Since 1988, on the second Tuesday of each month from October to May, the free Music at Noon concert series has presented exceptional musicians with a diverse mix of musical styles.
Come listen, and bring your lunch! The Hall opens at 11 AM for these noon concerts.
Thomas Piercy, clarinet and hichiriki
Marina Iwao, piano
Program info (subject to change)
Americana and Tango nuevo
(alphabetical with timings)
8” Reena Esmail “unravelation” for clarinet and piano
7” George Gershwin “Three Preludes” for piano
6” George Gershwin “An American in Paris” for clarinet and piano
4” Masatora Goya “Toro Nagashi” for clarinet, hichiriki, and piano
3” Jennifer Higdon "A Gentle Notion" (90 Notes for Ned) for clarinet and piano
3” Fernando Otero "Piringundin" for clarinet and piano
7” Astor Piazzolla “Soledad” for clarinet and piano
2” Ned Rorem “Paris Then” for clarinet and piano
3” Ippo Tsuboi “Raining, 3:50am” for clarinet and piano
8” Adam Tully “The Long Way” for clarinet and piano (World Premiere)
51”
Thomas Piercy, clarinet and hichiriki
Thomas Piercy, based in NYC and Tokyo, is a critically acclaimed musician performing throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Described by The New York Times as "brilliant... evoking a panache in the contemporary works." A versatile artist defying categorization: clarinetist on the Emmy-winning Juno Baby; hichiriki player on Netflix's Emmy-winning Blue Eye Samurai; headliner, ICA ClarinetFest 2025; worked with Leonard Bernstein; the only non-Japanese professional hichiriki player in Japan. He has premiered over 300 compositions written for him by composers such as Ned Rorem (Pulitzer Prize, Grammy Award), Jennifer Higdon (Pulitzer Prize, Grammy Award), Sir Richard Rodney Bennett (Academy Award nomination), Fernando Otero (Grammy Award, Latin Grammy Award), and Jun Nagao (Takemitsu Prize). Studies: Juilliard, Mannes School of Music. Clarinet studies: Gervase De Peyer, Stephen Johnston, Leon Russianoff, Kalmen Opperman. Hichiriki studies in Japan: Hitomi Nakamura, Hiroshi Shimada. Recordings: Albany, Capstone, DGI, Changing Tones, NJST, Tonada, and more. www.thomaspiercy.com
Marina Iwao, piano
Marina Iwao is a Japanese-born pianist acclaimed for her nuanced artistry and deep commitment to ensemble playing. She performs regularly in concerts and at festivals across the U.S.; recent highlights include Music from Angel Fire and a fall 2025 tour with clarinetist David Shifrin. She gave the world premiere of Margaret Brouwer's "Sonata" for clarinet and piano with clarinetist Thomas Piercy at the 2023 International ClarinetFest in Denver. Marina is a member of the collective "Tokyo to New York." She earned her Master of Music in Collaborative Piano from The Juilliard School, studying with Jonathan Feldman and Dr. Lydia Brown, and completed a two-year fellowship at the Yale School of Music. Her festival experience includes Bowdoin and Music Academy of the West. Marina is a staff pianist at The Juilliard School and Kaufman Music Center, and teaches chamber music at the NYC School for Strings. https://www.marina-iwao.com/
