At age 15, Reiko Watanabe became the youngest grand prize-winner in the history of the All-Japan Music Competition. In the same competition, she also won the first Masuzawa Prize (a grand prize of all categories). She has then made her debut with the NHK Symphony Orchestra.
In 1985 she was admitted to The Juilliard School of Music as a full scholarship student of Joseph Fuchs, where she also pursued studies in chamber music with Felix Galimir, Samuel Rhodes and Jacob Lateiner until she received her masters degree in 1992.
She has captured top honors at several other prestigious international competitions, including G.B. Viotti International Music Competition in 1984 and Nicolo Paganini International Violin Competition in 1986. Her outstanding achievements resulted in performances with the world' s famous orchestras and other engagements throughout the world. All her performances have received high evaluations.
In 1995, she made her Paris debut with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France with conductor Merek Janowski and she also joined their concert tour to Japan. Ms. Watanabe resides in New York City.