This concert is free and open to the public.

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Performer Information

Rie Tanaka, piano
Thursday Musical Debut

Japanese pianist Rie Tanaka is a prize winner of international and national competitions in Japan and the U.S. She had won West Central MTNA Young Artist Competition (Winner), Schubert Club Scholarship Competition (1st Prize), Chautauqua International Piano Competition (Finalist, Best Performance of Commissioned Piece Award), Thursday Musical Young Artist Scholarship Competition (1st Prize), 8th Rosenstock International Piano Competition (Jury Special Award), Kyoto Piano Concours (Bronze), and more.

As an active soloist and a collaborative pianist, Tanaka frequently performs in the Twin Cities and Central Wisconsin. She has appeared in venues such as NHK Osaka hall, Phoenix hall in Osaka, Japan, Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, Landmark Center, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra center, Sundin Hall, in St. Paul, MN. Tanaka received her Bachelor of Music from the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point where she studied under Raffi Besalyan. She received a Master’s degree in Piano Performance at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, and continued her stay to pursue a Doctor of Musical Arts degree under the guidance of Alexander Braginsky.

Tanaka is a piano instructor at the Saint Paul Conservatory of Music. She is a frequent guest artist for the South Beach Chamber Ensemble, Green Lake Chamber Music Camp, and Minnesota International Piano Camp.

Susan Hellerud, piano

Susan Hellerud, piano with Martha Wigmore, mezzo-soprano

Susan Hellerud has been a piano faculty member at MacPhail Center for Music for more than 50 years. She has extensive performing experience as soloist and chamber music musician.