2024 Primrose International Viola Competition & American Viola Society Festival Program Book

2024 Primrose International Viola Competition Official Pianists

Mitsuko Morikawa Pianist Mitsuko Morikawa has been an active soloist, coach accompanist and chamber musician in United States as well as in Asia. She has collaborated with highly acclaimed musicians from a wide variety of genres spanning instrumental music, opera, musical theater and choral ensembles. Some of the artists that Ms. Morikawa has performed with include Julia Migenes, Rodney Gilfry, Kristinn Sigmundsson, Timothy Mussard, Michel Debost, James Walker, Denis Bouriakov, Leone Buyse, Carol Wincenc, Jean Ferrandis, Marianne Gedigian, Harvey Pittel, Martin Chalifour, Roberto Cani, David Rejano Cantero, Megumi Kanda, Randy Hawes, and Timothy

Higgins. Ms. Morikawa has also recorded music for the New World Records label and has been featured on radio programs such as KUSC, WCLV, Cleveland and NHK-FM, Japan. Apart from her accomplishments as a performer, Ms. Morikawa has also distinguished herself as a unique and highly regarded coach/accompanist. She has served on the faculties at Occidental College, Santa Monica College, the Meadowmount School of Music, Idyllwild Arts Academy Summer Program, National Flute Association Annual Convention, National Cello Institute, Oberlin College Conservatory, the Oberlin Flute Institute, Baldwin Wallace College Conservatory and the ENCORE School of Strings. She is currently working at the California State University Los Angeles, Colburn School, UCLA and Los Angeles Children’s Chorus. Ms. Morikawa’s degrees consist of a B.M. in piano performance from the Toho School of Music, Japan, an M.M. in piano performance from the Manhattan School of Music, a Professional Studies Certificate in piano performance from The Cleveland Institute of Music and a D.M.A. in Keyboard Collaborative Arts at the University of Southern California. Some of Ms. Morikawa’s teachers include Alan Smith, Norman Krieger, Sergei Babayan, Cheng-Zong Yin, Paul Schenly, Sara Davis Buechner and Hisako Ueno.

Barry Tan Remarked in the Boston Globe for his 'mesmerizing performance,' Canadian pianist Dr. Barry Tan enjoys a multifaceted career as an active soloist, collaborative artist, and educator based in Los Angeles. He has performed as a soloist with the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra, the University of Southern California Symphony Orchestra, and has had collaborative performances alongside members of the LA Phil, LA Opera Orchestra, and LA Master Chorale. Barry has performed at notable venues such as

Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, the Tanglewood Music Center, the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco, the Chan Center for the Performing Arts in Vancouver, BC, in addition to numerous chamber music and festival appearances throughout Southern California. His featured performances include appearances on IPR Radio WIAA 98.7FM, the BSO-Now streaming, as well as the Violin Channel. Currently, Barry serves as a staff pianist at Santa Monica College and the Colburn School, and has been recently appointed as Assistant Professor of Piano and Theory at Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA. He earned his degrees from the University of Southern California and McGill University.

76