Brazilian-Canadian pianist Luciane Cardassi is a noted performer of new music who regularly premiers works by a diverse, international group of emerging and established composers. She earned a doctorate in contemporary music performance from the University of California, San Diego.  Current collaborations include new compositions for piano and electronics by Canadian composers Chantale Laplante, Emilie Lebel, John Celona, Terri Hron and Aaron Gervais, Brazilian composers Rafael de Oliveira and Jorge Villavicencio Grossman, Mexican composer Ricardo Cortes, US composer Brian Griffeath-Loeb and UK composer Hywel Davies, as well as collaboration with visual artist Leila Sujir from Montreal.  Cardassi is the pianist of the New Music ensemble Rubbing Stone, the resident ensemble of New Works Calgary. 
As she describes, “The focus of my work is collaborations with other artists; investigating new ways of expression and creating new works.  As a pianist, the most exciting aspect of my work is being part of the creative process, not only repeating what was done in the past, but seeking to create the future.”