biographyAkiko Sasaki |
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The vibrant pianist, Akiko Sasaki has attracted many listeners with her dynamic performance. Born in Kyoto, Japan, she immigrated to Denver Colorado and began her piano studies with Nell Weinwright and Alla Renjina. Ms. Sasaki received her Bachelors in Piano Performance from the University of Denver- Lamont School of Music, under the instruction of Alice Rybak. Her success in Colorado led her to study abroad in London with one of England's foremost pedagogues, Benjamin Kaplan. Ms. Sasaki continued her studies at the Manhattan School of Music, earning a Masters degree in Piano Performance in the studio of Jeffrey Cohen.
Ms. Sasaki has won numerous awards, such as the Allied Arts Scholarship for Foreign Study, the Allied Arts Sponsorship for Deeper Piano Studies, the Bernstein Crossman Scholarship for Foreign Study, a winner of the Lamont School of Music's Concerto Competition, and as a 2005 winner of Artists International's Special Presentation Award, Ms. Sasaki gave her New York City Solo Debut at Carnegie Hall in April, 2006. Recently, Ms. Sasaki was awarded the NYC 2008 season Distinguished Solo Artist Award by Mu Phi Epsilon. As both a soloist and collaborative artist, Ms. Sasaki has played in master classes with pianists Vadim Monastirsky, Eugene Skovorodnikov, Mariann Abraham, Victor Rosenbaum, Fabio Bidini, and Frederic Chiu. She has attended the Colorado Boulder Festival, the Summit New York Festival, the Goppisberger Musik in Switzerland, the New York International Keyboard Festival, and the Notes at 9000 Festival in Winter Park, CO. Ms. Sasaki often performs as a soloist, but also frequently performs in a duo with cellist Erich Schoen-Rene that specializes in contemporary repertoire. Currently living in New York City, Ms. Sasaki maintains the Forte>Piano Studio, is the founder and co-director of Musical Explorers, director of Performing Pianists of New York, and is on faculty at the Lucy Moses School. Ms. Sasaki continues her private studies and has been working with prestigious instructors such as Miyoko Lotto, Julian Martin, Jose Mendez and Anthony DeMare. |
