Myrna Setiawan was born in Indonesia and began studying piano at the age of five with Ms. Aylisia Jusuf. She has started performing in Indonesia and Japan at the Annual Yamaha Junior Concerts since age 11. At the age of 16, she came to the United States to pursue her music education: RD Colburn School of Music and Performing Arts with Dr. Louise Lepley, New England Conservatory in Boston with Patricia Zander, San Francisco Conservatory of Music with Mack McCray, and the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati with Eugene & Elizabeth Pridonoff. She received full merit scholarships to all of the universities she attended.
Ms. Setiawan is known for her musicality and virtuosity. One of the reviews quoted her as being a "pianistic phenomenon... with seemingly endless resources of power and brilliance". In her homeland, Ms. Setiawan is recognized as being "In a league of her own... [with] something extra that goes way beyond experience and qualification".
Her repertoire masterfully spans the gamut from early baroque to modern, though she truly excels in music from the romantic & early 21st century era when she lets her passion flow. Her delightful playing and mastery of virtuosity have led to numerous solo recitals, including those for the Los Angeles Philharmonic Society, the San Francisco Keyboard Concert Series, Challenging Performance Recital Series in Cincinnati, Bach's Dancing and Dynamite Society, USC Radio, California Rotary Club's Benefit Concert where she soloed in Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, the Noon Time Concert Series in San Francisco and Pacifica Performances, Grand Signature Piano Concert Series - Jakarta, Indonesia, Quatro Music Recital Series - Surabaya, Indonesia, and Del Mar College for its Cultural Program Series at Corpus Christi, Texas. She also has been invited to perform & lead master classes in several guest artist recital series at Randolph College - Lynchburg, University of Louisiana - Lafayette LaVeck Concert Series in Oswego - New York, Allegro Music School and Quatro Music School Master Class Series - Indonesia. She recently performed at the Ligeti Odyssey - 100 years celebration concert sponsored by Cascadia composers in Portland - OR.
Though she now calls Beaverton, Oregon her home, she keeps close ties with Indonesia. Mastering the repertoire of the great composers, Ms. Setiawan had the honor of being invited by the former Indonesian president's son and performed Rachmaninoff's third piano concerto with the Indonesian Philharmonic Orchestra. Her other engagements in Indonesia highlighted Tchaikovsky's first piano concerto with Gloriamus Symphony Orchestra and Nusantara Chamber Orchestra. In America, she performed with the Marina Del Rey Westchester Symphony, the Lake Tahoe Festival Orchestra, the Auburn Symphony, the San Francisco Conservatory Orchestra, College Conservatory of Music Concert Orchestra in Cincinnati and with the Sacramento Gold Country Chamber Orchestra.
Ms. Setiawan has received the Dr. and Mrs. Leon Belous Award, the Los Angeles Keyboard Concert Series Award, the Joseph M. Shaw Award and the Young Musician Foundation Award in Cincinnati. She also placed first in several competitions, including the Joanna Hodges International Piano Competition as well as in the California Association of Professional Teachers Concerto Competition, and won the Joseph Fisch International Competition, the Bartok Competition, and the San Francisco Conservatory Concerto Competition.
Ms. Setiawan was commissioned to record a number of piano pieces by widely acclaimed composer Gary Lloyd Noland. One of the pieces - "Etude op. 1 no. 10" - was featured in his released CD album, Entropic Abandon. He has also recently unveiled two additional CD albums featuring captivating compositions commissioned from Ms. Setiawan. These pieces include "Funeral Waltz - Op 91" and "Golden Gate Rag - Op 123." It is worth noting that the latter composition received its world premiere performance on July 15, 2022, by Ms. Setiawan.
Ms. Setiawan was the founder of the NorCal Music & Arts Center (NCMAC) in
Sunnyvale, CA that is currently running under that same business name. She was
the CEO and owner of the music school since 2003 until it was sold in 2016.
Currently, Ms. Setiawan resides in Beaverton, OR with her husband Glenn Naydan
(Violinist & Violist) where they conduct private music lessons.
"The musicality and virtuosity of pianist Myrna Setiawan is well known to American audiences, especially with Californians, as well as with music aficionados in other parts of the world. Reviews of her performances include pianistic phenomenon... with seemingly endless resources of power and brilliance" The Fresno Bee
"In her homeland, Indonesia, Ms. Setiawan is recognized as being in a league of her own... with... something extra that goes way beyond experience and qualification" The Jakarta Post
"Her irresistible emotional performances literally brought forth tears from some of the audience members" The Auburn Journal
"She is a Master of the Moment" The Sacramento Magazine
"Her magnificence in piano is complete and sustaining... A remarkable, rare and thrilling performance. Her beautiful interpretation... which each phrase was distinctly crafted by someone who felt the music throughout her body... produced amazing volume contrasted by a soft poignant echo made the audience sat frozen in disbelief" Pacifica Tribune
"Myrna committed herself to the project of performing, nay, championing one of my piano works like no other musician I have ever worked with. She made the piece (my Etude Op. 1, No. 10) her own by learning it inside and out and rendering it at the piano with virtuosic flair and skill. It has been a pleasure---a composer's dream---working with her. She is a brilliant pianist and has proven herself to have an open mind for pioneering uncharted territory in the piano literature. At the time of this writing she is working on another piece of mine, which I can hardly wait to hear. I give her my highest recommendation as a pianist!" Gary Lloyd Noland - composer & pianist