Hwaen Ch'uqi & Friends Chamber Music Series at Stage 7 Pianos

• Hwaen Ch'uqi, piano
• Brandon Vance, violin
• Pamela Liu, viola
• Erika Pierson, cello
• Anna Doak, double bass

"This is true talent, a genuine diamond that you so rarely see." – St. Petersburg Times

An Inca Indian and a native of Perú, pianist and composer Hwaen Ch'uqi is a world-renowned soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician. He has performed throughout the United States, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Russia, Taiwan, Japan, and Perú at such venues as Seiji Ozawa Hall, Alice Tully Hall, the Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory, and Philharmonic Hall in St. Petersburg, Russia. He is a proud product of the Eastman School of Music, and he continues to call Rochester, NY home.

Mr. Ch’qui will be joined by preeminent Northwest musicians Brandon Vance (violin) Pamela Liu (viola) Erika Pierson (cello) and Anna Doak (double bass). This exciting program will feature two new works by Hwaen Ch'uqi: Quintet No.1 for piano and strings, and Deux Morceaux for cello and piano. Also on the program, Schubert's much loved "Trout" Quintet, Czárdás by Vittorio Monti, and Shetland Fantasia, a lively celtic quintet by Brandon Vance.

It is Mr. Ch'uqi's fervent prayer that such music as he is privileged to render might serve as a catalyst for wondrous change in the lives of all who hear it.

Refreshments available.

About Stage 7 Pianos

https://www.stage7pianos.com/new-events

About Hwaen Ch'uqi, piano

An Inca Indian and a native of Perú, pianist and composer Hwaen Ch'uqi is a world-renowned soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician. He has performed throughout the United States, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Russia, Taiwan, Japan, and Perú at such venues as Seiji Ozawa Hall, Alice Tully Hall, the Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory, and Philharmonic Hall in St. Petersburg, Russia. He is a proud product of the Eastman School of Music, and he continues to call Rochester, NY home.

About Brandon Vance, violin

Internationally acclaimed Scottish fiddler and violinist Brandon Vance is the recipient of Scotland's 2017 Royal National Mòd "Sutherland Cup" in Scottish Fiddle, as well as being the youngest to win the U.S. National Open Scottish Fiddling Championship in both 1999 and 2001.

Vance has performed and taught internationally, serving as a guest lecturer at the University of Limerick's Irish World Academy, appearing as guest artist for the 50th Anniversary of the Armagh Piper's Club at the William Kennedy Piping Festival, and being selected as a featured soloist at the 2017 Scottish Royal National Mòd in Fort William.

Vance holds a B.M. and M.M. in Violin Performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music. Vance is the second violinist of the Skyros Quartet, and fiddler for folk ensembles Keltoi, as well as being a founding member of Celtic ensemble Dréos, and crossover ensemble Crossing the North Sea. He is a member of the chamber orchestra Northwest Sinfonietta and baroque ensemble Pacific MusicWorks, as well as having a vibrant career as a recording artist and composer. Vance had the honor of performing his own composition, Gael Storm, with the Cleveland Pops Orchestra at Severence Hall and premiering his Shetland Fantasia for String Quartet as part of the Auburn Symphony Orchestra Chamber Series.

About Pamela Liu, viola

Pamela Liu, violinist, has been in demand as a performer and pedagogue since returning to the Northwest twelve years ago. She received her Bachelors in Violin Performance at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University and was a member of the Evergreen Symphony Orchestra in Taipei, Taiwan, before attending the University of Washington where she received a master’s degree in Violin Performance.

A devoted mentor to young musicians, Ms. Liu coaches and teaches with Edmonds College, The Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestras, the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestras, and Musicworks Northwest. As an active performer, Ms. Liu appears regularly on the Music at the Museum series with the Cascadia Art Museum, as a section member of the Yakima Symphony, and in the violin-guitar duo, Tutti Dolce, with husband Chris Liu.

About Erika Pierson, cello

Erika Pierson, cellist, grew up in the Seattle area, beginning cello at age 7. Her cello studies have taken her to Bloomington, Indiana, Berlin, Germany, London, England and Ann Arbor, Michigan under teachers including Richard Aaron, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, Markus Nyikos, Eileen Croxford and Erling Blöndal Bengtsson. Erika has performed as a soloist in England, Germany, Spain and the United States. Currently, she spends her time teaching, freelancing in local orchestras, performing in chamber concerts and raising two daughters, two large dogs and chickens with her husband in Kirkland, WA.

About Anna Doak, double bass

Anna Doak is a member of the Northwest Sinfonietta and serves as principal bassist/teaching artist with the Seattle Collaborative Orchestra. She has also performed with the Seattle Symphony, Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra, Northwest Chamber Orchestra, the National Academy Orchestra of Canada and on numerous recording projects. A founding member of the chamber ensemble Different Drummer, Anna was awarded a Jack Straw artist support grant in 2015 and again in 2020. She taught at Western Washington University for 5 years, and after starting a family decided to focus on building her home teaching in Seattle where she now teaches students ranging in age from 4 to 80. In 2009 she became the Northwest region's first Suzuki Bass Teacher, and in 2020 the Suzuki Association of the Americas awarded Anna the position of Suzuki Bass Teacher Trainer.