Percussionist Ayano Kataoka is known for her brilliant and dynamic technique, as well as the unique elegance and artistry she brings to her performances. She is Associate Professor of Percussion at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and has been a season artist of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center since 2006 when she was chosen as the first percussionist for the society’s prestigious residency program, The Bowers Program (formerly Chamber Music Society Two.) She gave the world premiere of Bruce Adolphe’s Self Comes to Mind for cello and two percussionists with cellist Yo-Yo Ma at the American Museum of Natural History. She presented a solo recital at Tokyo Opera City Recital Hall which was broadcast on NHK, the national public station of Japan. Other highlights of her performances include a theatrical performance of Stravinsky's Soldier's Tale at the 92nd Street Y with violinist Jaime Laredo and actors Alan Alda and Noah Wyle, and a performance of Bartok’s Sonata for Two Pianos and percussion at Alice Tully Hall with pianist Emanuel Ax. Her performances can be also heard on the Deutsche Grammophon, Naxos, New World, Bridge, New Focus, and Albany recording labels.

Since 2013, she has toured in the U.S. and Mexico extensively with a chamber opera production Cuatro Corridos led by Grammy Award winning soprano Susan Narucki and noted Mexican author Jorge Volpi that addresses human trafficking across the U.S.-Mexican border. The 2016 recording of Cuatro Corridos on the Bridge Records label has earned a 2017 Latin Grammy Nomination in the Best Contemporary Classical Composition category.

A native of Japan, Ms. Kataoka began her marimba studies at age five, and percussion at fifteen. She received her artist diploma degree from Yale University School of Music, where she studied with marimba virtuoso Robert van Sice.