Marimba Duo Winter Concert

Hiromi Shigeno and Ernestina Leung, an international marimba duo, share the beauty of the marimba in their Winter Concert, inviting the audience on a heartfelt journey that bridges classical tradition and modern creativity while highlighting the instrument’s unique versatility. The evening begins with Vivaldi’s "Winter" from The Four Seasons, where the duo explores the expressive potential of the marimba, bringing warmth and clarity to the Baroque masterpiece. Moving into the Romantic era, they offer a fresh perspective on Chopin’s Nocturnes, transforming the piano’s delicate melodies into resonant, flowing textures. The program continues into the 20th century, featuring the evocative works of Keiko Abe, whose compositions blend lyrical sensitivity with innovative percussive techniques. The concert then embraces the world of modern and contemporary music, where rhythmic complexity and harmonic depth reveal new dimensions of the instrument. With a deep appreciation for the marimba’s expressive possibilities, Hiromi Shigeno and Ernestina Leung present this program with the hope of sharing their passion for music and creating a warm, memorable experience for the audience.

Concert Programme 

Antonio Vivaldi – Winter (from The Four Seasons)

Frédéric Chopin – Nocturnes Op. 9 No. 1 & No. 2

Alfred Reed – Marimba Concertino (First Movement)

Keiko Abe – Breath of the Tree

Intermission

J.S. Bach (arr. for marimba) – Chaconne

JVSY – Host Reimagined

John Williams – Schindler’s List (Theme)

Andrew York – Sanzen In

Biography

Hiromi Shigeno, born in Kagoshima/Japan, studied marimba with Professor Keiko Abe at the Toho Music University in Tokyo from 1998. She was a finalist at the World Marimba Competition in Stuttgart (2002), won 3rd prize at the Universal Marimba Competition (2007), and is a 2nd prize winner at the CML Marimba Artist Competition (2008, USA). In 2008, she was also the winner of the Keiko Abe Prize at the World Marimba Competition in Stuttgart. From 2009, she studied percussion at the HfM Karlsruhe with Professor Isao Nakamura. From 2011 to 2014, she was employed as an intern for timpani/percussion at the Badische Philharmonie Pforzheim. In 2011, she had a recital at the Universal Marimba Festival at the invitation of the festival management. Since October 2013, she teaches marimba at the HfM Karlsruhe.

Ernestina Leung was born in Hong Kong. She completed her marimba performance studies at LUCA School of Art in Leuven, Belgium, and the Karol Lipinski Academy of Music in Wroclaw, Poland. She attributes her great inspiration in marimba and percussion to Professors Ludwig Albert, Jacek Wota, and Shoko Sakai. She discovered the extraordinary and marvelous sounds of the marimba, the instrument upon which she enthusiastically dedicates much of her time and energy. It has become her passion. Her project “Marimba Romance” has had great success in Hong Kong and participated in the Lilu Light Festival in Lucerne, Switzerland. She has performed internationally, including at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, Poland, and Hong Kong. She has won numerous awards from music competitions, including second prize in the 10th International Music and Arts Festival Competition in Saint Petersburg. Additionally, she was the winner of the 8th Saint Petersburg Music Student Competition in 2012.