Svetlana Ponomarëva was born in the Siberian city of Omsk, Russia. From the age of three, she played the piano with her fingers on the table, and was subsequently accepted with the highest mark at Moscow’s prestigious Gnessin Academy of Music. Svetlana studied in the classes of Professor Alexander Satz and Professor Alexander Alexandrov.
In 1993, she was a finalist in the Young Concert Artist competition in New York and reached the semi-finals of the Esther Honens International Piano Competition in Calgary, Canada, in 1996. In 2004, Svetlana made her New York debut at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, a landmark moment in her career. Since then, she has released eight CDs, showcasing her virtuosity and musical sensibility.
Svetlana has performed as a soloist, with orchestras and chamber music ensembles in Russia, Germany, Canada and the USA. She has collaborated with such eminent conductors as Sergey Skripka, Oleg Burakov, Yuri Nikolayevsky, Dmitry Vasiliev, Vladimir Rylov, Valery Khalilov and Sergei Durygin. His performances are hailed for their emotional depth and impeccable technique, captivating audiences the world over.
In addition to her concert career, Svetlana is also a dedicated teacher, sharing her expertise with the next generation of pianists. She regularly organizes masterclasses and workshops, inspiring young musicians to achieve musical excellence.
In 2007, Svetlana Ponomarëva published a book by Svetlana Gordeevtseva entitled “Touching a Mystery”, about articulation in the keyboard music of J.S. Bach. She has lectured on this subject in Vancouver and Omsk, Russia, sharing her in-depth knowledge and expertise with passionate audiences.
In 2016-2017, Svetlana was invited to perform at the prestigious Spasskaya Tower Festival in the Moscow Kremlin. This iconic event provided an ideal platform to showcase her exceptional talent and reinforced her position as a respected musician on the international stage.
With a career rich in memorable performances, distinguished collaborations and academic contributions, Svetlana Ponomarëva continues to influence and inspire the world of classical music. Her passion for music and her art continue to shine through every note she plays and every student she trains.
During 2020-2021, together with her son Antoine Villéger – composer and pianist – she participated in various International online competitions in Russia, Europe (Italy, Spain, UK, Luxembourg) and Turkey earning numerous prize-winning places, as well as eight Grand-Prix, in Piano (solo and ensemble), Composition and Acting Skills nominations.
In 2021 Svetlana participated in the International Scientific Conference in Moscow with her presentation “The Art of Interpretation: Artistic Analysis of Piano Concerto #2 (op. 16 in G Minor) by Sergey Prokofiev”, for the composer’s 130th Anniversary.
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Vancouver-born prodigy Antoine Villéger is already an accomplished composer and pianist. A graduate of the DipLCM in Performance (Recital) at the London College of Music, University of West London, as well as the Royal Conservatory of 