Performer Biography

Maria Bushkova

Michelle Bushkova, born in Moscow on May 25, 2004, continues the third generation of her family’s music traditions. At the age of four she started violin lessons with Prof. Galina Turchaninova, and in the following year, she enrolled in the piano studio of Prof. Tatiana Zelikman. From 2011 to 2021, Michelle continued studying with both of her teachers at the two most famous Moscow music schools: the Gnessin State Musical College – piano, and the Central Music School by the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory – violin (also in her father, Evgeny Bushkov’s, studio). Several days before her 6th birthday she made her solo debut performance as both violinist and pianist with the Belarusian State Chamber Orchestra in Minsk. Michelle has performed with orchestras in Moscow, Minsk, Saratov, Yaroslavl, Istanbul, and Ankara (Turkey); has appeared in the Grand Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow, Pushkin Museum’s Museyon Hall in Moscow, Palais de Beaux-Arts in Brussels, Svetlanov’s Hall of the Moscow International House of Music, NCPA (Mumbai, India), Wiener Konzerthaus, and Severance Hall (Cleveland, USA); and participated in the “Musica Mundi” Chamber Music Festival in Belgium, “Keshet Eilon” International String Masterclasses in Israel, Gstaad New Year Music Festival in Switzerland, “Stay-in-May” International World Festival in Naples, Florida, “Rheingau Festival” in Germany, “Kogan- Festival” in Yaroslavl, Russia, and “Moscow Autumn” Contemporary Music Festival. Michelle took part in masterclasses with Ilya and Olga Dubossarskaya-Kaler (USA), Pavel Vernikov and Svetlana Makarova (Switzerland) – on the violin; Stephen Kovacevich (England), Anna Malikova (Germany), and Victoria Mushkatkol (USA) – on the piano. She is a laureate of the “Goldene Note” audition in Vienna, the Manhattan International Competition, the Berlin International competition, and the Chicago International Violin Competition. Michelle is currently studying both instruments at the Cleveland Institute of Music with Ilya Kaler and Olga Dubossarskaya-Kaler on the violin, and Antonio Pompa-Baldi on the piano. Her achievements and successes have been supported generously by Olga Kondurova.