Anastasia Rizikov

YOUNG PIANIST

At only 15 years old, Toronto’s own Anastasia Rizikov is already one of the world’s premier up-and-coming young musicians. A dedicated pianist since the age of five, Anastasia has wowed audiences across the globe, claiming competitive titles and securing performance engagements that individuals twice her age might envy. A fixture on the international competition circuit, Anastasia demonstrates a poise and professionalism far beyond her years, characteristics that are frequently noted by adjudicators and audience members alike.

BIOGRAPHY

At age seven, Anastasia made her orchestral debut with the National Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, conducted by Mykola Diadiura. She is currently performing numerous solo concerts and orchestral works in major US and Canadian cities. She has had an honor to collaborate with Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Nova Scotia, Orchestra London Canada, Baleares Symphony Orchestra and Michigan Philharmonic, just to name a few. Bernhard Gueller, Shalom Bard, Alain Trudel, Boris Brott, Nan Washburn and Salvador Brotons are among the conductors Anastasia has had the opportunity to work with. In 2013, Anastasia had her two-and-half-week long Debut Atlantic concert tour along Canada’s Atlantic coast.

Anastasia is currently on the international competition circuit, where she’s won numerous awards. In May 2011, she captured first prize in the Rotary International Piano Competition in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, choosing to enter the more challenging Category A (up to 28 year old). She was the youngest person in the competition’s 18 years to do so, and won over musicians twice her age. In 2012, she returned to Spain for a series of solo recitals, as well as a concerto performance with Balearic Symphony Orchestra.

In 2010, Anastasia won first place in the Thousand Islands International Piano Competition for Young People (Cape Vincent, USA).  She also won first place at American Protégé 2010 International Piano and Strings Competition and performed in New York City’s Carnegie Hall.  She had already performed at Carnegie Hall when, in 2009, Anastasia became the first place winner at the Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition.

Anastasia’s appearance at Koerner Hall as an ideacity 2014 performer won’t be the first time that she’s stepped onto its world-class stage. As a winner at the prestigious Canadian Chopin Competition in 2010, she and a host of other successful competitors performed at a winners’ gala in the hall for the first time. In December 2012, she was honoured by the Glenn Gould Foundation, with Yamaha baby grand piano to aid in her artistic development, and the growth of her musical career.