Junichi Ito began studying piano at Yamaha Music School at the age of four under the guidance of Ryoko Oikawa and studied composition with Naoto Omasa. He later attended the Tokyo University of the Arts Music High School and University, where he studied with Haruhi Hata. While still a student, he won the Gold Prize at the 21st Sainokuni Saitama Piano Competition and took first place and received a scholarship in the university division of the 4th Yokohama International Music Competition. In 2011, he moved to France to study at the École Normale de Musique de Paris under Henri Barda, graduating top of his class in the performance course.

The following year, he completed the Concertist Diploma with unanimous first place in both piano and chamber music, receiving a special jury prize. In 2014, he held a recital at Salle Cortot in Paris. Subsequently, he studied accompaniment at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris and piano at the Conservatoire de Lyon under Hervé N'Kaoua and Thierry Rocheback. From 2016, he won first prizes at international competitions in Châtenay, Stefano Marizza, and Nice, as well as prizes at various competitions across Europe, including Italy, Spain, and Croatia. He has performed with orchestras such as the Bacau Philharmonic, Orchestra Soundif, and the Croatian Radiotelevision Symphony Orchestra.

Ito has previously studied with Junko Sato, Kimihiko Kitajima, Mariko Horie, and Chiharu Sakai, and attended masterclasses with Anne Kefeleg, Remo Remoli, Mikhail Voskresensky, Yves Henry, Dina Yoffe, Philippe Giusiano, and Kyoko Hashimoto.

In 2017, he won first prize in the two-piano category at the 91st Leopold Bellan International Competition. He gave two consecutive recitals at the Goethe Salon in Lyon in 2018 and in Barletta, southern Italy, in 2019. In 2019, he won first place at the 4th Japan Chopin Piano Competition. In 2020, he was awarded the 47th Japan Chopin Association Prize. In 2021, he participated in the final round of the 18th International Frederic Chopin Piano Competition. His debut album Profond was selected as a special recommendation by Record Geijutsu magazine, and his second album L’Espoir has also received critical acclaim. (For details on recordings, please visit the CD / Media page.)

He has organized and performed in numerous duo, quartet, and two-piano concerts in Japan and France, collaborating with many artists. Currently, he is a lecturer at Kobe College and a special class instructor at Yamaha Music School. He also serves as a juror for various competitions, including the Europe International Piano Competition, All Japan Junior Classical Music Competition, Japan Classical Music Competition, and Beten Music Competition.

From September 2021 to August 2024, he was an official supported artist of the Kansei de Ashiya Cultural Foundation. From September 2024, he became the first scholarship recipient of the Piano Scholarship Osaka (PSO).

Jun-ichi Ito Official website