It’s Friday night. You’ve just finished a long week at work or school. Many concerts start a bit later – at around 8 PM. That can make for a fairly late evening!

For tickets click here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/muzewest-presents-spring-serenade-music-for-piano-and-cello-tickets-61308834374

We have partnered with Tom Lee Music to present something new here in Vancouver. The Rush Hour Series. Come for a shorter concert right after work or school at 6 PM and then you have time to grab a nice dinner with friends – or (let’s face it) head home to relax and rewatch Game of Thrones!

At our concert, you can expect a savoury snack, a refreshing beverage, and a memorable performance.

We’ve invited some incredible local talent to get this party started!

Chiharu Iinuma (piano)
Albert Seo (cello)

Japanese pianist Chiharu Iinuma has been increasingly in high demand as a teacher, coach and ensemble pianist. A founding member of the Ridge Trio, the Chamber Ensemble Bloomington and the Duo Gillham-Iinuma, for many years she was the studio pianist for Joseph Gingold, Janos Starker, Franco Gulli, Neli Shkolnikova, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, Miriam Fried, Yuval Yaron, James Campbell and IU String Academy at Indiana University's Jacobs School. Chiharu has also collaborated at the world's most prestigious music competitions, including the Tchaikovsky and Queen Elizabeth, Leonard Rose Competitions. In 1993, she was invited to participate in the inaugural Isaac Stern Chamber Music Workshop at Carnegie Hall in New York. She has been heard on NHK and CBC radios over the years. In recent years, she has played in concerts and festivals in Germany, Sweden, Scotland, China, Taiwan, Japan, as well as across U.S. and Canada collaborating with great artists.

From 2001 to 2004, she was the Director of Accompanying at the University of Central Arkansas where the Duo Gillham-Iinuma was "Duo in Residence". Chiharu has served as a staff pianist and coach at institutes such as the Meadowmount School of Music, Indiana University Summer String Academy and currently at the Domaine Forget International Music and Dance Academy in Quebec, Canada, where she is also on a faculty for the Collaborative Piano Program.

Chiharu was born in Nagano and raised in Tokyo, Japan. Following her graduation from the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo, she was awarded the Asahi Beer Arts Foundation Scholarship, which enabled her to study at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music where she received her Performer Diploma, Artist Diploma and Master’s degree. Her teachers include Yoshimi Tamaki, Shuku Iwasaki, Shigeo Neriki and Leonard Hokanson. Currently, she is on a piano faculty at the Vancouver Academy of Music, Vancouver, Canada.

Albert Seo, from Vancouver, B.C., entered the Curtis Institute of Music in 2016 and studies with Carter Brey, principal cello of the New York Philharmonic, and Peter Wiley, former cellist of the Guarneri Quartet.

In 2015, Mr. Seo was a finalist at the Johansen International Competition for Young String Players and was a semifinalist at the Stulberg International String Competition, where he also won the Bach Award. In 2016 Mr. Seo won the senior division of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra School of Music Future of Excellence, gaining a chance to perform with the VSO.

Constantly finding ways to make music more relevant, Albert focusses not only how he enjoys music but also how he can share his love with the audience.

Obtaining the Grancino Cello from the Canadian Council Musical Instrument Bank in 2018, a new pursuit of finding sounds and expressive tones have inspired Albert to be more creative with his journey in making music.

Mr. Seo began cello lessons at age seven. His previous teachers include Cristian Markos, Joseph Elsworthy, Ariel Barnes, and he continues to study with Sung Yong Lim.