Natasha Kislenko , Pianist

Natasha Kislenko, pianist, was born in Moscow and has concertized extensively as soloist and collaborative pianist in Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, Paraguay, Russia, Spain, Turkey, and across the United States. In 1996 she made her Carnegie Hall solo recital debut, and has appeared in recital and chamber music performances with numerous distinguished soloists, including James Buswell, Sarah Chang, Theodore Kuchar, Zvi Zeitlin, and Donald Weilerstein. She has received top prizes in international piano competitions in Germany, France, Portugal, and the Slovak Republic, and holds graduate degrees from the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory and Southern Methodist University (TX), earning her DMA Degree from Stony Brook University (NY). Her primary teachers include Anatoly Vedernikov, Yuri Slesarev, Joaquín Achúcarro, and Gilbert Kalish.

Recent solo engagements include the Eskisehir Greater Municipality Symphony Orchestra, Turkey (2015), the Orquesta Sinfónica del Congreso Nacional, Asunción, Paraguay (2013), and the Varna Chamber Orchestra, Bulgaria (2013). In 2011 she and violinist Chavdar Parashkevov released a CD, “Russian Sonatas,” available on spotify.com, itunes, and other websites. Since 2010 she has been Principal Keyboard with the Santa Barbara Symphony and has been a featured soloist with the orchestra in concertos by Grieg, Clara Schumann, and Shostakovich.

In addition to a successful performing career, Dr. Kislenko has been a dedicated educator and mentor to the younger generations of aspiring musicians. She has recently appeared in performances and master classes at the University of Maryland College Park, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Houston Moores School of Music (TX), Morgan State University (MD), Tulane University (LA), Fort Hays State University (KS), Ankara University (Turkey), Scuola Musicale di Sesto Fiorentino (Italy) and Würzburg Musikhochschule (Germany), in addition to numerous adjudications for MTNA and MTAC.

An alumna of the Music Academy of the West (2001), Natasha has been a collaborative faculty member there since 2004. After serving on the faculty at California State University, Fresno, for five years, she joined the faculty at UCSB in 2007, where she is currently a Lecturer.