Elaine Kwon: Music Bio

 

 

CONCERT PIANIST: Hebert/Kwon piano duo, Co-founder of Sapphire Ensemble (2007) with Demetrius Spaneas, Member of Forecast New Music Ensemble

EDUCATION:

DMA, Doctorate of Musical Arts in piano performance, highest honors, Boston University
MM, Master of Music in piano performance, highest honors and Distinction in Performance Award, New England Conservatory of Music
BM, Bachelor of Music in piano performance, highest honors and Academic All-American Award, University of Texas at Austin

As soloist and collaborative musician, she has performed/composed/choreographed productions of piano music combined with other art forms. Recent performances in New York include presentations at Angel Orensanz Theater, Lincoln Center Rose Studio and the Knitting Factory. As a composer, she created an original score for the highly-acclaimed Shakespearean play, Corsetless, which is scheduled for Off-Broadway in 2008/9. She is currently making a CD of the solo piano works of Grammy-winning composer Sam Parkins.

As Goodwill Ambassador of Performing Arts and Education in 2008-2010, Elaine will be going on a world tour with bass opera star, Valentin Peytchinov, performing as soloist and collaborative pianist, in promotion and preparation for the World Conference in Sofia, Bulgaria 2010.

Elaine Kwon and Sandra Hebert have performed as a piano duo since 1996. Although they met in Boston, both are natives of eastern Washington State. They have performed throughout the United States and were on tour in the People's Republic of China. In addition to concerts, they gave master classes and were guests on Chinese radio and were broadcast on television. In Boston they are regular guests on WGBH radio's "Classical Performances.

Elaine Kwon and Demetrius Spaneas (saxophone, clarinet, flute) concertized extensively between 1996-98. In 2007, they formed the chamber music group, Sapphire Ensemble in New York City. Recent concerts include performances at Lincoln Center Rose Studio, Yamaha Piano Salon, Knitting Factory.

In September 2008, Elaine will be performing in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in a concert produced by Drake LifeStyle and Best Buddies Charity.