Interview with cellist Yoshika Masuda and pianist Dominic Cheli

The Athena Foundation for the Arts is excited for the second concert of our 2026 Season! It’s a pleasure and a privilege to have the Masuda•Cheli Duo – that’s none other than maestros cellist Yoshika Masuda and pianist Dominic Cheli – bring their exhilarating “Rach’s Got Rhythm” concert to the stage in NoHo. For those who haven’t yet heard of these remarkable musicians, here’s a little background.

Cellist Yoshika Masuda

Award-winning cellist Yoshika Masuda performs widely as a soloist and chamber musician. He is the co-founder of the Darshan Trio, SAKURA cello quintet, and resident cellist for Salastina. I discovered Yoshi when he performed in several of Salastina’s vibrant chamber music concerts as well as chamber music with mutual friends in music, including Belgian pianist Steven Vanhauwaert and French violinist Ambroise Aubrun. He is the Assistant Professor of Cello and Director of String Studies at Chapman University Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music. His debut album, Hidden Flame, released in March 2024 on AVIE Records, received a 4-star review from BBC Music Magazine and was named “Discovery of the Week” by Classic FM.

Pianist Dominic Cheli

Dominic Cheli is a pianist, composer, educator, and business developer whose career spans performance, recording, and community engagement. Following his Walt Disney Concert Hall debut, Dominic has since appeared at Carnegie Hall, Ravinia, Mostly Mozart, and abroad with leading orchestras and conductors, including James Conlon. Passionate about community, he performs with the Darshan Trio and the Street Symphony, bringing music to schools, retirement homes, and underserved communities. Cheli is a Yamaha Artist and faculty member at the Colburn Community Music School.

I caught up with Yoshi and Dominic and invited them to share a bit about their duo and upcoming Athena concert. So grab a comfy chair and your favorite beverage, and enjoy the conversation!

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LRW: Yoshi and Dominic, it’s an honor to have your Cello and Piano Duo perform in The Athena Foundation for the Arts’ 2026 Concert Season! Thank you for speaking with us about your fantastic program. But first, may I ask how you two met? Details, please.

Yoshi:
We met many moons ago at a concert where Dominic was performing with a mutual friend of mine. I was immediately struck not only by his incredible pianistic skill, but also by his remarkable ear and instinct for collaboration. As a chamber musician, those qualities are priceless. I remember thinking right away that he would be a wonderful partner to work with, so a few months later, I “lured” him into performing with me. Since then, we’ve had the chance to collaborate many times, and today we also perform together as members of the Darshan Trio with violinist Vijay Gupta.

Dominic:
Yes, I remember hearing Yoshi for the first time and thinking, “This is a cellist who can play anything!” It is very rare to hear the instrument sing so powerfully, especially in the highly effective upper range of the cello. We have been able to collaborate on masterpieces of the repertoire and fantastic arrangements not normally played on the cello ever since!

LRW: I love the mutual musical connections and admiration. Our audience is in for a treat! BTW, I follow your Darshan Trio on social media and will make a point to attend a concert soon. As an ardent fan of jazz as well as Rachmaninoff, I’m super excited about your “Rach’s Got Rhythm” program. For our readers, may I ask how you selected the pieces for the concert? How did you learn about Rachmaninoff’s penchant for jazz? I can’t wait to share this with my piano students!

Yoshi:
When putting this program together, we became fascinated by the musical world Rachmaninoff encountered after moving to the United States. During that time, jazz was flourishing, and it’s fascinating to imagine how those sounds may have influenced his musical language. We began exploring connections and parallels between Rachmaninoff’s lush harmonic palette and the evolving harmonic vocabulary of jazz.

LRW: That was an exciting time in music history. Please continue.

Yoshi:
George Gershwin is perhaps the most obvious bridge between the classical and jazz worlds, and his music forms a wonderful counterpart to Rachmaninoff’s. Even within Rachmaninoff’s own works, you can occasionally hear harmonic colors and rhythmic gestures that feel surprisingly close to jazz. This program became a way for us to highlight those unexpected connections and explore how different musical traditions can speak to each other.

