Profile 

Riho (Akagi) Challenor

UK-based in London and born in Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan, 

She is a distinguished pianist and music educator whose extensive training spans from the Tokyo College of Music in Japan to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. She graduated with distinction from the Postgraduate Piano Accompaniment course, gaining a Concert Recital Diploma (CRD) and receiving a special award for high distinction in her final recital.

In 2021, she was granted a UK Global Talent Visa, enabling her to continue developing her professional career in the UK.

Her performance career is rich and international, featuring solo and collaborative concerts across Japan, the UK, Europe, and beyond, including appearances at prestigious venues such as the Barbican Hall and The National Gallery. She is particularly skilled in sight-reading and improvisation, allowing her to respond flexibly to a wide range of musical situations. Notably, she is a member of the VOX Integra Opera Scene Workshop in Italy as a Répétiteur. Her engagements have included St Brigid’s Day 2022 at the Embassy of Ireland with Ruby Philogene, the Empowering Women’s Voice in Opera Concert at The Hellenic Centre, and numerous performances at the historic and prestigious Livery Halls of the City of London.

She has received several awards and distinctions, including performances for prize-winning singers at The Emmy Destinn Young Singers Awards, held as part of the Dvořák Society for Czech and Slovak Music Prize, and First Prize in Class 200 of the Edith Poulsen Singing Prize Competition as part of the NLF. In 2026, she was awarded the Basel International Vocal Piano Accompanist Award 2026, further recognising her excellence in collaborative piano performance.

Currently, She contributes to the musical community as a freelance collaborative pianist and accompanist at GSMD, nurturing the next generation of musicians while continuing to perform at a variety of esteemed events and venues.