Dr. Nikki Ebisu

Lecturer in Music, Violin


Violinist Dr. Nikki (Routman) Ebisu enjoys a multifaceted career as a teacher, performer and clinician. Her collaborative chamber music and orchestral performances have taken her all across the globe, from Europe, the USA and Asia. As an active music educator, she is in large demand in Hawaii – both as a Japanese bilingual violin instructor and also as one of the few remaining to have studied directly with Dr. Shinichi Suzuki, the founder of the Suzuki Method. As the owner of the Violin Artistry Studio in Honolulu, Dr. Ebisu specializes in violin education for students ages 3 and up, from beginner through advanced levels. Her students have been accepted to prestigious music festivals and schools, and received high recognition in local, national and international competitions.

Dr. Ebisu began her musical journey in Denver, Colorado at age two, observing the lessons of other Suzuki students. She attended the Talent Education Institute (Suzuki Method) in Tokyo and later transferred to the Preparatory Division of the Toho Music School. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music and Pre-Medicine from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Masters in Music and Doctorate in Musical Arts (Violin Performance) from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Her primary violin teachers include William Starr, Dr. Shinichi Suzuki, Sumiko Edo, Lacy McLarry, John Arnold, Dr. Eugene Gratovich and Oswald Lehnert.

On the performance stage, Dr. Ebisu is currently a violinist with the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra and Maui Pops Orchestra. She continues to perform recitals, attend conferences and present workshops regularly. She is currently the Immediate Past-President of the Hawaii Music Teachers Association, and also affiliated with the Suzuki Association of Hawaii and Hawaii American String Teachers Association. During her term as HMTA President, the organization was recognized as the ‘2022 MTNA National State Chapter Affiliate of the Year’.