Erika came to the U.S. as a Fulbright grantee to pursue a Ph.D. in History of Performing Arts. While working as faculty at Johns Hopkins University, and then as a curator/librarian at Harvard University for 25 years, her love for music always served as a source of happiness. After enjoying piano as a listener, she revisited her piano study several years ago. Her accomplishments include Level 10 Certificate with Honor from the Royal Conservatory of Music, and First Prize for Irena Orlov Competition at the Levine School. She has made concert performances at the Dutch Embassy, the Center for Hellenic Studies of Harvard University, and Distinction Student Recitals at Levine Strathmore and Washington D.C. campus.

As a historian, her interest is underrated, unfinished, ignored, anonymous, and never-premiered piano music. In her original discipline, history, it is rare to find important undiscovered documents. However, in the domain of music manuscripts, there are surprisingly many hidden gems. Just to name a few, there is a Russian composer who died during the Siege of Leningrad at the age of 28, or a Japanese composer who studied at Leipzig around 1900 and left one major piano piece before his death at 24 years old. There are many piano pieces she wants the world to listen to. As this is her very first public competition, Erika managed to include only a few comparatively unknown pieces.

“Not only the recognized ‘valuable’ music survives. Much of what is preserved is simply what had the resources to be recorded, or was favored by ruling classes. Forgotten and anonymous music can be revived and breathe new life by being discovered in historical archives, recorded in digital projects, and performed by (even amateur) pianists.”