Ukrainian-born American violinist, Zino Bogachek, known for his uncompromising individuality and wide-ranging musical interests, has performed extensively as a soloist, recitalist and chamber music collaborator throughout the former USSR, Poland, Austria, Italy, Mexico and the U.S. His appearances as  soloist have included performances with Lviv Philharmonic, Lviv Chamber Orchestra, Centennial Philharmonic, Acton Chamber Orchestra, Cape Ann Symphony, Knoxville Symphony, Eclipse Chamber Orchestra, Triptych Chamber Orchestra, Londontowne Symphony Orchestra and Summer Music from Greensboro Festival Orchestra, inspiring the leading US press to remark “Mr. Bogachek displayed a soundness technique with meticulous care lavished on every detail” and “expert technique, emotional expressiveness and a firm sense of partnership”. In addition to performing accomplishments he was a recipient of Boston University Directors Award, received Honorary Diplomas from several international competitions and was elected to Pi Kappa Lambda Chapter of the National Music Honor Society.

Mr. Bogachek has participated in the National Virtuosi Festival in Ukraine, the Haydn Festival in Austria; and Summer Music from Greensboro Festival, where he has served as concertmaster and orchestra leader.

Mr. Bogachek is an active recording artist. His most recent CD recorded in a collaboration with a renown pianist Anna Balakerskaia was released on Vernissage Records and includes original compositions and transcriptions by David Rubinoff.

A graduate of Lviv Conservatory, he continued his studies at the Vienna Academy of Music and Boston University. His teachers have included M. Veitzner, Y. Mazurkevich, E. Lehner and B. Senofsky. Mr. Bogachek was a Principal Second Violin at the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra before joining the the Washington National Opera Orchestra / Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra in 1999. Mr. Bogachek’s served on a faculty at Columbia Union College (2003-2008) and, George Mason University (2008-2011). He is an Artist in Residence at the Orfeo Music Festival in the Italian Alps.

Dr. Anna Balakerskaia has shared her mastery of the piano around the world, from the great concert halls of her native Russia to the great halls of Europe and the Americas. Her versatility has made her much in demand as soloist, collaborator and chamber musician. In addition to her active performance schedule, she has nurtured several generations of extraordinary musicians as teacher, collaborator and coach.

Along with her high-profile career as a soloist, since her conservatory days in St. Petersburg, Dr. Balakerskaia has enjoyed a singular ability for playing chamber music, collaborating with many of the world’s greatest musicians, including Leonid Kogan, Kirill Kondrashin, Viktor Tretyakov, and Daniel Shafran, among others. She has performed with the laureates at all of the great competitions in Europe, from the Queen Elizabeth Competition in Belgium to the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, where she was three times awarded the Best Accompaniment Diploma.

Her concert tours have taken her to Germany, Switzerland, Holland, France, Belgium, Italy, Finland, United States, Canada, and Argentina; having performed in some of the great halls of the world such as Carnegie Hall, Salle Gaveau of Paris, The Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, Teatro Colon in Buenos-Aires, Palais des Arts in Montreal, the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Corcoran Gallery, National Gallery of Arts, and Library of Congress in Washington, DC.

When Dr. Balakerskaia arrived in the United States from Russia twenty years ago, she brought her great love for chamber music. Here she discovered an international community of brilliant musicians who share her passion. Together, they join to create a variety of musical ensembles enriched by their different backgrounds and a shared love of music.

Dr. Balakerskaia is a founding member of the “Ensemble da Camera of Washington” a trio of musicians from Brazil, Germany and Russia, based in Washington, DC., renowned across the country for their electrifying synergy, technical expertise and rich, evocative sound. The Ensemble has produced a number of notable recordings. As a result of her expertise with a wide variety of piano and chamber repertoire, Dr. Balakersakaia is frequently invited to collaborate with local and international artists for special performances, as well as recordings.

Dr. Balakersakaia is a sought-after piano teacher whose students have won many competitions in the United States and Europe. Around the world her master classes are enjoyed by students and teachers alike. She is full-time Professor of Piano and Chamber Music at George Mason University. She also serves on the faculties of international music festivals in Italy, Germany, Russia and the Netherlands, where she teaches and performs.

Dr. Balakerskaia received her Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance, Pedagogy and Chamber Music from St. Petersburg State Conservatory, where she studied piano with Nadejda Golubovskaia, and chamber music with internationally renowned musician Tamara Fidler. Before moving to the United States, she served on the faculties of both the Moscow Conservatory and the St. Petersburg Conservatory.