. However, I could not let go of my passion for instrument making. I eventually decided to pursue violin making in earnest and trained under Seisuke Kawamura and Sofia Vettori, from whom I learned the fundamentals and artistry of stringed instrument craftsmanship.
I later entered several international competitions and received recognition for my work, including 5th Prize at the 17th Pisogne International Violin Making Competition, 3rd Prize at the 2nd Giovanni Battista Guadagnini International Violin Making Competition, and a Diploma at the 17th Antonio Stradivari International Violin Making Competition.
I am currently a member of the Japan Violin Makers Association and the Violin Society of America, and I am based in Boston, USA. I maintain active connections with instrument makers in Japan, Italy, and other countries, and I continue to pursue the ideal of violin making that I aspire to achieve.
