Emiko and Marisa Edwards of West Windsor are not only both sisters and pianists, but they both recently won concerto competitions and the chance to solo in upcoming concerts.
Emiko, 13, is a seventh grade student at Community Middle School, where she plays the cello in the school’s chamber group and orchestra. She was a winner of the New Jersey Music Teachers Association’s 2005 Concerto Competition with her performance of the first movement of Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1. She will be perform it with the Westfield Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, April 9, at the Union County Arts Center in Rahway.
Studying piano since age six when she was a student of Ray Landers, she now studies with Ingrid Clarfield at Westminster Choir College. She has won numerous music awards including the 11 to 12-year-old age group in the 18th International Youth Artist Pianist Competition at Catholic University in Washington, D.C. last June.
A winner of the 2003 New Jersey Music Teachers Association’s annual competition for her age group, Emiko placed first in her age group in the NJMTA’s 1999 and 2000 annual competition, as well. Emiko also placed first in Group I in the 11th Annual Steinway Society Scholarship Competition in 2001.
As a winner in the Young Pianist Competition of New Jersey in 2000, Emiko was invited to perform at Weill Recital Hall, at Carnegie Hall.
Marisa, 10, is a fifth grade student at Village School where she plays the violin in the school’s orchestra. She was a winner of the Manalapan Battleground Symphony’s Youth Artists Concerto Competition, playing the first movement of Mozart’s Concerto No. 19, F major, K. 459. She will perform this movement with the Manalapan Battleground Symphony on Saturday, May 7.
Marisa has been playing piano for close to five years. She studied with Ray Landers and Kelly Setler and has been working with Chiu-Tze Lin for the past three years. Lin, a recording artist, serves as music director and conductor of the Manalapan Battleground Symphony. In January Marisa was chosen to be a participant in the JCC Thurnauer School of Music’s Masterclass Series in Tenafly, which featured the world-renowned pianist Gilbert Kalish. Marisa has received a Distinction Rating (highest honor) for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music Exam.
A winner of the Golden Key Music and Art Festival, she performed at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. Marisa has received the High Honors rating at the annual recital audition of NJMTA. She was also a winner of the Young People’s Music Program, 21st Annual Competition, as well as the Young Artist Competition of the NJMTA.
The sisters help each other out musically. By playing the part of the orchestra on a second piano, Emiko helped her sister during rehearsals and as an accompanist at the competition.
In addition to their music appreciation, both girls are active soccer players with Princeton Soccer Association. Emiko is a member of the Millennium, the U-13 girls’ travel soccer team. Marisa plays on the U-11 girls’ travel soccer team, the Paws.
Both sisters were born in West Windsor. Their parents are Mark Edwards, a lawyer in New York City, and Yoshie, a student majoring in mathematics at Rutgers University. Their father plays the drums as did his father. Their mother, who worked with both girls in their early studies with the Suzuki method, can read music with them. “It was her realization that playing piano would be both positive and beneficial to them,” says Mark Edwards.
— Lynn Miller
Concert, Westfield Symphony Orchestra, Union County Arts Center, 1601 Irving Street, Rahway, 732-499-8226. Emiko Edwards performs with the orchestra. $21 to $60. 8 p.m.
Concert, Manalapan Battleground Symphony, First Presbyterian Church of Freehold, West Main Street, Freehold, 732-687-8527. Marisa Edwards performs. $10. 7:30 p.m.
