Born in Japan, Miyoko Nakaya Lotto emigrated to the United States at the age of 7. While still in Japan she began to attend the prestigious Preparatory Division of the Toho School of Music at the age of five.

At the age of 17, having studied in Chicago with Saul Dorfman, a pupil of Arthur Schnabel, and in Tokyo with Aiko Iguchi, Ms. Lotto won Third Prize in the prestigious Mainichi-NHK Music Competition of Japan.

Coming to New York she subsequently entered the Juilliard School at age 18 and was chosen by her mentor, Sascha Gorodnitzki, to become his assistant 3 years later. Ms. Lotto taught at the Juilliard School for 14 years as assistant to Sascha Gorodnitzki.

Finalist in the Kosciuszko Chopin Competition, Second Place in the Juilliard Orchestra Concerto Competition, Finalist in the Concert Artist Guild Competition, in the Young Concert Artist Competition,
First Prize winner of the Sterling Staff Competition and Finalist in the F. Busoni International Piano Competition in Italy, Ms. Lotto has performed in more than 40 states across the U.S. In 1970 she made her New York City debut at Alice Tully Hall.

She has given numerous Master Classes throughout Japan and the U.S., as well as in Israel, China, Italy and Spain, and she has served as juror for several international competitions such as the Hamamatsu International Piano Competition.

Miyoko Nakaya Lotto is on the faculty at New York University, Manhattan School of Music and the Perlman Music Program. Her students have been prizewinners of numerous major international piano competitions such as the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and the International Chopin Competition.

Ms. Lotto has worked with pianist/conductor Daniel Barenboim, as music consultant and editor in creating the documentary "Barenboim on Beethoven". The film was aired on PBS's Great Performances' series in March of 2007. It has also aired on BBC, ARTE-France and NHK-Japan as well as through numerous other television networks worldwide. The complete 32 Piano Sonatas of Beethoven in live performances at the Berlin Statskapelle, and Master classes with performers, such as Lang Lang and Jonathan Biss was released as a 6 DVD set in February of 2007 by EMI and is in its second printing. "Barenboim on Beethoven" was the Gran Prix winner in the 2008 Cannes Music Festival.