As the Founder and Owner of Violin Artistry, LLC in Honolulu, Dr. Nikki (Routman) Ebisu enjoys an esteemed career as a violinist, teacher and clinician. Her passion for music has led to a global career, featuring collaborative chamber music and orchestral performances across Europe, the USA, and Asia.

Recognized as the 2022 Teacher of the Year by the Hawaii Music Teachers Association, Dr. Ebisu is a sought-after Japanese bilingual violin instructor and one of the few remaining protégés of Dr. Shinichi Suzuki, the founder of the Suzuki Method. In 2025, she was awarded the Certificate of Achievement from the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA), a national honor recognizing her outstanding commitment to lifelong learning and excellence in teaching.

Violin Artistry specializes in providing violin education for students aged 3 and up, guiding students from the beginning through advanced levels. Dr. Ebisu is the Beginner Orchestra (Violin/Viola) Instructor at ʻIolani School and is on Faculty at the Interharmony Music Festival in Acqui Terme, Italy each summer. As a performer, she is a Violinist with the Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra. She has also performed with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, Austin Symphony, Boulder Philharmonic, Charleston Symphony, World Symphony Orchestra (S. Korea), among others.

Her students consistently achieve success in national and international competitions, and excel within local programs such as the Hawaii Youth Symphony. Many have been featured in exclusive masterclasses with renowned soloists such as Sarah Chang, Ray Chen, Augustin Hadelich, Midori, Ryu Goto, Robert McDuffie and others. From captivating performances at Carnegie Hall, to being featured on NPR’s From the Top, her students continue to inspire with their accomplishments.

Dr. Ebisu’s musical education began at age 2 with the Suzuki Method, observing the lessons of other grand master Suzuki teachers in the Denver area. Upon moving to Tokyo at age 4, she continued her musical education with the Talent Education (Suzuki Method) in Japan and was accepted to the renown Toho Music School in Tokyo at age 9. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music and Pre-Medicine from the University of Texas at Austin, along with Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Violin Performance from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Her primary instructors include Dr. Shinichi Suzuki, Sumiko Edo, John Arnold, Dr. Eugene Gratovich, and Oswald Lehnert.

A committed advocate for music education, Dr. Ebisu shares her passion through recitals, conference presentations, and workshops, and has ben an active board member with the Hawaii Music Teachers Association for over a decade. During her tenure as President of the Hawaii Music Teachers Association, the organization received the prestigious national award of 2022 MTNA National State Chapter Affiliate of the Year. She is actively working toward becoming a nationally registered Teacher Trainer with the SAA, with the goal of expanding access to high-quality Suzuki education in the islands and establishing mentorship in Hawaii.