Katsunori Ishii is a renowned pianist and piano educator. His piano recital series continues to receive high acclaim, and he has performed with numerous orchestras both in Japan and abroad. 

After studying at Tokyo College of Music and Mannes College of Music in New York, he began his performing career by winning prizes in competitions both in Japan and abroad, starting with the 1993 Robert Casadesus Competition. 

His recordings of Schubert, Mussorgsky, Granados, and Stravinsky are particularly highly regarded. 

In Japan, he conducts master classes at the Ishikawa Music Academy (Kanazawa) and the Hamamatsu International Piano Academy, and has been invited to numerous master classes in Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and China.

Students from his class at Tokyo College of Music have won first prizes at the International Schubert Competition in Dortmund, the Hamamatsu International Piano Competition, and other competitions in Japan, demonstrating his remarkable success as a piano educator. 

He currently serves as Chair of the Piano Department at Tokyo College of Music and is a member of the Expert Committee for the Hamamatsu International Piano Competition.