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A native of Malaysia, Poon Chiew Hwa has performed in the United States, Mexico, Spain and Malaysia. Her recent performances in Arizona, United States and Conservatorio de las Rosas in Morelia, Mexico received outstanding newspaper reviews. One reviewer recently lauded her as a pianist “who has the power to communicate her emotions intensely…” Another claimed the concert left the audience “weeping with gratitude and admiration…”

Highlights of Chiew Hwa’s solo performance include the University of Arizona Pianists on Tour in the U.S. and Mexico, the Gijón International Piano Festival in Spain, recitals in Kuala Lumpur, and a concerto performance with the Missouri State University Symphony Orchestra. She has appeared as a guest artist at various universities, including Valley City State University, Missouri State University, University of Malaya, and Conservatorio de las Rosas among others, and has also been invited to present masterclasses at several universities.

Chiew Hwa has been a recipient of numerous awards. She won first place at the 2009 Missouri Music Teachers Association state piano competition and was chosen as the alternate winner of Music Teachers National Association Young Artist Competition (State-2009). In 2014, she took First Prize and the Audience prize for the Fifth Annual Lois Trester Piano Competition. This performance was broadcast on local NPR station KUAT-FM in Tucson, Arizona.

At the University of Arizona, Chiew Hwa was a graduate teaching assistant for class piano from 2011 to 2014. She was also the Director of Piano Studies and an instructor at The Symphony Women’s Association for underserved children. Chiew Hwa is a strong advocate of Dalcroze Eurhythmics. In 2013, she presented “Creative Approaches to Teaching Piano Repertoire using Dalcroze Eurhythmics” at the Arizona State Music Teachers Association Conference. She continued research on the influence of Dalcroze Eurhythmics on Frank Martin’s Eight Preludes for Piano for her final D.M.A document. She also obtained the Dalcroze Certification Level 2 at the Longy School of Music, Boston in 2019.

Chiew Hwa holds the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano performance from the University of Arizona under the tutelage of Professor Tannis Gibson. She received a Master of Music degree (piano performance) from Missouri State University and a Bachelor of Performing Arts degree (piano performance) from the University of Malaya. She is currently appointed as a senior lecturer at the University of Malaya.