An East Lansing native, Marie holds a Bachelor of Music from Michigan State University and a Master of Music from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Following her studies in Cincinnati, she moved to Manchester, England where she attended the Royal Northern College of Music. While at RNCM, she received a Postgraduate Diploma and the prestigious Professional Performance Diploma. Also at RNCM she won the 2002 Bach Prize and the 2002 Piano Duo Prize.

Throughout her life as a musician, Marie has had a keen interest in collaborative playing, both as a duo partner and in chamber groups. She is currently a member of the chamber ensemble Helix 7, and as both a soloist and collaborative artist she has played concerts in and around East Lansing, Cincinnati, Manchester, London, and other locations in the UK. She has played concertos with the MSU Wind Symphony, the American Wind Symphony Orchestra, and the RNCM Baroque Ensemble. In addition to her work as a freelance accompanist, Marie is an instructor at the MSU Community Music School and plays with the Lansing and West Shore Symphonies. 

Internationally sought after as a professional pianist, Jun Okada enjoys an active career, being involved in over one hundred performances annually as a soloist, in duo ensembles, and as a chamber music specialist. She has received critical acclaim for her expertise in the performance of low-brass and woodwind string literature. Native of Hiroshima, Japan, she began her musical studies at Yamaha Music School, and received the Bachelors and Masters degrees from Michigan State University under the tutelage of Deborah Moriarty.

Ms. Okada is particularly noted for her command of the contemporary saxophone repertoire and has performed with numerous internationally recognized artists throughout the United States, Canada, Japan, Thailand, and Belgium.  As a member of Lulloff-Okada Duo, Rhythmicity, with saxophonist Joseph Lulloff, she has performed at Carnegie-Weill Recital Hall, in Thailand International Saxophone Conference, as well as many other international and national venues. In July 2006, she participated in the 14th World Saxophone Congress in Ljublijana, Slovenia where she performed with many artists.

Also highly recognized in a low-brass community, she has participated in International and national conferences and performs annually at Falcone Festival at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Michigan.

Ms. Okada is featured on Volume VI of America’s Millennium Tribute to Adolphe Sax, on Sky Scrapings, Saxophone Music of Don Freund, both available through Arizona University Recordings, and Dance Compulsions, available through Michigan State University. She has also recently recorded 2 compact disks with euphonium/tuba artist Benjamin Pierce.

Ms. Okada has previously served as a faculty of Music Department at Hope College in Holland, Michigan and maintains a teaching studio in Lansing, Michigan.