Formal Concert 2022-12-03

The Fortnightly Music Club In cooperation with The City of Palo Alto Arts and Culture Division
Palo Alto Art Center
1313 Newell Road

Pianist Wenchun Ku is a major prize winner of the 2021 King’s Peak International Music Competition, 2021 International Music Award (Vienna,Austria), and Harrison Winter Concerto Competition. Dr. Wen-Chun Ku has performed extensively in the United States including the Friedberg Concert Hall at Peabody Conservatory, Le Petit Trianon Theatre in San Jose, Recital Hall at Santa Clara University and at prestigious venues in her native Taiwan, such as the National Concert Hall in Taipei. Wenchun received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Taipei National University of the Arts, and Master of Music, Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University where she was awarded as a merit scholarship student under the guidance of the pianists Benjamin Pasternack and Boris Slutsky. In addition, Wenchun has worked closely with her mentor Menchieh Liu at Curtis Institute for many years. She is currently an active pianist in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Pianist Era Lifschitz is a frequent guest professor and pianist at several international music festivals including the International Academy of Music, which takes place every summer in locations such as Italy, Spain, Russia and New York. She is also the artistic director for the “Sounds of Music Festival” in Palo Alto, California which is presented by the Oshman Jewish Community Center at the Albert & Janet Schultz Cultural Arts Hall. Ms. Lifschitz began her piano studies at the Gnessins Academy of Music in Moscow where she was a student of Theodore Gutman, a protege of Heinrich Neuhaus. While a student she received several honors as well as prizes in competitions. Following her graduation, she was a professor of piano at the Scriabin College of Music outside of Moscow. She currently has a private teaching studio, the ‘Arpeggione’ in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Takashi Hidai began playing the flute in 1963 under the mentorship of his father Makoto Hidai, the former director of the Japan Flute Club. Mr. Hidai performed as the principal flutist of multiple chamber orchestras, including the Baroque Ensemble, Heinrich Schütz Chamber Orchestra, and Tokyo Mozart Chamber Orchestra. He also taught many young flutists in the Tokyo area. After moving to the U.S. in 1989, he studied with Julius Baker, an internationally renowned flutist and teacher. While working as an R&D scientist at high-tech companies and continuing to teach young flutists, Mr. Hidai also performed with several orchestras around the Bay Area. He won the Best Performer YAMAHA award many times at Julius Baker’s Master Class and performed as a member of the Julius Baker Flute Ensemble at the National Flute Association Convention in 1991 and 2004. Mr. Hidai has proudly given his annual recitals in Palo Alto since 1993 and in Tokyo since 2005.

Pianist Hiroko Mizuno holds a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from Toho Gakuen School of Music in Japan. She performed with the NHK Symphony Orchestra Woodwinds Ensemble and Tokyo Harmonia Chamber Orchestra. Hiroko served as an official accompanist at Muramatsu Flute Lesson Center and at the entrance exam performance at Toho Gakuen School of Music.