Talented Vienna-based violonist Maki Itoi has pulled off a remarkable feat in coming second at the internationally renowned »Premio Rudolfo Lipizer« competition. Itoi was also awarded with the special prize for the best Lipizer interpretation of the contest. Her repeat performance for Italian television (RAI) of Tchaikovsky´s Concerto in D and the no less demanding Khachaturian Violin Concerto received exellent reviews. Italians seem to have taken Itoi to their hearts...
Maki Itoi is without doubt one of the outstanding violinists of her generation, appearing regularly with major orchestras and in recital and chamber music series across five continents. As one reviewer recently said of her appearance at the Bregenzer Festspiele in Austria recently with the Arpeggione Orchestra: »For her playing of Rimsky-Korsakov´s Paraphrase; as well as the performance of the Moses Fantasie of Paganini Maki Itoi deserves the highest praise. Her performance was such that the audience only wish was to hear more.«
Musical America, 5th October 2002