Since his arrival in 2004, Keigo Hirakawa is among the most interactive and creative jazz pianists in Boston. Sought after for his willingness to be musically spontaneous on stage, he brings fresh sound to ensembles with highly personal and energetic style of improvisation, and he has distinguished himself with his articulate use of harmonic vocabulary and his leadership style on the bandstand. As an emerging voice in Boston, he is actively engaged in the top jazz venues including Wally's Jazz Cafe, Icarus Restaurant, and the jam sessions at 711 Bistro.

Born in Japan to a musical family, he began playing the organ because the piano keys were too heavy to press down. Inspired by Anton Dvorak's works, he proclaimed - at only four years old - that he wanted to become an orchestra conductor. His interest in jazz was sparked by a summer at the Eastman School of Music’s music camp. Since then, he studied music in New York City, Eastman, Manhattan School of Music, and New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, where he received Master of Music in jazz performance. He is also widely credited for stepping in as a conductor and acting director of the Cornell University Jazz Ensembles.

His versatility as a musician is a collective reflection of his mentors, including Danilo Perez, Harold Danko, Stephen Scott, Alan Pasqua, John McNeil, George Garzone, Bob Moses, Cecil McBee, Jerry Bergonzi, Donald Byrd, and Walt Weiskopf. Among many well-known musicians he has appeared alongside on stage are Bob Moses, Donald Byrd, Jimmy Heath, and Steve Davis.