Shimako Horii, Pianist, a native of Osaka, Japan came to the United States in 1999 to study at Mannes College of Music at New School University where she earned a Master of Music. In 2001, as a winner of the concerto competition, Shimako performed L.V. Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 with Mannes Orchestra, conducted by Samuel Wong. Her performances throughout her time in Mannes included various venues such as Symphony Space, The Weill Recital Hall in the Carnegie Hall, Steinway Hall, and Columbia University. She extended her study with her teacher Irina Morozova and finished her professional study program in 2003. Shimako has been working in various programs and auditions in New Jersey Performing Arts Center including vocal and modern dance classes in Young Artists Institute, vocal classes in Summer Youth Performance Workshop, The Jeffrey Carollo Scholarship Recital, and The Star Ledger Scholarship Recital. Since 2010, Shimako has accompanied several major ballet schools in NYC including Joffrey Ballet School, Ellison Ballet, Ballet Hispanico, 92nd Street Y, Ballet Arts Center, Manhattan Youth Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Broadway Dance Center, and Gelsey Kirkland Academy. Shimako also accompanied various rehearsals and workshops with major ballet dancers and coaches including Misty Copland, Paloma Herrera, Sophiane Sylve, and Maina Gielgud. In September 2016, Shimako joined SLK ballet NYC as a regular piano accompanist.