Praised for her powerful command of the instrument, unique interpretations and clarity of sound, Alina Kiryayeva captivates the audiences with her profound philosophical insight and charismatic stage presence.

A native of the Ukraine, Ms.Kiryayeva performed her first solo recital at age 8 and her solo debut with an orchestra at the age of 11. The First Prize winner of the Senigallia International Competition, Italy, Ms. Kiryayeva has also claimed top prizes in several international piano competitions in the USA, including the Grace Welsh International Competition, and the California Young Artist International Competition. She was honored by the Ukrainian President, Leonid Kravchuk, with the State Award for Achievements in Arts. She has also been awarded the Fannie Gottlieb-Harkavi Scholarship and Susan Rose Piano Scholarship.

Ms. Kiryayeva has toured her native Ukraine as well as Russia, Mexico, France Germany, Austria, Italy, Holland, Japan and United States. In recent seasons she has performed with the Kharkov State Philharmonic and State Opera Theatre Orchestras, The Imperial Valley Symphony orchestra and New York Symphonic Ensemble Orchestra.

In an award-winning collaboration with the internationally acclaimed clarinetist Maksim Shtrykov Alina appeared in New York debut recital in Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, participation in Chamber Music Marathon at the Morse Recital Hall, New York, the Concerto Takes Manhattan Series at Yamaha Hall in New York, Young Artist Concert Series in Bergenfield, NJ and the Concert Series at Jefferson’s Ferry, NY. This season’s upcoming chamber music performances include multiple appearances on stage in USA, Belarus and Ukraine.

Completing her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music Degrees as a scholarship recipient at The Juilliard School, where she was a student of Dr. Oxana Yablonskaya and Prof. Jerome Lowenthal, she continues her education on the Doctoral Program at The Graduate Center of the City University of New York.

Lara Downes is among the foremost American pianists of her generation, a trailblazer on and off-stage whose musical roadmap seeks inspiration from the legacies of history, family, and collective memory. 

Downes’ playing has been called “ravishing” by Fanfare Magazine, "luscious, moody and dreamy” by The New York Times, and "addicting" by The Huffington Post. As a chart-topping recording artist, a powerfully charismatic performer, a curator and taste-maker, Downes is recognized as a cultural visionary on the national arts scene.Lara's forays into the broad landscape of American music have created a series of acclaimed recordings, including America Again, selected by NPR as one of "10 Albums that Saved 2016", and hailed as "a balm for a country riven by disunion" by the Boston Globe. Her recent Sony Classical debut release For Lenny debuted in the Billboard Top 20 and was awarded the 2017 Classical Recording Foundation Award.

Her Sony Masterworks recording Holes in the Sky, a celebration of the contributions of phenomenal women to the past, present and future of American music, was released in March 2019, debuting at the top of the Billboard charts. Her newest release For Love Of You marks her concerto recording debut, and celebrates the 200th birthday of the great pianist and composer Clara Schumann.

 Downes enjoys creative collaborations with a range of leading artists, including multi-instrumentalist/composer/singer Rhiannon Giddens, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, pianist Simone Dinnerstein, folk icon Judy Collins, baritone Thomas Hampson, writer Adam Gopnik, and former U.S. Poet Laureate Rita Dove. Her close partnerships with prominent composers span genres and generations, with premieres and commissions coming from Jennifer Higdon, John Corigliano, Stephen Schwartz, Paola Prestini, Clarice Assad, Michael Abels, and many others. 

Downes’ fierce commitment to arts advocacy, mentorship and education sees her working in support of non-profit organizations including PLAN International, the Sphinx Organization, the Lower Eastside Girls Club, Washington Performing Arts, and NPR’s From The Top, where she appears as a rotating guest host. 
Lara Downes is a Yamaha Artist.

Pianist, performer and recording artist based in Milan, Italy

The InstruMentalists perform instrumental versions of an eclectic selection of both obscure and well-known tunes.  Fusing rock and roll, pop, jazz and funk into each of their songs, they definitely have their own signature style. Great music and amazing musicianship, the InstruMentalists' performances are meaningful and inspired - a band that must be seen live!
The InstruMentalists are:
Tom Walta - keys, Jeremy Graf - guitar, Ray Holdsworth - drums, Natural Bob Holdsworth - bass

RaCzello travels
to educate and perform
cool cello music.

Student teaching in St. Louis in the spring of 2013 invigorated Rachel Czech to continue to discover, teach, and introduce others to all types of music one can find.  Rachel graduated in May 2013 from the University of Missouri and holds a Bachelor's of Science in Instrumental Music Education with Education Departmental Honors.  Applying her strong background in education and educational research, she wishes to instill her same eagerness to explore both old and new music styles to unfamiliar listeners through private lessons and educational performance programs.  Continuing her education at the University of Missouri, she is now pursuing her master's degree in cello performance while performing with the New Music Ensemble to promote new compositions.  Additionally, Rachel travels as a freelance cellist to perform and collaborate with other artists in the Missouri and Illinois areas.

Tom Walta is following