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A Medley of Performing Arts by New Americans

To benefit Resettlement Services

Learn a little about the performers:

Karina Avanesian-Weinstein was born in Voronezh, Russia where her musical aptitude was recognized early on. A winner of many local competitions, she was accepted to the prestigious Central Music School attached to Moscow’s Tchaikovsky Conservatory. In 1999 Karina became a Piano Performance and Music History major at Oberlin Conservatory. She recently completed her Master of Music degree and is currently pursuing a Performer’s Diploma at Indiana University in Bloomington, IN.

CCM Preparatory Dance Department, co-coordinated by Jonnie Lynn Peercer, offers classes in music, dance, voice and drama to students in the Greater Cincinnati Community ages 5-adult. Twins Sarah and Rachel Specht have been studying at CCM (College-Conservatory of Music at University of Cincinnati) for three years and are members of the senior Youth Ballet Company.

Cincinnati Dance Academy directed by Tatyana Makarova, Artistic Director of the Next Generation Dance Company, and Director of American Dance Grand Prix. Tatyana’s career as an artistic director, choreographer and teacher began with training under some of the Soviet Union’s finest ballet teachers of the St. Petersburg’s Kirov Ballet Academy. She received a BA from Gomel University. Tatyana founded the Cincinnati Dance Academy in 1997 to provide a creative home for young bodies, minds and spirits.

Simon Goykhman earned a Master’s Degree from Kharkov Institute of the Arts, where he studied with the distinguished professor Regina Horowitz. He currently teaches at the School for Creative and Performing Arts and the Preparatory Department at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. In 2005 he was nominated to the "Who’s Who Among the American Teachers". Goykhman’s students won over twenty medals in the Cincinnati World Piano competition and several times participated in the Honor Recitals in Carnegie Hall in New York City.

Nicolae Haheu came to the USA in 2004 from the Republic of Moldova. He is one of the few who still plays a national Romanian instrument called NAI. Nicolae graduated from the Art College in Soroca, Moldova. He continued his studies and received his diploma from the National Art Academy, Folklore Faculty, Chisinau, Moldova. Nicolae was the director of the cultural department for the southern district Cahul in the Republic of Moldova for 15 years.

Yuri Maizels, oboe soloist and educator is well known in the United States and Europe. He has performed with famous conductors such as M.Jansons, Y.Temirkanov, K.Zanderling, and V.Svetlanov. A native of St.Petersburg, Russia, Yuri studied at the Leningrad Conservatory, where he received his Bachelor Degree of Music and Master Degree of Music. He helps young players to master the oboe at his studio in Cincinnati.

David Mamedov, a 1st generation American, was born and raised in Cincinnati. His parents immigrated to United States from Baku, Azerbaijan. David began playing at age 7 and his natural talent shined through almost instantly. He has been studying with his piano teacher, Luba Fedorov, for five years. David has performed every year at the National Guild of Piano Teachers earning the highest score each time.

Anna Polusmiak was born in Kharkiv, Ukraine and moved with her family to the US in 1998 . She began her study of piano at the Kharkiv Special Music School for Gifted Children at age six, where she later became a student of her father, Professor Sergei Polusmiak, "Honored Artist Ukraine." At age twelve, she performed Rachmaninofs Piano Concerto no. 1 with the Kharkiv Symphony Orchestra, Ukraine.

Sergei Polusmiak, Professor, "Honored Artist, Ukraine", Artist-in-Residence and the Recipient of the Tom and Christine Neyer Family Endowed Professorship of Music at Northern Kentucky University, graduated from the Kharkiv Conservatory. He received a Post Graduate Diploma from the Kiev Conservatory, with additional professional training at Moscow State Conservatory P.I.Tchaikovsky. Sergei gained international acclaim through his appearances with orchestras as a soloist and chamber music performer in Argentina, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, and the United States.

Russian F.R.E.E. Choir is a volunteer musical group that was founded by Nina Romanova in 2001 at the Friends of Refugees of Eastern Europe (F.R.E.E.) Center in Roselawn. The choir has performed at American citizenship ceremonies sponsored by Jewish Family Service. Their singing of familiar tunes in Russian, English and Yiddish have entertained residents of Cedar Village. The choir has also been invited to participate in events at the Academy of Languages and the Cincinnati Art Museum.

The Russian Theatre of the Jewish Community Center was organized in 2003 as a small group of enthusiasts who decided to give a concert for the Russian speaking community. The theatre currently has about 25 members. Only two of them (Anna and Yana Weinstein) are professionals; the rest are just enthusiasts who love to perform. They have presented today’s performance in many cities in the tri-state area.

Dimitri Shelest was born in the city of Kharkiv, Ukraine. At the age of six he began his studies at Kharkiv Music School. In 1995 he entered the Kharkiv Special Music School for Gifted Children and was accepted as a student of Professor Sergei Polusmiak, "Honored Artist" of Ukraine. Dimitri received his Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance in 2005. He is presently a Business Major at Northern Kentucky University and is continuing his studies with Professor Sergei Polusmiak.

Leonid Sirotkin is a native of St. Petersburg, Russia. He began his oboe studies at the age of seven and received his BM and MM from St. Petersburg Conservatory in 1995. During his freshman year at the Conservatory, Leonid became principal English horn player in the renowned Kirov Opera Orchestra of Mariinsky Theatre under Valery Gergiev. He toured internationally with the Kirov Orchestra and has performed at such famous venues as Carnegie Hall, Metropolitan Opera, Avery Fisher Hall, Kennedy Center, Covent Garden, La Scala, and Concertgebouw. Since 2002, Mr. Sirotkin became a regular substitute with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and toured with them to Japan and Europe.

Feruza Snider was born in Uzbekistan. After she graduated from Uzbekistan School of Choreography and Dance, Feruza worked in Uzbek Dance Ensemble in Tashkent. She traveled and danced in Germany, Bulgaria, India and some Arabic countries as a solo dancer. Feruza came to the United States in 2001 and now runs her own business.

Tony Weinstein hails from Simferopo, Ukraine. Although he represents the fourth generation of musicians and pedagogues in his family, his serious musical studies began rather late. After his family moved to the US in 1993, he became a piano major at the School for Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati. His high school awards and accolades brought him to Oberlin Collage, where he completed a dual degree in Piano Performance and Mathematics. Tony has recently completed his Master of Music degree and is currently pursuing a Performer Diploma at Indiana University in Bloomington, IN.

Yana Weinstein was born in the Ukraine and comes from a family of four generations of music educators and performers. Yana received her bachelor’s degree from Northern Kentucky University and her master’s degree in vocal performance from The Ohio State University. Yana has won numerous awards at various competitions. She has been teaching private and group voice for several years in various settings including Kenyon College. Now, Yana makes her home in Cincinnati with her husband and newborn baby boy.