Svetlana Smolina is a Russian pianist, born in Nizhny Novgorod.
Graduate of Oberlin Conservatory and UofM (DMA) she performed on major festivals in US and Europe such as Salzburg, Edinbourgh,Ruhr Klavier, International Gilmore Keyboard, Hollywood Bowl, Ravinia Rising Stars, White Nights, Easter Festival in Moscow, Mikkeli, Rotterdam Philips Gergiev Festival, Settimane Musicali di Stresa, Maggio Musicale in Florence, Festivale di Bologna, Pittsburgh Symphony Rachmaninoff,and Corfu and Samos Kalomiris Festivals.
In September 2005, her recording of Stravinsky Igor Stravinsky's ballet "Les Noces"Les noces under Valery Gergiev was released by Decca/Phillips/ Netherland Radio Decca/Philips and received outstanding critical acclaim.
In 2007 she debuted at Carnegie Hall’s “Gergiev’s Perspectives” Series in New York under Maestro Valery Gergiev.Other notable orchestral appearances include Mariinsky Theater Orchestra, St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Orchestre National de France, Odessa Philharmonic, Florida Philharmonic, New York Chamber Orchestra, Nizhny -Novgorod Philharmonic, Toledo Symphony, Corpus Christi and Shreveport Symphony.
Ms. Smolina also performed at NJPAC as part of Tchaikovsky Project with Joseph Horowitz and the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, at Columbia University’s Miller Theatre, at Royal Covent Garden Theater, Big Arts of Sanibel Island Series (FL), Kravis Center (West Palm Beach), Piano Rock Hotel Festival (New York City), at Strasbourg Philharmonic, Basel Stadtcasino, Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon, at J.S. Bach 250-year memorial celebration in Brussels under the auspices of the Yamaha Corporation, at Grand Artists Series at the New Israeli Opera (Tel-Aviv) as well as in Academia Santa Cecilia ( Rome, Italy), Teatro Massimo di Palermo (Italy), at Vienna’s Sacher Hall and at Hennessy Artists Series at Hanoi Opera House, Vietnam.
A recipient of the “New Name” Scholarship in Moscow, Russia,Svetlana is a winner of many keyboard competitions such as Citta di Senigalia International Piano Competition (Italy), Kingsville International Piano Competition (Texas), Wideman Piano Competition in Shreveport, Louisiana, William Byrd Competition in Flint, Michigan,and Arthur Dann Piano Competition (Ohio). She and her duo partner Maxim Mogilevsky also won the Murray Dranoff International Duo Piano Competition in Miami, Florida.,, receiving two special prizes: the Audience Favorite Prize and the Casadesus Prize for the best interpretation of the Casadesus Duo Piano Concerto.
In 2008 Svetlana played recital in Berlin with Vadim Repin for Deutsche Grammophone as well as a direct Radio Broadcast on WQXR 96.3 in New York City.
In 2009- 2010 season Svetlana will appear with New York Philharmonic under Maestro Gergiev at Stravinsky Festival, at Red Sea Festival in Eilat, Israel with Mariinsky Orchestra, at Mikkeli Festival, and at Sakharov Festival in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.