-
Dr. Elena Dorozhkina, piano
Russian-born American pianist Dr. Elena Dorozhkina has captivated audiences with an expressive warm tone, virtuosity, and passion in her playing. Genuinely committed to sharing the emotions conveyed in music, she has performed solo and collaborative recitals at concert halls throughout the United States, Germany, Czech Republic, Russia, and Ukraine. Her 2022 Spivey Hall solo and collaborative recital performance was broadcast on The Atlanta Music Scene, WABE FM 90.1 radio.
Dr. Dorozhkina's debut album, Russian Piano Gems: Romantic to Avant-Garde, was released by PARMA/Navona Recordings in November 2023, featuring works by Mosolov, Glinka, Scriabin, Tchaikovsky, and Rachmaninoff. The album has received critical acclaim, with Fanfare Magazine praising her playing as having "absolute technical control and command of the keyboard" and noting her "lovely expressive gift that allows her to find an intimate connection with the listener in every piece." Video recordings from the album won the Best Modern Performance Award for Mosolov's Sonata No. 4, the Gold Star Professional Award from the Music and Stars Awards International Competition, and the Silver Medal Outstanding Achievement from the Global Music Awards.
Recent performance and masterclass engagements have included the Foothills Piano Festival at Jacksonville State University in Alabama, Rice Music House at Steinway Piano Galleries in Columbia, South Carolina, University of Kentucky, and numerous venues in Georgia including Spivey Hall, Perimeter College at Georgia State University, Agnes Scott College, Berry College, Georgia College and State University, Episcopal Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta, and Valdosta State University. A dedicated and sensitive collaborative pianist, Elena has partnered with soprano Francisca Maxwell since 2019, performing at major venues throughout Georgia.
Dr. Dorozhkina is a graduate of the renowned Saint-Petersburg State Conservatory named after N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov in Russia with specializations in piano performance, collaborative piano art, chamber ensemble, and piano pedagogy. Elena earned her Master of Music degree in piano performance from the University of Northern Iowa and her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano performance from the University of North Texas with specializations in piano performance and collaborative piano. She is a prize winner in numerous international and national piano competitions in the USA, Germany, Ukraine, and Russia.
A dedicated pedagogue, Dr. Dorozhkina is an Assistant Professor of Piano at Kennesaw State University. Her teaching philosophy integrates the finest traditions of American and Russian piano schools, creating a supportive and encouraging studio atmosphere that nurtures students' creativity and musical imagination. Dr. Dorozhkina emphasizes critical listening, refined sound production, masterful legato technique, thoughtful phrase construction, polyphonic clarity, and colorful timbral expression, all while fostering a relaxed, ergonomic technical approach to playing. Dr. Dorozhkina serves on the board of Atlanta Music Teachers Association and is past president of AMTA (2018-2022). She is Co-Chair of the Atlanta Piano Festival since 2013 and is an active adjudicator for numerous regional piano competitions and auditions in the Southeast. Dr. Dorozhkina is a MTNA Nationally Certified educator and recipient of the Georgia Music Teachers Association and Steinway Piano Galleries 2019 Teacher Grant. In 2022, Dr. Dorozhkina received the Steinway Top Piano Teacher Award, recognizing her artistry and dedicated leadership in music education.