LRW: I agree, Yoshi. I have heard those harmonic colors and rhythmic gestures in Rachmaninoff’s works that resemble a wavelength close to jazz. What is your take on this, Dominic?

Dominic:
I remember reading one story about Gershwin and Rachmaninoff at a party in NYC. George was playing the piano, of course — some of his original compositions and works from the American Songbook. Inevitably, the audience turned to ask, “Sergei, can you play something now?”

Rachmaninoff said, “I dare not ruin what Gershwin has created!”

Rachmaninoff also sent a recording of Rhapsody in Blue to his daughter Tatiana and enthusiastically attended the 1925 premiere of Gershwin’s Concerto in F.

LRW: OMG, I love this story. If only to be a fly on the wall at that quintessential party in NYC! Thanks for sharing this gem. As for the imagery, may I ask how you guys decided on them and which image to pair with each piece?

Yoshi:
We started by talking about the images and atmospheres that naturally came to mind as we played each piece. Music often evokes very vivid visual impressions for us — colors, landscapes, or emotional scenes. From there, we searched for artwork and images that captured those same moods and sensations. The goal wasn’t to illustrate the music literally, but rather to create a visual world that resonates with the character of each piece.

Dominic:
Exactly as Yoshi said. After rehearsal one day, we spent some time talking about the adjectives, emotions, and intentions of the music. Then we enjoyed searching for artwork that best represented our vision.

LRW: Fantastic! That’s exactly what I had in mind when creating Athena’s brand: combining immersive imagery and lighting with classical music performances, providing a visual interpretation by the musicians themselves. Do you have plans to record your stunning duos?

Yoshi:
We would absolutely love to! Performing this repertoire together has been incredibly rewarding, and recording it would allow us to share that musical journey with a wider audience. It’s definitely something we hope to make happen in the near future.

Dominic:
Certainly — I think this would be a hit! Recording is a big part of our musical lives, with both of us having recorded numerous CDs at this point. Recording is a wonderful opportunity to crystallize one’s interpretation of a piece and carry that memory with us for the rest of our lives.

LRW: So glad to hear! When you do, I want to order an autographed copy and maybe blog about its premiere. Before we end this delightful interview, it’s a favorite tradition of ours to ask our guest interviewees for a favorite quote by a composer or musician to share with our readers. Do you happen to have one?

Yoshi:
One of my favorite quotes comes from Beethoven:
To play a wrong note is insignificant; to play without passion is inexcusable. ~ Ludwig van Beethoven Share on X
It’s such a powerful reminder that music is ultimately about expression and honesty. Technical perfection is important, of course, but what truly moves audiences is the passion and conviction behind the performance.

Dominic:
I love this quote from Gershwin:
Life is a lot like jazz… it’s best when you improvise ~ George Gershwin Share on X
I think that has a lot of meaning. We make plans, prepare, and formulate ideas, but ultimately, living in the moment, bringing spontaneity to performance, and always trusting our musical instincts is what keeps music alive.

LRW: Amen to that! Thank you for sharing these inspiring words with us today. This interview has been a pleasure and a privilege. Thank you for your time and we’re looking forward to your fantastic concert!

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To learn more about these maestros, visit their website and follow them on social media.

Yoshika Masuda
Website
YouTube
Facebook
Instagram

Dominic Cheli
Website
YouTube
Facebook
Instagram

Join us at the concert and meet them in person. Here are the concert details. Hope to see you then!

CONCERT DETAILS:
Program Link
Date: Sunday, March 22, 2026
Time:
Doors Open: 3:30 PM
Concert: 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM PDT

Delicious Complimentary Refreshments courtesy of Pete’s Sweets and the M Street Coffee

Place
Community Auditorium
Church of Scientology of the Valley
11455 Burbank Boulevard
North Hollywood, CA 91601

Disclaimers:
•This concert is hosted exclusively by The Athena Foundation for the Arts.
•It is not a church-sponsored event.
•The Community Auditorium is made available to nonprofits and charitable organizations.
•Please feel free to email us if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you.

FREE Parking: Farmdale Avenue lot and Burbank Boulevard lot across the street, and street parking

Tickets:
Purchase tickets on Eventbrite or scan the QR code at the door. Cash or Credit card payments are also available.

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