Riko Matsuoka
Celtic Harp Player

Riko Matsuoka is a Celtic harper from Japan. She performs Scottish and Irish traditional tunes arranged in a contemporary style, alongside her own original compositions influenced by Japanese folk music. In 2018, she won the Princess Margaret of the Isles Memorial Prize for Senior Clarsach in Scotland.
In addition to her accomplishments as a performer, Riko has made significant contributions as an organizer. Demonstrating her dedication to cultural exchange through the harp, she organized a Japan tour in collaboration with Music Generation, Ireland’s national music education program. The tour featured not only concerts but also school exchanges and a reception at the Irish Embassy in Tokyo. Through these varied activities, her initiative has made a lasting impact on the traditional music scenes in both Japan and Ireland, fostering meaningful connections between the two cultures.

She has captivated audiences at prestigious events such as Celtic Connection, the Edinburgh International Harp Festival, and the Spring Festival in Tokyo, events that have previously hosted Grammy Award-winning artists.　Her recordings and live performances are known for their innovative style. Her first album, "New Beginnings," rose to the top of the Apple Music Traditional Folk Charts in Asia for its fusion of Scottish and Japanese musical elements. In addition, Riko's mastery of the Celtic harp was further recognized in 2021 when she performed the world premiere of the Celtic harp concert "Voyage for 34 Strings," composed by Soyoka Hayashi, with the Kansai Philharmonic Orchestra. This performance, broadcast by BS TV Tokyo, further affirmed her stature in Celtic harp music.

In 2024, Riko moved from Japan to Boston and is currently based there.