Kiyoshi Hayashi is a Boston-based violinist, music educator, health and career coach, and entrepreneur.
He is the founder and violinist/violist of the award-winning Rasa String Quartet, Co-Artistic Director of the string ensemble and nonprofit organization Palaver Strings, and performs regularly with notable ensembles around New England including the Cape Cod Chamber Orchestra, Boston Festival Orchestra, and A Far Cry.
Kiyoshi has received top prizes from national and international competitions, including the Associazione Europea di Musica e Comunicazione (Italy), the Chamber Music Yellow Springs Competition, the Music Teachers National Association Chamber Music Competition, and the St. Botolph Club Foundation Emerging Artist Award. His wide-ranging collaborations span classical, folk, and popular genres, and include work with the Ariel String Quartet, Roomful of Teeth, Kinan Azmeh, Maeve Gilchrist, Judy Collins, and legendary rock bands such as The Who and The Eagles.
His principal teachers include Nicholas Kitchen, Almita and Roland Vamos, and Thomas Wermuth, and he received his B.M. from the New England Conservatory.
Beyond performing, Kiyoshi is an avid teaching artist dedicated to using music to foster community, promote healing, and inspire social change. He has taught at institutions including Apple Hill’s Summer Chamber Music Festival, the Longy School of Music, Phillips Exeter Academy, and the Roxbury Youth Orchestra. He has also served as the Career Advising Manager at the New England Conservatory and Director of Community Engagement for Palaver Strings, and regularly performs with community arts organizations like Shelter Music Boston.
In addition to his musical endeavors, Kiyoshi is deeply passionate about wellness and personal development. He is a certified personal trainer and integrative nutrition health coach, and works regularly with emerging musicians through his private health and career coaching practice, as well as one-on-one advising at the New England Conservatory. His mission is to empower young artists to cultivate the entrepreneurial skills and holistic lifestyle necessary to design meaningful and sustainable careers.
To further this mission, Kiyoshi has delivered keynote presentations and career workshops at institutions such as the New England Conservatory, Longy School of Music, Rockport Music, and Vital Village Network. His sessions cover topics including career design, entrepreneurship for musicians, performance anxiety, imposter syndrome, behavior change, and stress management.
When he's not performing or coaching, Kiyoshi can be found on morning runs, playing soccer and tennis, practicing yoga, reading, delving into podcasts, and exploring the outdoors.