Elena Swensen
Piano
About
I am a Russian concert pianist and a former Associate professor at Sobinov Conservatory in Russia. I studied with Albert Tarakanoff, (who was the last student of Heinrich Neuhaus) and Maria Christiansen at the Sobinov State Conservatory in Saratov (Russia), from which I graduated with distinction in 2002. I hold a doctorate in musical performance and have won numerous awards in Russia and Europe and received a grant to teach piano in Hong Kong Piano Association. From 2003 until 2010, I was a senior piano instructor and, later, an associate professor in the piano department at Sobinoff State Conservatory. I am also active as a soloist and chamber musician. I also had been working with opera singers for 10 years. In 2008, I received a grant to teach piano in Hong Kong at The Piano Association for two years, where I was preparing young musicians for piano competitions in Europe. I have been teaching music professionals, adults, and children for 14 years at Sobinov Conservatory. Many of my students have won awards at international piano competitions and festivals. In 2010, I moved to the US, and I played numerous recitals in Maryland, MA, Virginia, New York.
Biography:
Place and date of birth: Penza (Russia), 16 March 1979
1985-1993: Music School of Penza
1994-1998: Gradated from Penza College of Music with BA
My professional debut was at the age of seventeen with the Penza Philharmonic Orchestra (Russia), playing the Mozart Piano Concerto in A-major.
1997: First prize in All-Russia Youth piano competition in Astrahan.
1997: Grant from Minister of Culture (Russia) 1998: Government grant for talented young musicians.
1998-2003: Sobinov Saratov Conservatory (under the tutelage of Professor Albert Tarakanov) with master's degree
2003-2005: Post-graduate student artist diploma in music performance; master classes with Professors Yuri Slesarev, Nikolai Petroff, Ludmila Roshchina, Michel D'Alberto, Manfred Vagner-Artz.
2003-2005: Piano instructor, Sobinoff State Conservatory
2005-2010: Senior instructor (assistant professor) at piano department of Sobinoff State Conservatory, senior lecturer for the course of method of piano teaching 2008-2009: Piano instructor at the Music Center in Hong Kong (by invitation of the Piano Association of Hong Kong) Awards: * 2005: Second prize "Delphian games in Arts" * 2006 Diploma International Piano Competition "Hopes, Talents, Masters" Bulgaria * 2007: Second Prize in Piano Duet Schubert International Competition, Ruse Bulgaria Performances: * I play with Nadezda Tokareva (violin), associate professor of Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, and Tatiana Nechaeva, associate professor of Sobinov Saratov Conservatory * Concert tours in Russia (Rachmaninoff's Hall in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Samara, Astrakhan and elsewhere), China, Bulgaria Repertoire: * Bach (all toccatas, WTK, Goldberg variations,) * Brahms (variation and fugue on a theme by Handel) * Beethoven (sonatas, including N 28,30,31) * Mozart (sonatas, concertos) * Schumann (symphonic etudes, piano concerto, fantasia, etc.) * Chopin (Sonatas, 24 etudes, four Ballades, Scherzos, 24 preludes) * Debussy 12 preludes (first volume) * Rachmaninoff (etudes-tableaux, variation on a theme by Corelli, Preludes).
Music
Bach - 6 Toccatas, Well-Tempered Clavier, Goldberg variations
Brahms - Variations and Fugue on a theme by Handel, Intermezzos
Beethoven - Sonatas, including N 28,30,31
Mozart - Sonatas, Concertos for Piano and orchestra
Ravel - Gaspard de la nuit
Schumann - Symphonic etudes, Piano concerto, Fantasia, etc.
Schubert - All Impromptues
Chopin - Sonatas, 24 Etudes, 4 Ballades, Scherzos, 24 Preludes, etc.
Debussy 12 Preludes (first volume)
Rachmaninoff - Etudes-tableaux, variations on a theme by Corelli, Preludes)
Videos
Photos
Past groupmuses (5)
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Piano in rooftop indoors at Shaw
Thursday, Nov 15, 2018 6:45 PM EST
- Neighborhood: Washington DC, NW
- Composers: Schubert, Schumann, Chopin, Ravel
- Instruments: Solo Piano
- Price: $5 to reserve, $20+ at event
Happened almost 6 years ago
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Piano Premiere -- Selections for Piano and Violin featuring Martin's new Piano
Sunday, Nov 11, 2018 5:00 PM AST
- Neighborhood: Silver Spring (Four Corners)
- Composers: Beethoven, Mozart, Debussy
- Instruments: Violin and Piano
- Price: $5 to reserve, $20+ at event
Happened almost 6 years ago
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A late afternoon of French 🎻 violin 🎹 piano Duets in Bethesda!
Sunday, Oct 21, 2018 5:30 PM EDT
- Neighborhood: Carderock Springs, Bethesda
- Composers: Franck, Ravel, Couperin, Debussy
- Instruments: Violin Piano
- Price: $5 to reserve, $20+ at event
Happened about 6 years ago
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Saturday, Oct 13, 2018 6:30 PM EDT
- Neighborhood: We are near COX farms
- Composers: Schubert, Schumann, Ravel, Rachmaninoff
- Instruments: Solo piano
- Price: $5 to reserve, $20+ at event
Happened about 6 years ago
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Duet 🎻 violin 🎹 piano in Bethesda!
Friday, Apr 21, 2017 7:00 PM EDT
- Neighborhood: Carderock Springs, Bethesda
- Price: $5 to reserve, $20+ at event
Happened over 7 years ago