Kenichiro Matsuda, violist with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, is a native of Japan who came to the U.S. in 1977 after performing as a member of the New Japan Philharmonic in Tokyo, Japan. Ken earned Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Northern Illinois University. His teachers included Nobuko Imai, Jerry Horner, and Shmuel Ashkenasi of the Vermeer Quartet.

Matsuda was a member of the Grant Park Symphony, Grand Rapids Symphony, and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra before he joined the Columbus Symphony Orchestra in 1987. As a member of the Columbus String Quartet, he toured Japan in 1988 and had a concert tour in Estonia with the Sonus Artis String Quartet in 1999 and 2003. He is the founding member of the "High Street Four" String Quartet. Mr. Matsuda has taught viola at Calvin College, Denison University, and the Ohio State University. He has given master classes on viola and orchestra repertoire at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Ohio University, and the Ohio State University. From 1989 to 1996 he was the conductor of the Columbus Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra and has directed the "Hanamizukiñno Kai", Japanese Women's Chorus since 1995. Matsuda has been on the string faculty at the Csehy Summer School of Music in Langhorn, PA since 1997.

Mr. Matsuda performs on a viola made by Tetsuo Matsuda of Chicago and a bow made by Michael Duff of Bloomington, Indiana.