Born in Moscow into a family of musicians, Katya started learning the piano at the age of five and the year later entered The Gnessin School Of Music where she was taught by Ada Traub and Anna Kantor. Her first public appearance was at the age of 11 when she performed and later made a radio recording of Mozart Piano Concerto n.17 with Gnessin School Orchestra.
In 1992 Katya moved to Israel where she continued her studies with Irina Berkovich at the Rubin Academy of Music in Jerusalem. In 1993 Katya won 2nd prize at the “Young Soloist†Piano Competition in Jerusalem where she performed Prokofiev’s Concerto n.1 with Jerusalem Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by David Shallon, which was broadcast, live on Israeli Classical Radio. Later that year, Katya received an American-Israeli Foundation Scholarship.
In 1994, Katya moved to London to study at the Royal College of Music with prof. Irina Zaritskaya and the following year won the prestigious President’s Rose Bowl Award presented by HRH The Prince of Wales. In 1996, Katya won silver medal at the Dudley International Piano Competition and later that year, she won 6th prize at the Leeds International Piano Competition where she performed Rachmaninov Concerto n. 2 with Sir Simon Rattle. In 1997, she won the LPO/Pioneer Young Soloist of the Year Competition performing Rachmaninov Concerto n.2 with Alexander Lazarev at the Royal Festival Hall.
In the next few years, Katya received Terence Judd Award for the Most Outstanding Pianist of the Year, took 2nd prize at the Scottish International Piano Competition and received Schubert Prize at the AXA Dublin International Piano Competition.
Katya has a busy career performing in UK, USA, South Korea, Turkey, Philippines, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, Russia, Czech Republic and Israel, playing at such venues as Wigmore Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Barbican, Bridgewater Hall, Jerusalem Theatre, Berlin Philharmonic Hall and the Conservatory Halls in Moscow. She has worked with such orchestras as City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, The Philharmonia, Halle, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra Jerusalem Philharmonic Orchestra, Bournemouth Philharmonic Orchestra, and Northern Sinfonia, collaborating with conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle, David Shallon, Peter Donohoe, Alexander Rudin and Alexander Lazarev.
She is a frequent guest at such festivals as Thaxted, Warwick, Grossington, Bath, Cheltenham, Perigord-Noir (France), Gilmore (USA), “Homecoming†and “Crescendo†(Russia).
Katya has made numerous recordings for BBC Radio 3 and Classical Radio Stations in Moscow, Jerusalem, and Berlin. She released a solo CD of Russian music on Master Musicians label and, in 2004 released a CD with the violinist Jack Liebeck on the “Quartz†label which received critical acclaim.
Katya is a keen chamber musician collaborating with such musicians and ensembles as members of the Belcea Quartet, Tippett Quartet, Gabrieli Quartet, Falk Quartet, Kandinsky Trio, Gnessin Trio, Boris Brovtsyn, Tim Hugh, Charles Owen, Jack Liebeck, and Soojin Han. She also appeared in Tim Meara’s film “The Kreutzer Sonata†based on Leo Tolstoy’s short story.
In recent months, Katya has given a solo recital at the St John’s Smith Square, performed Rachmaninov’s 1st piano concerto and took part in “Crescendo†festival in Moscow
