Celestial Piano Studio

Highly-experienced, award-winning, Russian-trained pianist offers top quality lessons either online or in person in Knoxville TN.

I was born in Moscow, Russia. My mother was a piano teacher and started me playing at 4. I studied at the legendary Moscow Conservatory with Victor Merzhanov. After my family emigrated to the US, I continued my education and earned my Bachelor's of Music at the University of Houston. I won the Houston Symphony Ima Hogg Young Artist Competition and debuted with the Symphony performing Beethoven's Third Piano Concerto.

After that, I continued to give my own recitals and take private lessons with renowned concert pianists.

For my Master's, I studied organ at Rice University with the world-famous teacher Clyde Holloway. I won many national competitions, including Gruenstein Memorial Organ Competition in Chicago and San Antonio Pipe Organ Competition.

The Russian School of Playing has produced some of the world's greatest pianists. This method lays down the foundation for a relaxed way of playing, which gives confidence and technical security, while enabling one to produce a beautiful "singing" tone on the piano. This helps students to take their piano-playing to new heights.

Tracing my pianistic lineage through all the great teachers I studied with, it turns out that:

I am a 4th-generation pupil of Franz Liszt and 6th-generation of Beethoven. Because I was one of the fortunate few (Garrick Ohlsson among them) to study with Roberto Eyzaguirre, who was a student and friend of Claudio Arrau, one of the 20th-century's greatest pianists. Arrau studied with Martin Krause, who was one of Franz Liszt's final pupils. Liszt was taught by Carl Czerny. And Beethoven was Czerny's teacher.

Through this great lineage, learn an incredible technique that will enable you to play the music of your dreams!

I have been teaching piano for over 30 years, on the college level and privately.