Nobuko Imai is a lecturer at the Kronberg Acaemy, before that professor for Viola at the University of Music Detmold and Tibor Varga Academy in Sion as well as the Conservatory of Amsterdam and the Conservatory of Music Geneva. Former member of the Vermeer Quartet. Founding member of the Michelangelo Quartet. Chamber music partner of i.a. M. Argerich, M. Maisky, G. Kremer, I. Perlman, I. Stern. International solo carrier with renowned orchestras such as Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Vienna Symphonic Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra and Boston Symphony Orchestra. More than 40 CD recordings including the complete recording of J. S. Bach´s cello suites for viola solo. In 1989 Tōro Takemitsu composed for her the viola concert „A String around Autumn“. Studies at the Toho Gakuen School of Music, Yale University and Juilliard School in the USA.

Nobuko Imai joined master class with Veit Hertenstein and Peijun Xu.