Susan Wiersma Uchimura, piano

Meet The Members

Renata Artman Knific
violin

Bruce Uchimura
cello

Susan Wiersma Uchimura
piano

 

 

 

 


Email: susan.uchimura@wmich.edu

SUSAN WIERSMA UCHIMURA is a resident artist with the Merling Trio and a member of the piano faculty at Western Michigan University. Previously she served on the piano faculties of the Cleveland Institute of Music and Augusta College in Georgia, and the accompanying faculties of the Meadowmount School of Music and the Aspen Music School.

Ms. Wiersma Uchimura received bachelor of music degrees in theory and piano from the Cleveland Institute of Music and the master of music degree in pedagogy from the University of South Carolina. She has also studied at the Banff School of Fine Arts and in New York with Dorothy Taubman and Edna Golandsky. She has performed with the CIM Symphony, Augusta Symphony, Western String Chamber Orchestra, Cappricio Chamber Orchestra, Battle Creek Symphony Orchestra, and Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra.

Ms. Wiersma Uchimura has performed with major young artists as resident collaborative pianist for the Stulberg Young Artists Auditions, the Music Teacher National Association-Wurlitzer Collegiate Artist Competition, the Encore School for Strings, and the Pensacola Summer Music Festival. She recently concertized with violinists Scott St. John, Jun-Ching Lin, and Ivan Chan.

As a member of the renowned Merling Trio, Ms. Wiersma Uchimura has performed in 38 states, as well as Canada and the United Kingdom.  The trio has appeared on prestigious series at venues such as Merkin Hall, the Cleveland Institute of Art, and the Columbus Museum of Art, to broad critical acclaim. The trio’s 2010-11 season will include tours to Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Colorado, Utah, Ohio, and Michigan.  Their latest CD, “postcards in e”, featuring works of Dvorak and Shostakovich, was released by MSR Classics in 2009 to broad critical acclaim.

Ms. Wiersma Uchimura has been a member of the board of directors of the Michigan Music Teachers Association. She has served frequently as an adjudicator and has presented numerous workshops and master classes throughout the United States. She is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda national music honor society.