Issey Martínez Imai

Issey Martínez Imai

Born in Irún, Spain, in 2005. Since 2025, he studies at the Reina Sofía School of Music, in the Telefónica Violin Chair, under Professor Christoph Poppen. He has been granted a scholarship by Fundación Albéniz.

He began studying the violin at the age of three with his mother, Nanako Imai, and earned his professional degree at the Irún Conservatory with Raffaela Acella. He pursued his higher education at Musikene under the guidance of Tatiana Samouil. He has also received training from Keiko Wataya at the Mozarteum Salzburg and participated in masterclasses with Ivry Gitlis, Chumachenco, and Poppen.

He has won first prizes in competitions such as Pozuelo de Alarcón, Young Musicians of Euskadi, and Marie Cantagrill. Selected by the Madrid Symphony Orchestra, he has performed at the National Auditorium and the Sony Auditorium. He has also appeared as a soloist with the Orchestre de Chambre d'Ariège.