Irina Pevzner

Visiting Assistant Professor, Music Theory

Irina Pevzner was born in the Ukraine in 1978, but very shortly after, her family moved to Riga, the capital of Latvia (part of the USSR at that time). In Riga, she studied piano at the city's Music School for gifted children. At the age of fourteen, she successfully completed the eight-year piano performance program, marking it with a solo appearance at Latvia's National Young Musicians Festival.

The following year, Ms. Pevzner entered Riga's National Music Conservatory, where she studied music history, theory, and harmony. During that time, she appeared as a solo pianist and music lecturer in various cities throughout the former USSR, as well as actively participating in research, concentrating on the music by Russian composers. Four years later, in 1997, she received the Academic Certificate with honors, and in the same year her family moved to the United States.

Ms. Pevzner continued her studies at Mansfield University of Pennsylvania. She received a Music Scholarship and was active in several major musical organizations including MENC (Music Educators' National Conference) and ACDA (American Choral Directors' Association). Under the piano instruction of Dr. Nancy Boston, she started participating in MTNA competitions, performed several solo recitals throughout Pennsylvania and New York, and won both of the collegiate concerto competitions. In 2000, she earned her Bachelor's Degree in two specialties: Piano Performance and Music Education. Upon graduation, she was an Outstanding Senior nominee and received the honor Magna Cum Laude. In the same year, she earned her certification to teach music in US public schools.

In 2001, Ms. Pevzner entered Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA to study with Mr. Enrique Graf and to pursue her Master's Degree in piano performance on a full scholarship. While in Pittsburgh, she was able to work with such prominent musicians as Earl Wild, Hannah Li and Andres Cardenes. She also became particularly interested in chamber music and piano teaching. She enriched her teaching experience through working in the Carnegie Mellon Preparatory Piano School. In May of 2003, she received a Master's Degree and became a member of the music honor society, Pi Kappa Lambda.

In 2003 Ms. Pevzner enrolled in the Artist Certificate Program at the College of Charleston, where she continued to study with Mr. Graf and perform extensively solo recitals, as well as chamber music. She performed on several occasions at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC. In Charleston she also became a director of piano pedagogy at the Charleston Academy of music where she teaches piano to children and adults in private and group setting.

Currently Ms. Pevzner is studying at the University of South Carolina in order to obtain a DMA (Doctor of Musical Arts) degree in piano performance. There she studies with Marina Lomazov, an internationally acclaimed Ukrainian pianist.

Ms. Pevzner is a very versatile and open-minded person. She has many interests outside of the piano, including playing violin, speaking different languages, and skydiving. In the near future, she plans to pursue her interests in solo performance, chamber music, couching, and teaching.

In working with her piano students, Ms. Pevzner strongly believes that through teaching piano playing she helps them to learn not only the understanding and appreciation of music, but also the skills that are essential to pursuing any goal: concentration, discipline, precision, analytical thinking, problem solving, teamwork, imagination, and confidence. She is convinced that learning to play the piano is one of the best ways to create a stronger and more complete individual.