Natalia Kazaryan to perform Impromptu Classical Concert March 8

Noted pianist Natalia Kazaryan will perform an Impromptu Classical Concerts presentation at 4 p.m. Sunday, March 8, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 401 Duval St.
Lauded for her “prodigious ability,” by the New York Sun, and establishing “. . . an atmosphere of strength and confidence,” Kazaryan has been designated as this year’s Impromptu’s Rising Star.
Born in Tbilisi, in the Republic of Georgia, Kazaryan began studying piano at the age of six. The next year she performed as soloist with the Tbilisi State Chamber Orchestra.
At age 10, she took First Prize at the Balys Dvarionas International Competition for Young Pianists in Lithuania, giving her world-wide recognition and the confidence to pursue her passion to become a concert pianist.
Invitations to perform and study in Europe and the United States followed, and Kazaryan left Tbilisi began pursuing her talent in music in addition to her intellectual curiosities. Even as a young child her commitment to music was evident as she voluntarily practiced up to eight hours every day, honing her abilities as a performance musician.
In 2012 she was the Concours FLAME First Prize winner in Paris, and the second prize winner of the Concours International Piano Competition de France.
She won many top prizes in numerous international competitions including the Eastman Young Artists International Piano Competition, the Kosciuszko Foundation Chopin Competition, and Second Prize in the New York International Piano Competition for ages 16-21.
Kazaryan was the first Juilliard student to participate in the Carla Bruni-Sarkozy exchange with the Paris Conservatoire. Awarded a Fulbright Grant and a Harriet Hale Wooley Scholarship, she continued her studies in Paris, earning Bachelor and Master Degrees from Juilliard.
More recently, she completed her doctoral studies at the University of Michigan, while holding an adjunct piano faculty position at Howard University.
Kazaryan supports music education, bringing classical music to children who might not otherwise have access to quality instruments or opportunities to perform. She hopes to train the next generation of pianists with what she has learned through her education and training in the United States and Europe.
“Music is an important creative outlet for young students, and there are piles of evidence that it has positive impacts on their lives from social skills to academic performance,” Kazaryan said.
Kazaryan is also helping pave the way for future female artists in her involvement with the International Alliance for Women in Music, a global network dedicated to increasing musical activities and opportunities in the promotion of all aspects of the music of women. She is currently preparing for a recital of all-female composers at the Smithsonian in August, 2020.
At the March 8 concert in Key West, Kazaryan will perform “Three Romances, Op. 21,” by Clara Schumann; “Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus,” by Olivier Messiaen; and “32 Variations in C minor” by Ludwig van Beethoven.
Following a short intermission Kazaryan will return to perform “Three Pieces for Piano,” by Lili Boulanger; and “Gaspard de la nuit,” by Maurice Ravel.
The Maestro for the performance will be Lynn Williams.
Tickets for the concert cost $20, and are available at www.keystix.com, or at the door on the afternoon of the event. Cash, checks, or credit/debit cards accepted. Students will be admitted free. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information visit www.keywestimpromptu.org
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