Marina Iwao  pianist

Japanese-born pianist Marina Iwao is a dedicated chamber musician actively performing in the East Coast. Her diverse repertoire, ranging from classical to contemporary music, has been showcased in prestigious venues including Weill Carnegie Hall, Markin Concert Hall, and Across Fukuoka Symphony Hall. Marina has had the honor of collaborating with renowned musicians such as Frank Morelli, David Shifrin, Koichiro Yamamoto, and Quatuor Debussy.

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As a member of Random Access Music, she frequently appears in recitals of contemporary music and enjoys premiering works by living composers. In 2023, she was invited to Clarinetfest in Denver, CO, to premiere Margaret Brouwer’s Sonata for Clarinet and Piano with Clarinetist, Thomas Piercy, as.a part of International Clarinet Association’s 50th anniversary celebration.

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Marina was named a collaborative piano fellow at Bowdoin International Music Festival and Music Academy of the West. From 2022 to 2024, she was a Collaborative Piano Fellow at the Yale School of Music, where she also took on the role of collaborative piano coordinator in 2023. She has taught at the summer festivals as a chamber music coach and collaborative pianist, including the New England Music Camp Chamber Music Intensive and The Philadelphia International Music Festival. Currently, she serves as a staff pianist at the Juilliard School, and staff pianist/coordinator and chamber music faculty at the School for Strings. 

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Her principal teachers include Maira Liliestedt, Wayman Chin, Victor Rosenbaum, and Miyuki Hirakawa. Marina holds a Master's Degree in Collaborative Piano from the Juilliard School and studied with Jonathan Feldman and Dr. Lydia Brown. She also holds a Professional Studies Diploma from the Mannes School of Music and an Undergraduate Diploma from the Longy School of Music.