Akiko Tominaga

B.Mus., Artist Diploma, D. Mus. Performance

Piano Faculty

Born in Japan and raised in the United States, pianist Akiko Tominaga has been hailed by critics and audiences across North America, Europe and Japan as ‘An amazing assurance and strength...and most of all, the maturity and the imagination of a true interpreter.’ (Gingras, La Presse) ‘Her sound is captivating, delicate, crystalline; her phrasing elegant and intelligent.  Above all, one appreciates the humility and sobriety of her artistry...’ (Gauthier, Ottawa Citizen)  

Ms.Tominaga began her studies at the age of 4, and made her solo debut in 1992, playing the  Rachmaninoff Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Her solo and chamber performances have been broadcast on CBC and Radio-Canada and she has performed with the Bridgeport Symphony, Reading Symphony, Interschool Orchestra of New York, and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. Her solo recital entitled “Postcards from Afar” received much acclaim  in Ottawa in the Master Piano Recital Series.  

An avid chamber musician, she has collaborated with notable musicians as Diana Cohen, Franklin Cohen, Anne-Julie Caron, Elbjorg Hemsing, Michael Foyle, Amanda Forsyth, Teng Li, Roberto Diaz, Benjamin Butterfield, Tyler Duncan and Norman Fischer. She is a founding member of the piano trio Trio Lajoie (violinist Ariane Lajoie, cellist Julie Hereish/Chloé Dominguez) based in Montreal. In October 2014, the trio gave numerous concerts throughout the Maritime provinces with the Debut Atlantic. Their debut CD was nominated for the Prix Opus Award in 2014. In Calgary, she has appeared in numerous concerts with the Instrumental Society of Calgary and the Faculty and Friends series at the Eckhardt Gramatté hall. She has also collaborated on projects with Land’s End Ensemble. Her recent project, a piano duo with pianist Lana Henchell, culminated in the multi-media premiere event “Villainy” which involved performing the Supervillain Duos by composer Vincent Ho alongside the film by director Emil Agopian.  

A graduate of the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music, Akiko has benefitted from the tutelage of many distinguished teachers such as Marc Durand, John Perry, Eleanor Sokoloff, and Yoshie Akimoto. She has been invited to give master classes, lectures and adjudicate festivals in  Alberta, B.C. and Ontario, and was on the faculty of University of Lethbridge. She is currently on faculty at the Mount Royal University Conservatory in Calgary, teaching for the Academy and Advanced Performance Program.