Anastasia Rizikov - Biography

Biography

Anastasia Rizikov was born in Toronto, Canada. She began her studies at age five, and since then showed unparalleled dedication to both practice and performance. She studies with award-winning piano teacher Maia Spis at the Nadia Music Academy in Toronto. She has played in master classes for Anatoly Ryabov (professor at the Conservatory of Moscow), Oxana Yablonskaya (ex-professor at the Juilliard School of Music), and has worked with Olga Kern (winner of the 2001 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition). After finishing 6 grades of Elementary school, Anastasia was transferred to a home education program. She is presently studying at the Independent Learning Centre where she is working towards her High School Diploma.

Anastasia is currently on the international competition circuit, winning many awards in the process. 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) – the youngest person in the competition’s 18 years to do so – and winning over players twice her age. She returned to Spain in June, 2012 for a series of solo recitals, as well as for the E. Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor, op. 16 performance with Balearic Symphony Orchestra at Royal Palace of La Almudaina in Palma de Mallorca. In 2010, Anastasia won first place in the Thousand Islands International Piano Competition for Young People (Cape Vincent, NY). 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 and Buono International Piano Competition. In 2008, representing Canada, Anastasia performed with great success in the Kremlin, Moscow at the international festival “Moscow Meets Friends”, organized by Vladimir Spivakov’s International Charity Foundation; she was awarded the Festival’s medal and diploma. Also in 2008, Anastasia had the honour of performing at the fourth “Young Stars of the Young Century” Gala Concert organized by Vladimir Spivakov’s Charity Foundation, which took place in the Toronto Centre for The Arts. In 2006, Anastasia became the first place winner at The Vladimir Horowitz International Young Pianists Competition in Kiev, Ukraine, again, representing Canada. She was also given a special award for Best Artistic Performance and, at age seven, made her orchestral debut, performing Polunin's Concertino in A minor with the National Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, conducted by Mykola Diadiura at the Concert Hall of National Kiev Philharmonic. Following this competition the USA Concert Tour of Winners was organized in which Anastasia had participated with a big success.

Nationally, Anastasia Rizikov is also a first prize winner at both the Canadian Music Competition (CMC) and the Canadian Chopin Competition. The Chopin competition, held every five years, lead to Anastasia’s appearance at a gala winners’ concert at Koerner Hall in Toronto. Annually, Anastasia wins first place at several local competitions in the Greater Toronto Area, including Markham Music Festival, Yips Music Festival, North York Music Festival, Peel Music Festival, Davenport Music Festival, Toronto Music Competition, Kiwanis Music Festival of Greater Toronto, Kiwanis Provincial Music Festival, and the Canadian Music Competition (CMC).

Anastasia has given interviews and performed at Toronto’s Jazz FM 91 and Classical 96.3 FM radio station, CBC Television news, Rogers TV, Russian MIX TV, and the Ukrainian TV programs Svitohliad and Kontakt, Toronto Star newspaper, Wholenote magazine, and American WSKG-FM, WSKG-TV channels. An excerpt of one of her videos was even briefly shown on The Oprah Winfrey Show during a feature on gifted children. On top of that, Anastasia performed numerous solo-concerts in major cities of The United States of America and Canada.

Anastasia has performed with following orchestras: National Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, Northwest Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Plymouth Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Sinfonietta, International Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfónica de Baleares “Ciudad de Palma”, National Academy Orchestra of Canada, Sinfonia Toronto, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Michigan Philharmonic Orchestra; and had worked with following conductors: Mykola Diadiura, Michael Holian, John Covelli, Nan Washburn, Matthew Jaskiewicz, Robert Debbaut, Salvador Brotons, Boris Brott, Berislav Skenderović and Shalom Bard.

In June, 2012 Anastasia was awarded the prestigious 2013 "Debut Atlantic" tour. She will be performing along the Canadian Atlantic coast in September, 2013.

In December, 2012, in honour of Glenn Gould's 80th Anniversary Year and his Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, The Glenn Gould Foundation has provided a C1X Yamaha baby grand piano to the "outstanding young pianist Anastasia Rizikov. Ms. Rizikov has the piano on an indefinite loan-basis to aid in her artistic and career development."