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2007 - 11th Kaufman Center Concerto Competition (New York, NY - the Top Prize Winner)
2007 - Woodmere Friday Music Club Young Artists Competition (Hewlett, NY - 1st Prize)
2007 - Leschetizky Association Piano Concerto Competition (New York, NY - 2nd prize)
2006 - Empire State Piano Competition (Saratoga Springs, NY - 1st prize)
2005 - Ithaca College Piano Competition (Ithaca, NY, solo -1st prize, concerto -1st prize)
2003 - International Piano Competition "Citta di Ostra" (Ostra, Italy - 5th prize)
2003 - Anatoly Zatin International Piano Competition (Uzhgorod, Ukraine - 2nd prize)
2001 - Chopin International Piano Competition (Szafarnia, Poland - 3rd prize)
2000 - International Piano Competition in memory of Vladimir Horowitz (Kiev, Ukraine - the special prize "For the best performance of Debussy piece")
1999 - International Piano Competition "KONZERTEUM" (Marcopoulo, Greece - 2nd prize)
1998 - Alemdar Karamanov International Piano Competition (Simferopol, Ukraine - 2nd prize)
Born in Ukraine, in 1989, Elina Akselrud obtained a professional music education at the Kiev Lysenko Special Music School for gifted children with Irina Lipatova and Irina Barinova. At the age of 8 she made her first orchestral appearance (with Sumy Chamber orchestra "Renaissance" - D.Bortnyansky, Concerto in D major).
When she was 9, she gave a solo debut at the National Philharmonic of Ukraine and played with the National Academic Symphony Orchestra under the conduction of Volodymyr Sirenko).
At the Music Festival "Organum" (2001) Elina Akselrud performed Haydn Concerto in D major with the Mariupol Chamber Orchestra.
The beginning of her concert career also includes numerous recitals in the major Ukrainian venues such as the Tchaikovsky National Music Academy, The House of Scientists, the “Ukraine” Palace, Kiev, Sumy, Ternopol Philharmonics, along with various halls in Odessa, Melitopol and Crimea.
Elina Akselrud has appeared as a solo and chamber musician in Switzerland, Germany and Austria performing at the Mozarteum University (Salzburg), Salzach Halle (Laufen, the program “Europa's Junge Talente”) among others.
After moving to the United States of America with her family in 2005 Elina has been continuing her studies with Irina Morozova at the Special Music School of America in New York City. In 2006 as a winner of the Ithaca College Piano Competition she had an orchestra debut in the U.S. with the Ithaca College Symphony Orchestra (Schumann Concerto in A minor, conductor – Benjamin Aneff). In the spring of 2006 she became a semifinalist of Missouri Southern International Piano Competition.
E. Akselrud also performed in Merkin Hall, Steinway Hall, Tenri Cultural Institute of New York and participated in master classes with Glenn Dicterow, Marian Hahn, Alexander Braginsky, Baruch Meir, Boris Slutskiy and Eugenia Tsarov. In May 2007 she was featured at the "Young Artists' Showcase" on the WQXR, hosted by Robert Sherman. In January 2008 she was awarded an Honorable Mention from the youngARTS, a program of National Foundation of Advancement in the Arts (as one of the top 5% high school seniors of the nation and among the best ones in New York State). In February she gave the world premiere of Andrii Didorenko Trio No.2 with Iryna Kit (violin) and Valeriya Sholokhova (cello) as The EVI Trio at Merkin Hall in New York City. The same month Elina Akselrud, as the prize-winner of the Special Music School Concerto Competition, appeared with the Kaufman Center Orchestra under the conduction of Nathan Hetherington with Beethoven Concerto No.2..
Recently Elina is a Bachelor of Music Degree candidate in the studio of Prof. Irina Morozova at Mannes College, The New School for Music in New York City, where she plans to continue her musical education and pursue a professional career.
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E. Grieg "Papillon"
February 18, 1998. Sumy Regional Philharmonic, Sumy, Ukraine.
L. Beethoven Piano Concerto No.2 in E flat Major
The Kaufman Center Orchestra under the conduction of Nathan Hetherington
February 10, 2008. Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Center, New York City.
I. Allegro con brio
Cadenza (by L. Beethoven)
Andrey Didorenko Trio No.2 - the piece was written especially for us! It was such a great, exciting and inspiring experience to perform it! Thank you, Andrey!
The EVI Trio - Iryna Kit (Violin), Valeriya Sholokhova (Cello), Elina Akselrud (Piano)
February 11, 2008. Steinway Hall, New York City.
I. Largo
II. Moderato
III. Allegro ritmico