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Le Due Muse

Le Due Muse’ is a cello and piano duo team formed by the Bay Area cellist Sarah Hong and her long time duo partner, Japanese pianist Makiko Ooka. They have been played chamber music since the year 2000.  Their repertoire ranges from baroque to contemporary music.

 

​Makiko Ooka, piano

Makiko Ooka began studying the piano at four years of age. She graduated from Kyoto City University of Arts in Japan and received an Artist Diploma from San Jose State University.

She has performed many solo and chamber concerts throughout Japan, China and the United States. In the San Francisco Bay Area, Ms. Ooka has appeared on television for the Grand Piano series; other performances include programs for the Listening Hour at San Jose State University and the Fortnightly Music Club of Palo Alto.  Ms. Ooka continues to perform solo, duo and chamber recitals with diversified chamber groups. Collaboration with the Sofia Philharmonie from Bulgaria in Japan, with the Kyoto Symphony Orchestra and with various vocalists among others shows her widely acclaimed confidence as a partner.

Ms. Ooka has performed over 50 duo piano recitals throughout Japan. The repertoire includes not only pieces originally written for four hands, but reduction pieces of the orchestra and from other genres.  Her Duo gives the recital every autumn and they are highly appreciated by the audience for their innovative programming, and for the exquisite ensemble of the two pianists, which has been praised as "The spectacular sounds and the versatility of the pianos proving the unlimited possibilities of colors of the instrument".  The Duo has been received as "always fresh and always innovative".  She is also invited as a judge for the piano duo competition in Osaka.  She has become a most sought after performer and an overall music coach in the area.

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