Sanford-Hill Piano Series: Anna Geniushene (2022 Cliburn Silver Medalist)
Disability Accommodations
Equal Opportunity Institution. 24+ hours advance notice is appreciated for accommodations.
- Campus Parking: Parking Services
- Off-Campus location: Contact the venue
- On-Campus ticketed events: Contact the Box Office
- On-Campus events open to all at no cost:
- Music 360-650-3130
- Theatre/Dance 360-650-3876
- Other: CFPA Publicity 360-650-2829, cfpa.publicity@wwu.edu
Anna Geniushene’s fresh, layered, and powerful interpretations defined her participation at the 2022 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition—and won her the coveted silver medal and the adoration of fans around the globe. And the critics couldn’t get enough: “powerhouse sound, forceful musical personality, and sheer virtuosity…had this critic on the edge of his seat” (Musical America); “a performance of rare devotion and insight” (Onstage NTX); “a fresh version…that had this listener hanging on every bar” (La Scena).
And when Anna closed the Cliburn Competition with a momentous performance of the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1, Gramophone likened it to the contest’s revered namesake, “I couldn’t help but equate Anna Geniushene’s seasoned pianism to Cliburn at his best.”
Highlights of the 2022–2023 season included recital appearances at the Grand Teton Music Festival, Festival International de la Roque d'Anthéron, and across the United States; a tour of Japan with pianist Andrey Gugnin; piano duo concerts with Wu Han and Dmytro Choni at Wolf Trap and La Musica Festival; engagements with the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra and Taipei Symphony Orchestra; and the birth of her second child.
Born in Moscow on New Year’s Day in 1991, Anna made her recital debut just seven years later in the small hall of the Berlin Philharmonic. She has since developed a diverse and versatile career as an artist: performances in major world venues such as the Town Hall in Leeds, National Concert Hall in Dublin, Museum of Arts in Tel Aviv, Teatro Carlo Felice in Genova, Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory, and Sala Greppi in Bergamo; appearances with famed conductors, including Marin Alsop, Edward Gardner, Nicholas McGegan, Arvo Volmer, Gintaras Rinkevičius, and Valentin Uryupin; a dedication to chamber music, including duo piano repertoire with her husband, Lukas Geniušas, and close collaboration with Quartetto di Cremona; and the creation of her own festival of collaborative music-making (NikoFest).
During the pandemic, Anna’s penchant for creativity manifested in online projects, such as a series of online recitals for the Vancouver Chopin Society, participation in the “Armchairs Season” of the Moscow Philharmonic, and recording sessions for the ConSpirito music channel on YouTube. Her debut CD was released on LINN Records in March 2020. A laureate of major international piano contests, she previously had strong finishes at the Leeds (finalist), Tchaikovsky (semifinalist) and Busoni (third prize) Competitions.
Anna Geniushene graduated from the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory in 2015, where she studied with professor Elena Kuznetsova, and completed her Master’s with Distinction and Advanced Diploma from the Royal Academy of Music (London) in 2018 under the tutelage of Professor Emeritus Christopher Elton. She currently resides in Lithuania with her husband and their sons, Tomas and Mark.

Sanford-Hill Piano Series Tickets
Tickets on sale beginning September 1st
- Section A: $51 single/$138 season
- Limited: order soon! Center of the front section with a view of the keyboard.
- Section B: $39 single/$105 season
- Left side of the front section with a the view of the keyboard or pianist.
- Section C: $31 single/$84 season
- Front and middle areas, with a good view of the pianist.
- Section D: $20 single/$54 season
- Rear and right-side seating. Some seats may have view of the pianist obscured by the piano.
Discounts
- All students (K-12 and college): $5 tickets for seats in Section D! Available at the box office in-person only with student ID.
- WWU Piano Students: Sit free in Section B! Available at the box office in-person only with student ID.
- Music Teachers (K-12 and Private): $10 tickets for seats in Section D! Available at the box office in-person, online, or by calling 360-650-6146.