Japanese-American violinist Chihiro Kakishima is a highly sought-after soloist, chamber collaborator, orchestral musician, and teacher. She has been a member of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra since Fall 2026, and has previously been a member of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. She has worked with other orchestras including the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, Sapporo Symphony Orchestra, Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra, and the Lansing Symphony Orchestra. Concerto engagements with the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra and Michigan Pops Orchestra garnered her appearances in Hill Auditorium and the Michigan Theater. Summer festival appearances include the Pacific Music Festival, Colorado College Summer Music Festival, Sarasota Music Festival, Bach Virtuosi Festival, and Chautauqua Summer Festival, the last three of which she served as concertmaster, principal second, or assistant concertmaster.

A decorated chamber musician, Kakishima has collaborated with many world-class artists across the U.S. and Japan. Some highlights include performances with Ani Kavafian, Paul Neubauer, Brinton Smith, the Ying Quartet, Renée Jolles, Tony Caramia, Curtis Stewart, Awadagin Pratt, Aaron Berofsky, Kathryn Votapek, Amy Cheng, Anthony Elliott, and Yizhak Schotten.

Teaching has been a passion for Kakishima. She held a visiting assistant Professorship at the Crane School of Music at the State University of New York at Potsdam for the 2024 Fall semester. In addition, she can be found teaching in various capacities, including her graduate assistantship teaching college students at the Eastman School of Music from 2022 - 2025, chamber coachings at the University of Rochester’s chamber music program, and private violin lessons at the Eastman Community Music School.

After attending the University of Michigan for her bachelor's degree — double majoring in violin performance with Aaron Berofsky and biomolecular science with an international studies minor — she received her Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester, New York.

Aside from music, Kakishima is passionate about making Japanese food and sweets, and enjoys ice skating when she can. In her free time, she can often be found playing, cuddling, or frolicking with her family’s miniature white schnauzer, Haku.