Alla Gladysheva received an M.A. from Leningrad State Conservatory, where she majored in musicology studying with J.G. Kon, after starting a solfège, piano collaborative, and piano teaching career at age 17. She also served Karelian Radio and Television as a journalist, writing on musicology in Russia. She immigrated to the United States in 1995 and worked for 18 years as a pianist with several ballet companies, including the San Francisco Ballet School. She appeared as a member of various performing groups, including Lark, Tango #9, Adama, and Inextinguishable Trio. She has collaborated in recording of five CDs.
COURSES TAUGHT
- Undergraduate Musicianship
- Undergraduate Music Theory
- Keyboard Skills
- Pre-college Chamber Music
EDUCATION
- MM, St. Petersburg State Conservatory, Russia
- BM, St. Petersburg State Conservatory, Russia
ENSEMBLES
- Lark, 1997–Present
- Inextinguishable Trio, 1997–Present
- Adama, 1997–2002
- Tango #9, 1997–2002
- Jewish Folk Chorus, 1996–2000
AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS
- Honorable Mention, Musicology Convention, Moscow, Russia, 1987
- Second Prize, Northeastern Musicology Research Competition, 1979
What is your hometown?
Saint Petersburg, Russia
What are you passionate about outside of music?
Reading and the outdoors.
Who were your major teachers?
Dr. Josef Albert Geiman Kon, Dr. Kiralina Yuzhak, and Maria Istorik.
What was the defining moment when you decided to pursue music as a career?
Musicianship classes in my prep school were so much fun that I decided to become a musicianship teacher.
What was a turning point in your career?
Moving to the United States.
If you weren't a musician or teacher, what do you think you would be doing now?
Librarian.
If you could play only three composers for the rest of your life, who would they be?
Bach, Tchaikovsky, and Chopin.
From a music history perspective, what year and city are most important to you?
1770, Bonn.
What are your most important collaborations?
Karelian Radio and Television, Karelian Symphony Orchestra, and SFCM students.
Who are three students you have had the privilege of teaching?
Jon Mendle, Julie Adams, Eleazar Rodriguez (and all at SFCM).
What is your unrealized project?
PhD dissertation.
Biography
Alla Gladysheva received an M.A. from Leningrad State Conservatory, where she studied with J.G. Kon, after starting a solfège and piano teaching career at age 17. She also served Karelian Radio and Television as a journalist, writing on musicology in Russia. She immigrated to the United States in 1995 and is currently a pianist with the San Francisco Ballet School. She regularly appears as a member of various performing groups, including Lark, Tango #9 and Adama. She is an active member of the Music Teachers Association of California.
