Canadian-Japanese cellist Joy Yanai joined the Naples Philharmonic in 2020. She began taking cello lessons at the age of five in Japan before attending Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, MA where she studied with Laurence Lesser at NEC Prep. She earned her Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, and Graduate Diploma from the New England Conservatory where her major teachers included Laurence Lesser, Paul Katz and Lluís Claret.

In 2011 she actively joined the Earthquake and Tsunami relief efforts for Japan both with solo recitals in the affected regions as well as performances in collaboration with such artists as Kim Kashkashian, Paul Biss, Laurence Lesser, and Masuko Ushioda. She has also collaborated in chamber music performances with other leading artists such as James Ehnes, Ryu Goto, Vladimir Feltsman, Blake Pouliot, Lucas and Arthur Jussen, and the Miró String Quartet. She has also been invited to perform at music festivals in Canada, Japan, South Korea and USA including Orford Music Academy, Banff Music Festival, Pacific Music Festival, Great Mountains International Music Festival, Seiji Ozawa Music Academy Opera Project, Ozawa International Chamber Music Academy, and Mellon Music Festival.

She has performed with A Far Cry Chamber Orchestra, Houston Symphony, and as assistant principal cellist of Atlantic Symphony. She is a prizewinner in the New England String Ensemble Concerto Competition, Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, and New England Conservatory Concerto Competition. In her free time, Joy enjoys bird watching and sun bathing.