Makiko Kimura

Makiko has become a key participant in the music ministry of the church. Coming to us with a wide variety of skills and abilities, she was quickly able to participate and play an active role. We are fortunate to be able to have a truly world-class pianist supporting the work of the church. Among her accomplishments was performing Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” with the UNM orchestra:

Many of us from the church attended and were delighted to see and hear her bring this wonderful music to life. Her journey to Albuquerque and the church was no less exciting, being described in the UNM student paper article and in the Sep-Oct 2006 issue of the International Educator magazine.

We are very glad the Lord in His providence has made her an integral part of the Albuquerque Sovereign Grace Baptist Church.

Here is a short biography summarizing her musical career:

Makiko (Maki) Kimura is a pianist and National Dance Institute of New Mexico’s Residency Music Director, internationally active in both classical and popular styles. Originally, she is from Tokyo, Japan. She received her M.M in both Piano Performance and Collaborative Piano from the University of New Mexico and her B.M from Nihon University College of Art. She has studied piano with Pamela Pyle, John Murphy and Junko Kunikoshi, jazz piano with Stu MacAskie, Matt Lemmler and Victor Atkins, and harpsichord with Colleen Sheinberg.

Maki was dispatched to San Pedro, Paraguay after completing her undergraduate study as a member of Japan’s Technical Cooperation Program in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As a pianist, she was quickly accepted into the music scene and gave numerous concerts throughout the country while teaching music in schools and also working for the music teacher training program. While staying in Paraguay, she often appeared in the major newspapers and her performances were broadcast by local and national stations. Completing her three year mission, she received recognition from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Mayor of San Pedro for her achievement in Paraguay.

After returning to Japan, Maki became an active freelance pianist. She obtained a certificate in piano tuning and also taught piano at Tsurumi University. After studying Spanish, she was awarded the Practical Spanish Official Diploma from Japan’s Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, and was chosen among 7,300 candidates to receive the 2002 Spanish Ambassador Prize for Excellence.

In 2004, Maki began studies in both jazz and classical piano at Loyola University in New Orleans as a recipient of a music department scholarship. However, she was displaced to New Mexico by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. With the aid of an assistantship, she continued her study at the University of New Mexico. Her piano professor, Ms. Pamela Pyle, led her to aim at both Piano Performance and Collaborative Piano as a degree focus. Maki is the first person to have accomplished that dual concentration at UNM.

As a solo pianist, Maki won the 1^st place prize in the UNM 2006 Concerto Competition. She performed “Rhapsody in Blue” as a soloist with the UNM Symphony Orchestra at Popejoy Hall under the baton of David Felberg. Just prior to this event, this performance was the subject of an article in the Daily Lobo newspaper. Her solo recitals often feature works by 20^th century composers such as George Gershwin and William Bolcom.

Greatly in demand as a chamber musician, Maki received a Fine Arts award for excellence at the UNM Research and Creativity Symposium in 2005. She has also been a contributor on numerous competitions, concerts and recording projects. Recent appearances include a performance at one of the Church of Beethoven’s concert series with mezzo soprano Andrea Keisling, and a performance on Mark Tatum’s solo bass recital. For the past three years, she has performed regularly for the Albuquerque Sovereign Baptist Church. Also, she has worked as a collaborative pianist for Marilyn Tyler’s opera studio, as well as in the studios of Kimberly Fredenburgh, David Schepps, and others. In addition to piano, she can play celesta, harpsichord, and electric keyboard in both classical and popular music settings.

Maki’s diverse career continues to grow. Her current and future plans include further concerts and also numerous tours with the NDI-NM Residency Team as a Residency Music Director to bring their award-winning arts program throughout the state of New Mexico.