Praised for her “graceful” (The New York Times) performance and "acrobatic finesse" (Early Music America), Japanese-American harpsichordist Aya Hamada is an active recitalist, concerto soloist and continuo player. Currently she plays principal harpsichord for ProMusica Chamber Orchestra of Columbus and serves as organist at L’Église Française du Saint Esprit. She is also a jury member for the Early Music Division of the Osaka International Music Competition.

Aya has given numerous recitals in the US, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Belgium, England, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and Japan, including a recital at the Peñíscola International Festival of Medieval and Baroque Music (Spain), Mardis du Ruckers (Switzerland), Kyoto Concert Hall (Japan), Music Before 1800 (New York), San Diego Early Music Society (California), Harpsichord Heaven at the Flint collection (Wilmington), the Quebec Government Office, and the International Conference of the Historical Keyboard Society of North America (Montreal). 

She has made over four dozen appearances as concerto soloist on four continents. She has performed with Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Royal Opera House, American Symphony Orchestra, Berkshire Opera Company, Kansai Philharmonic Orchestra (Japan), Sinfonietta Cracovia (Poland), Juilliard415, Juilliard Symphony, appearing under conductors such as William Christie, Jordi Savall, Nicholas McGegan, Harry Bicket and Masaaki Suzuki. 

The New York Times proclaimed “Ms. Hamada gave a deft account of Handel’s Concerto” about her concerto performance with conductor Christie at Lincoln Center. In the Brandenburg Fifth, she “defined the torrent of notes beautifully for the ear, while never sacrificing virtuosity; her illuminating playing drew well-deserved cheers”. Others have praised her “flawless technique” (The Boston Globe), and “sensitive and dramatic interpretations” (The Fanfare Magazine). 

Critically acclaimed for her CD recordings ("Jacques Duphly: Pièces de clavecin”, “J.S.Bach: Clavier-Übung II & Chaconne” and “J.S.Bach: The Goldberg Variations”), her work has been recognized with “Best Recording of the Year” in The Qobuz and The American Record Guide, “Recording of the Month” in The MusicWeb International, The Record Geijutsu Magazine and The Tokyo FM Music Bird, as well as “5 Diapasons” from France’s Diapason Magazine.

She won first prize in the London Music Festival Competition and second prize in the Josef Hofmann Piano Competition, and is a laureate of the Royaumont Foundation (France). She earned her master of music degree in the inaugural class of Historical Performance from The Juilliard School where she was awarded the Irene Diamond Fellowship and the Heward Memorial Scholarship. She studied under Kenneth Weiss in New York and Skip Sempé in Paris, and has received additional coaching from Pierre Hantaï and Christophe Rousset. She resides in New York City.

UPDATED JULY 2025. PLEASE DESTROY ALL PREVIOUS VERSIONS.