Name: Rachel Iwaasa

Talent:  Pianist

Inspiration: "So many things and people inspire me. My teachers are a big inspiration particularly Jane Coop and Robin Wood, who both taught me piano. Literature is also a big inspiration. I am currently reading a book by Marcel Proust, a French writer. One of the great gifts of life is that you find inspiration when you least expect it, you just have to be open to it."

Cultural Background: Iwaasa’s father is Japanese and her mother is from Denmark. "Culture is one of the things I try to explore through my work. Tiresias, a fellow musician, and I have done a few programs including Canadian composers inspired by Japan and Japanese composers inspired by Canada."

Future Plans: Currently Iwaasa is in the process of looking for tenure-track job at the university. "I would also like to broaden my touring. Perform more world wide. At the end of the summer myself and Mark Takeshi McGregor are creating a tribute disk to Jean Coulthard, who is a composer."

Awards: Numerous grants from the Canada Council, the BC Arts Council, New Music in New Places, and the Barbara Pentland Fund. During Iwaasa’s studies, she held a Cordula and Gunter Paetzold Fellowship at UBC, and was a two-time recipient of DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst) for study in Germany.

What’s on your iPod?: Who says no one listens to the radio anymore? "Espace-musiuue, which is a French classical music station on CBC, has played a major role in my musical development since a young age."

Advice:  "Never give up, it’s simple but it is the most important thing. All of us meet with obstacles and disappointments. If I learned anything over the years, success comes with perseverance. Perseverance plays a bigger role than both talent and luck."

Next appearance: Iwaasa will be participating in the Pride in Art Festival at the Roundhouse and will also be performing in Gilding the Lily: A Rodney Sharman Retrospective, a special portrait concert celebrating composer Rodney Sharman’s 50th birthday (Aug. 7 at 7:30 p.m.). Tickets are $15-$20, at Little Sisters Bookstore, 1238 Davie St.; Rhizome Café, 317 Broadway East and at Full Bloom, 831 Commercial Drive.