ABOUT

Chihiro Asano is a Boston-based mezzo-soprano originally from Japan, recognized for her "versatility and artistry" in both standard and contemporary repertoire. She currently serves as a Voice Faculty member at the New England Conservatory (Expanded Education). Chihiro holds a Master of Music in Vocal Pedagogy and a Graduate Diploma in Vocal Performance from the New England Conservatory. A distinguished competitor, she was a Puerto Rico District Winner in the 2023 Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition. In 2025, she furthered her success as the Iowa District Winner and earned Second Place in the Midwest Region.

Artistic Highlights

Chihiro’s 2025-2026 season is marked by significant debuts and prestigious festival appearances. In 2026, she makes her house and role debut as the title role in Vivaldi’s Arsilda, regina di Ponto with Opera Neo. She will also join the renowned Yellow Barn music festival as a participating artist in the summer of 2026. These engagements follow two consecutive summers (2024 and 2025) at the celebrated Marlboro Music Festival, a testament to her excellence in chamber music.

In August 2025, she made a significant solo appearance at the Suntory Hall Summer Festival, performing in the world premiere of Wataru Mukai’s QUEEN for euphonium, electric guitar, female ensemble, organ, and large orchestra. Her interpretation of Tianfang Jia’s Kindertotenlieder was recognized with an Honorable Mention for Best Performance of a Contemporary Work in the 2024 Calliope's Call Young Singer Art Song Competition.

Performance Highlights

On the operatic stage, Chihiro’s notable roles include Shizue (Shizue: An American Story, Portland Opera) and Naomi (Naomi in the Living Room, Boston Opera Collaborative). She has a strong presence in the New England scene, collaborating frequently with Boston Lyric Opera as Hansel (Hansel and Gretel) and Cinderella (Cinderella) for their Opera101 series. Her engagements have graced venues across Massachusetts with companies such as White Snake Projects, MassOpera, NEMPAC, Nightingale Vocal Ensemble, Cambridge Chamber Ensemble, and Cappella Clausura.

Teaching and Research

As a dedicated vocal educator and researcher, Chihiro bridges the gap between performance and voice science. In addition to her faculty position at NEC Expanded Education, she has led specialized seminars since 2024 under her organization, Aria, focusing on acoustic phonetics (formants) and "scream voice" techniques for voice trainers in Japan. Her research on the Japanese female voice in Anime was presented at the Pan American Vocology Association (PAVA) Conference in 2021.

Resume