Rieko was born on September 17th, 1994 in Japan. She listened to her big sister Mayumi’s classical piano music since she was born! Mayumi’s piano playing was her lullaby.
She became a student of classical piano at the age of 3 with Ankie Foell in Madison, WI. Her first public performance was also that same year, she played "Fur Elise" by Beethoven. In 1999 her family relocated to San Francisco to enable her to advance her piano studies at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music; where she was a student of Machiko Kobialka and is presently a student of John McCarthy the Director of the Preparatory Division.
She has performed and participated in many master classes Internationally, among them:
The internationally famous, Pianist Recording Artist, Lang Lang in San Francisco
Prof./Pianist Meng-Chieh Lui, Curtis Music Institute, PA in San Francisco
Pianist Recording Artist/Prof. Dr. Stephen Swedish in San Francisco
Prof./Pianist Nelita True, Eastman School of Music, NY in San Francisco
Prof. Nador at the Liszt Music Institute in Hungary
Prof. Jozef Stompel at the Musical Academy in Katowice
Prof./Conductor Kaneshige at the Univ. of Mie, JapanProf./Pianist Michael Boyd of the Univ. of Toledo in San Francisco
Pianist/Recording Artist Paul Roberts; is a Fellow of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama of London in San Francisco
She has numerous "firsts" already in her young life, notable among them are:
2009
1st place California State Solo Piano Competition, Music Teachers’ Association of California, MTAC, Division II: ages 13 - 15
1st prize in the Ross McKee Piano Competition. Impressive too that she was also the youngest finalist.
1st prize in the Bradshaw and Buono International Piano Competition. The winners recital was held at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
won the El Camino Youth Symphony Competition and will perform with their Symphony Orchestra in the 2009/2010 season.
won the Piano Prize in the Mondavi Young Artists' Competition for musicians age 14-18. She was the youngest participant.
2008
won the first-of-its-kind “Classical Star Search” competition, a production of San Francisco Bay Area radio station Classical 102.1 KDFC.
2007
Rieko performed on National Public Radio's "From the Top" it aired nationally in September
Rieko won "the Piano Prize" in the "Second Annual Mondavi Center Young Artists Competition"
2006
Rieko's piano trio "The Stemari Trio" won 1st in the "MTAC VOCE" (California State Ensemble Competition) Stella Chan - violin, Mariko Wyrick - cello
2005
Rieko won both State Piano Competitions. She is the first solo pianist to have won both state competitions in the same year.
The MTNA/CAPMT "Honors Auditions" State piano competition and the MTAC State Piano Solo Competition.
She also won the "10th Annual San Francisco Chopin Competition for Young Pianists"
2004 - At age 9 she again performed at the “Junior Bach”, she played the entire French Suite No.6 in E Major. Her performance earned her high praise from many and a wonderful complement from a piano teacher in the audience, “I have never ever heard such a beautiful French Suite in my life. She is just 9 years old….she is just amazing.” You can actually see and hear this performance on the “Our Music” page.
2003 - While only 8 she was a prizewinner in the International Chopin Piano Competition of Asia.
At age 6 she was the youngest pianist ever invited to perform in the history of the Junior Bach Festival in Berkeley, Ca (in the 25 years they have records for).
That same year at age 6 she won the MTAC Piano competition in San Francisco, while age 6 is “Elementary” she was moved to the next category “Intermediate” where she won.
Performances of note - to see a comprehensive listing please visit the Concert Schedules section of our website under "Recent Performances"
2009
appointed the Principal Pianist for the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra, SFSYORepresented the Preparatory of The San Francisco Conservatory in its' Gala honoring Gordon Getty.The stage of luminaries included opera superstars Kiri Te Kanawa and Frederica von Stade.In Carnegie Hall, New York City as a 1st prize winner of the Bradshaw and Buono International Piano Competition.
American Liszt Society, San Francisco Chapter
With the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra in Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco
In the Steinway Society Young Artist Concert at Le Petit Trianon in San Jose, CA
2008
In a concert hosted by Pacific Musical Society's President, Dita Pepin, "A Temporary Farewell to St. Helena Catholic Church".
In the Piano Sisters 2nd ANNUAL CONSERVATORY CONCERT at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music
Pacific Union presents "Concerts at the Presidio" at the Golden Gate Club, Presidio of San Francisco
2005 - she performed as a guest soloist for the Smuin Christmas Ballet to a capacity crowd at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco.
She also performed at the inaugural “Pacific Union’s Concerts at the Presidio” and has played in many of their concerts since that time.
One of only four students selected to play for a special San Francisco Conservatory of Music, SFCM “Capital Campaign” event for the building of the new SFCM.
She has also played at the "Yehudi Menuin Chamber Music Seminar in June".
Rieko is currently in the 10th grade at Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley, Ca. Besides music, she enjoys reading, swimming, and mountain biking.
©2010 Rieko Tsuchida, riekotsuchida.com, Piano Sisters Piano Sisters™, pianosisters™