The highly acclaimed Yuki and Tomoko Mack, duo pianists, will perform at Olivet College Sunday, March 22 at 3 p.m. at the Olivet Congregational Church. The event, which is free and open to the public, takes place as part of a recital series made possible by alumni John ’70 and Penny (Lehman) ’69 Gear.
The musicians will perform piano duet repertoire including Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” Dvorak’s “Slavonic Dances,” Liszt’s “Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2,” and Smetana’s “Moldau.”
In 1994, after winning strong recognition as soloists, the Japanese-born Mack Sisters melded their artistry into an award-winning piano duo. They won several prizes in prestigious international competitions such as the Dranoff International Two-Piano Competition in Florida, and the Ellis Two-Piano National Competition in South Carolina. They also received both the First and Kodama Prizes at the International Piano Duo Competition in Tokyo.
The Mack Sisters have been featured at the Gilmore International Keyboard Festival in Michigan, the Symposium for Two Pianos in Florida, and the Keyboard Festival at the Quebec International Two-Piano Festival. They frequently join the faculty of the International Summer Music Festival in Naleczow, Poland, and were most recently invited to headline the Music Institute of Chicago’s Duo Piano Winter Mini-Fest.
In addition to performing with orchestras, the allure of their duo performances has taken them to numerous communities including major cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Milan, and Tokyo. While touring abroad, their concerts have been broadcast live in Stockholm, Warsaw and Milan.
In Chicago, Yuki and Tomoko have performed on WFMT radio programs such as the “Dame Myra Hess Series” and “Live From Studio One.” They were also featured as guest artists on PBS in Michigan and Florida.
Currently Yuki and Tomoko reside in Michigan where they’ve established deep roots in the musical community as performing artists and teachers. Motivated by their passionate belief of music’s ability to empower the human spirit, they have developed master classes and community outreach programs that are very popular with students and audiences.
The Mack Sisters have produced four highly acclaimed CDs which include a diverse repertoire of one-piano and two-piano works. After their debut of “Rhapsody,” they released “American Mosaic,” “Fantasy” and “Danse Montage.” In 2006, Yuki and Tomoko were selected to be Steinway Artists, joining an impressive roster of world renowned pianists.
For more information about the performance at Olivet College, contact Ramona Kime, Ph.D., associate professor of music, at 269.749.7692 or rkime@olivetcollege.edu. To learn more about the Mack Sisters, visit macksisters.com.