Takayama Earns D.M.A. in Performance from Stony Brook University
Victor Brown Endowed Chair in Violin and Associate Professor of Violin Akemi Takayama, D.M.A., earned her Doctor of Musical Arts in violin performance from Stony Brook University in December 2022.
“As an international student from Japan, I had to be enrolled in a school to be legal in the country. I had only one year under the practical training visa before I was to leave the country after graduating with a prestigious Artist Diploma from the Cleveland Institute of Music in 1997. It was during that time that I was invited to join the renowned Audubon Quartet.
“Subsequently, when I had four children to raise, there was no longer a chance for me to earn another degree, because my children came first in everyday life. So, when they grew up to be independent, and in 2020 when I was named The Secular Society Scholar, I was given the incredible opportunity to continue my education. Without the support this generous scholarship has given me, I wouldn’t have been able to juggle the challenging study and commute to New York.
“Education is vital for anyone, and I am looking forward to passing on the culture of learning and developing. People who help students are directly investing in the future of society.”
– Dr. Akemi Takayama
