Sofya Gulyak

Full Biography Recital Programmes Concerto Repertoire Photo Gallery

In September 2009 Sofya Gulyak was awarded the 1st prize and the Princess Mary Gold Medal at the Sixteenth Leeds International Piano Competition – the first woman to achieve this distinction. Since then she has appeared all over the world to great acclaim. Her recital programmes are frequently reviewed in superlatives, and her concerto appearances with major orchestras are written up in glowing terms by the world's music press. ”tremendous precision and coloration...exquisite soft playing...”
(Washington Post).

Sofya Gulyak's resume includes prizes at many prestigious piano competitions: she is a 1st prize winner of William Kapell International piano competition in USA, Maj Lind Helsinki International Piano Competition, Tivoli Piano Competition in Copenhagen, Gyeongnam International Piano Competition in South Korea, San Marino Piano Competition, 2nd prize
winner (first not awarded) of Busoni competition in Italy and 3rd prize winner of Marguerite Long piano competition in Paris.

Sofya Gulyak is a native of Kazan (Russia) where she studied in a Special Music College, and then in Kazan State Conservatoire under professor Elfiya Burnasheva. Ms. Gulyak graduated also from “Ecole Normale de music de Paris Alfred Cortot” with the highest distinction. She continued her study at the Piano Academy “Incontri col Maestri” (Imola, Italy) with Boris Petrushansky and at the Royal College of Music with Vanessa Latarche.

Recitals and concert appearances have been numerous, with Ms.Gulyak having performed all over the globe in such venues as Sala Verdi in Milan, Hercules-Saal in Munich, Salle Cortot, Salle Gaveau and Salle Pleyel in Paris, Big Concert Hall of Moscow Conservatoire, Konzerthaus in Berlin, Gewandhaus in Leipzig, Kennedy Center in Washington, Palais de Musique in Strasbourg, Hong Kong City Hall, Finlandia Hall in Helsinki, Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, Teatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro, Aberdeen Music Hall, Salle Moliere in Lyon, Walt Disney Hall in Los Angeles, King Theatre in Rabat, Kursaal in Bern, Tivoli Concert Hall in Copenhagen.

Sofya Gulyak appeared as a soloist with London Philharmonic Orchestra, Finnish Radio Symphony, Saint-Petersburg Philharmonic, Rio-de-Janeiro Symphony, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Halle Orchestra, BBC Scottish, Orchestra of Fondazione Arena di Verona, Orchestra Filarmonica di Bologna, Bucharest Philharmonic, Stavanger Symphony, Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz Orchestra, Ulster Symphony, Oulu Philharmonic, Leipzig Philharmonic, Helsinki Philharmonic, Morocco Philharmonic, Copenhagen Symphony, Orchestre National de France, Baltimore Symphony.

She has played under the baton of Vladimir Ashkenazy, Sakari Oramo, Marc Elder, David Hill, Donald Runnicles, Vasily Petrenko, Alan Buribayev,Eiving Gullberg Jensen,Theodor Guschlbauer, Rory McDonald, Danail Rachev, Fabio Mastrangelo, Michele Mariotti, Fuat Mansurov.

She participated in many festivals, such as Klavier Ruhr Festival, Chopin Festival in Duzniki-Zdroj, Festival du Sceaux, International Keyboard Festival in New York, International Strasbourg festival, Busoni Festival, Harrogate Festival, Cracow Piano Festival, Liszt Festival at Villa d'Este, Nordlys Festival in Norway, Ravello Festival.

Ms.Gulyak has also attended as a jury member at international piano competitions in Italy, Serbia, France, Greece and the USA.

Her playing was broadcast on the radio and TV in Russia, Poland, France, Italy, Germany, USA, Finland, Denmark and United Kingdom (BBC 3 and BBC 4).

Sound Clips:

Mozart: Piano Concerto in B flat major (K456)

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
(conductor Donald Runnicles)

Video Clips:

Useful Downloads:

sofya_gulyak_biography.doc
File Size:	26 kb
File Type:	doc

Download File

Visit Sofya Gulyak's website here:
www.sofyagulyak.com

Contact Maureen Phillips
Tel: 01923 836 220
Email: admin@upbeatclassical.co.uk