Anastasia Rizikov Biography
Anastasia Rizikov is a Canadian classical pianist born on December 8, 1998. Ms. Rizikov is an extraordinary virtuoso, with abundant technical prowess. she is a consummate artist, born to play, to love the art and act of music-making was written about her by Renée Silberman at The Beat Magazine, January 21, 2014.
Anastasia Rizikov was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She began her studies at age of five, and since then showed exceptional dedication to both practice and performance. She studies with award-winning piano teacher Maia Spis at the Nadia Music Academy in Toronto. Ms. Rizikov has played in master classes for Sergei Babayan, Arie Vardi, Robert Levin, Ferenc Rados, Anatoly Ryabov, Oxana Yablonskaya, and has worked with András Schiff, Emanuel Ax, Menahem Pressler, Gabor Takács-Nagy, and Olga Kern. After finishing 6 grades of Elementary school, Anastasia was transferred to a home education program. Also, she studied at the Independent Learning Centre where she worked towards her High School Diploma.
Anastasia Rizikov Career
At the age of 16, Ms. Rizikov was one of the youngest musicians to perform, and she performed with great artistry and passion. Anastasia stands out as the first Canadian and one of the youngest prize winners in the history of the competition, an event with a long and venerable history. ( “Jaén Prize” is a member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions, itself a member of the International Music Council “UNESCO” since 1966. In November 2013 she captured first prize in the 13th «Giuliano Pecar» International Piano Competition in Gorizia, Italy; and in May 2011 – first prize in the Rotary International Piano Competition in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Choosing to enter the more challenging Senior Category in both competitions (age 35 and under) she had become the youngest person to compete in their history – 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 before, 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.
Anastasia Rizikov Awards
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, led to Anastasia’s appearance at a gala winners’ concert at Koerner Hall in Toronto. For the first five years of her musical career Anastasia won first places 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).
In the month of June,the year 2012 Anastasia was awarded the prestigious 2013 “Debut Atlantic” concert tour. The 2,5 week long tour along the Canadian Atlantic coast was held 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.”
Anastasia Rizikov Songs
- Soñando María Magdalena
- Piano Sonata No. 17 in D Minor, Op. 31 No. 2 “Tempest”: III. Allegretto
- Piano Sonata in E Minor, Op. 7: IV. Finale: Molto allegro
- Piano Sonata in E Minor, Op. 7: I. Allegro moderato
- Piano Sonata No. 17 in D Minor, Op. 31 No. 2 “Tempest”: I. Largo – Allegro
- Piano Sonata No. 17 in D Minor, Op. 31 No. 2 “Tempest”: II. Adagio
- Iberia, Book 2: III. Triana
- Piano Sonata in E Minor, Op. 7: III. Alla menuetto, ma poco più lento
- Piano Sonata in E Minor, Op. 7: II. Andante molto