Elena Kl.

Elena was born in 1974 in Kaliningrad, Russia. Both of her parents were classical musicians and professors of music - mother director of choir and father director of symphony orchestra at Kaliningrad Regional Music College. She started her music education at the age of 7 at the Kaliningrad Music School for Gifted Children. The school curriculum was designed to produce professional musicians with regular group and individual lessons on ever day bases. At the age of 15, after eight years of studying music with concentration in piano, Elena was accepted in Kaliningrad Regional Music College. Four more years at the college were filled with serious piano training and competitions; concert tours to nearby Lithuania, Poland and Germany. Upon finishing her undergraduate degree, decision for the graduate school selection was just natural. Elena was following her mother’s footsteps to one of the oldest and finest schools in the world – St. Petersburg State Conservatory named after Rimsky-Korsakov. Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov and Shostakovich were walking the same marble stairs that welcomed her as she was accepted. There followed five more years of musical studies under strict and talented guidance of the finest music professors. Life was filled with music and artistry – performing, attending concerts, opera, ballet, museums and theater. Elena has graduated Conservatory in 1998 with Master’s Degree in Music, Piano Performance and Pedagogy. In 2000 Elena and her husband, Alex Nikolaev, moved to the United States. In 2001 Elena and Alex became parents of Alex J. Nikolaev. Elena has been privately teaching piano in Chicago since 2001. She has also been participating in various community concerts, showcasing her students at the annual recitals, playing for classical ballet schools and companies all over Chicago land. *