Quick Facts
Biography
Génia (stylized as GéNIA; born in Ukrainian SSR) is a London-based Russian virtuoso concert pianist and composer. Génia was born in the former Soviet republic of Ukraine into a family of musicians and scientists. Her repertoire ranges from classical music to contemporary works and her own compositions.
Education
Génia started her studies at the age of four with her great-grandmother, the pianist and pedagogue Regina Horowitz(sister of pianist Vladimir Horowitz and wife of the Soviet economist Evsei Liberman). Génia continued her studies with pianist and teacher Sergei Yushkevitch at the Kharkov Institute of Arts.
In 1999, Génia graduated from Guildhall School of Music earning the Premier Prix. She went on to graduate from Trinity College of Music in 2000, studying with Professor Joan Havill and Douglas Finch where she was runner-up in the TCM Associate Soloist Competition and awarded the Founders Prize for Excellence. In the same year she was awarded the Silver Medal Award from the Worshipful Company of Musicians and the Dame Myra Hess Award.
Career
Her first significant break was being selected as an artist for the Park Lane Young Artist Series, making her London debut in 1998 where she was described by The Times as "an outstanding musician". She later went on to tour the UK, Europe, and the United States performing with the Symphony Orchestra of the National Philharmonic Society of Ukraine and Cyprus State Orchestra and playing at the Windsor Festival.
Génia has extensively toured the UK, Europe, and the United States. Her London appearances include the Wigmore Hall, Barbican Centre, South Bank Centre, St Martin-in-the-Fields, Olympia London and Cargo. She appeared as soloist on soundtracks for the award-winning films "Bookcruncher" and "Paradise Grove". Her recordings and interviews have also featured in various broadcasts on BBC Radio 1, 3, 4, 5 and BBC 4 Proms. She has received critical acclaim for her live performances and contemporary classical releases for Black Box and Nonclassical.
Génia also undertakes educational work and regularly holds workshops and master-classes, lectures and individual tuition. She has taught at Trinity College of Music, Dartington International Summer School and COMA Summer Schools, De Montfort University and Lewis University and CAPMT (USA).
In 2007, Génia created Piano-Yoga, a multi-dimensional method of piano playing, performing and teaching which provides a holistic approach towards playing the piano. Her book on Piano-Yoga was published in 2009.
In 2014, Génia release two volumes of her own piano compositions: 'Dreams of Today, Thoughts of Tomorrow' which has been played on BBC Radio and at venues such at The Hurlingham Club London, Theatre de la Photographie et L'Image Nice and Kings Place London.
GeNIA has been featured as Caffe Nero's Artist of the Month and was the first classical pianist to perform at Heathrow Terminal 2 in conjunction with Caffe Nero In December 2014.
Music
In September 2010, Génia featured on "Piano Book No.1" -a suite of piano pieces composed by Gabriel Prokofiev released by Nonclassical and distributed by Naxos in America.
'Suite For Piano And Electronics', Génia/John Richards, was released in 2007 on the Nonclassical label. It featured re-mixes by dance producers The EarlyMan, Max de Wardener, kREEPA, Gabriel Prokofiev, Derailer, Trevor Goodchilde, Germ and Vex'd.
in 1999 she release 'Transformations' with the Russian violinist Roman Mints.
In 2000 she released 'GéNIA: Unveiled' interpreting the works of 4 Russian women composers spanning 4 generations: Sofia Gubaidulina, Galina Ustvolskaya, Elena Firsova, and Lena Langer.
In 2014 she released two volumes of her own compositions named 'Dreams of Today, Thoughts of Tomorrow'.
Collaborations
Génia commissions works particularly developing the repertoire for piano and electronics, and collaborated with an eclectic range of artists and composers including Patrick Nunn, Nik Bärtsch, John Richards (musician), Gabriel Prokofiev, Karen Tanaka.
In 2003, Génia was involved in Contemporary Infrasonic at the Southbank Centre, an experimental project into the effect of infrasound (ultra-low-frequency at or below the bottom of the frequency range audible to the human ear) using a grand piano.
Discography
- Piano Book No.1, GeNIA/Gabriel Prokofiev, released on CD, Nonclassical (America), 2009
- Suite For Piano And Electronics, GéNIA/John Richards, released on CD, Nonclassical, 2007
- Suite For Piano And Electronics, GéNIA/John Richards, released on Vinyl, Nonclassical, 2007
- GéNIA: Unveiled - Music from Russia's Women Composers, Black Box, 2000
- Transformations - 20th Century works for violin and piano, Roman Mints - violin, GéNIA - Piano, Black Box, 1999
- Dreams of Today, Thoughts of Tomorrow Volume I, GeNIA, released on CD 2014
- Dreams of Today, Thoughts of Tomorroe Volume II, GeNIA, released digitally 2014