Ayke Agus

Ayke Agus (born 1949) is an Indonesian classical violinist and pianist, known primarily through her longtime collaboration with the violinist Jascha Heifetz. She is one of the rare classical music performers who has performed as a soloist accompanied by an orchestra as a Multi-instrumentalist.

Early life A native of Indonesia, of Chinese, Dutch and Javanese ancestry, Agus was recognized as a child prodigy at the age of 7 on violin and piano. By the age of 11, she had learned everything Mr. Tan, her teacher in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, had to teach her. He recommended that she continue her studies with Mr. Adidharma in Jakarta, 450 miles away. The solution to the inherent logistics problem was for her to study with Mr. Adidharma in the summer, giving her the opportunity to study the piano during the rest of the year.

Agus was offered many scholarships, starting at the age of 7, but was unable to pursue them initially because her parents thought her too young to live on her own, and later because she was unable to obtain an exit visa. A missionary, Sister Brigid Conboy, who was following Agus's career was able to arrange for a scholarship at Rosary Hill College near Buffalo, New York, United States. After her first paid concert in May 1969, Governor Ali Sadikin granted her the exit visa. she became the youngest member of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. Jascha Heifetz Master Class (at USC), 1971 - 1973 Bachelor of Music, Performance, USC, 1974

Agus' noted musical collaboration with other musicians include cellists Nathaniel Rosen and Jeffrey Solow, accordionist/composer Nick Ariondo, and violinists Sherry Kloss and Roberto Cani.

Association with Jascha Heifetz Violin student in Heifetz's USC master class, 1971–1973 Piano accompanist for Heifetz's USC master class and its auditions, 1973-1984 Heifetz's personal accompanist and collaborator for music transcription, 1984–1987

Performance artist Agus has performed as a violin and piano soloist, as a piano accompanist, chamber group member, and orchestra member throughout the United States, Asia, and Europe, including venues such as the House of Composers, St. Petersburg, Russia, and the Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. On at least two occasions (2004 and 2008), she was a soloist on both instruments playing with the California Philharmonic Orchestra in the same concert. and having a "swinging sense of rubato equal to the composer's challenge."

Her violin playing has been described as "illuminated with brilliance like that found in the rays of the sun," and "reminded us of Yehudi Menuhin."

Chamber music affiliations Ariondo-Agus Duo Pacific Serenade Chamber Music Society The Ayke Agus Piano Trio The South Bay Chamber Music Society (1991–1997) Guest artist with various European professional music groups, including the Ysaye String Quartet and the Jacques Thibaud String Trio

Career as a writer, composer and educator Author Agus published Heifetz As I knew Him and teaches piano, violin and chamber groups in her private studio.

Lecturer Since Heifetz's death in 1987, Agus has given numerous lectures in Europe, Asia and the US on the subject of The Art of Musical Collaboration, which she learned during her 15-year association with Heifetz. The most notable of these was given on October 27, 2009 at the Rimsky-Korsakov St. Petersburg State Conservatory in Russia.

She has given lectures at the Royal Academy of Music in London, the La Jolla Summer Music Festival, the Colburn School of Performing Arts, University of Maryland, and University of Iowa City.

Agus also being appointed as an academic advisor to Music LifeStyle Academy which one of the reputed music schools in Singapore, landmark of Asia since 2014.

Discography Piano Soloist

Musical Mementos of Jascha Heifetz Ayke Agus Plays Schubert Where Dreams Become Sunlight

Accompanist Ayke Agus Doubles The Infinite Trumpet, with trumpetist Malcolm McNab Treasured Vignettes for Violin and Piano, with violinist Yukiko Kamei Sherry Kloss Plays Forgotten Gems, with violinist Sherry Kloss 3 Faces of Kim, the Napalm Girl: No. 3. Fearful, with violinist Deon Nielsen Price Sun Rays, with pianist Deon Nielsen Price and vocalist Darryl Taylor

Violin Soloist

Ayke Agus Doubles Stille Antico

Chamber music The Hall of Mirrors, A Quartet of Chamber Works by Mark Carlson (Pacific Serenades) Sun Rays (Crossroads Alley Trio)