Sanford-Hill Piano Series: Anna Geniushene (2022 Cliburn Silver Medalist)

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).

Accolades ensued—Musical America named her Young Artist of the Month in July 2022 and Pianist magazine featured her on the cover in June 2023—and invitations from well-respected institutions followed. Recent and upcoming engagements are highlighted by debut recitals for Washington Performing Arts at the Kennedy Center, Wiener Konzerthaus, and the Bravo! Vail and Grand Teton Music Festivals; debut concerts at Tonhalle Zurich and Stadtcasino Basel, replacing Daniel Barenboim in recital; and collaborations with the Taipei and Lithuanian Symphony Orchestras, conductors Gábor Takács-Nagy, Eliahu Inbal, and Miguel Harth-Bedoya, and pianists Wu Han and Dmytro Choni. Anna’s newest album—a deeply personal project of lullabies spanning from John Field and Liszt to Dutilleux and Weinberg—is released in September 2023, and she is set to record a duo disc with her husband and frequent collaborator, pianist Lukas Geniušas, for release next year on the Alpha label. She joins the roster of the Bowers Program of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in 2024–2027.

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 venues throughout North and South America, Europe, and Asia; appearances with famed conductors, including Marin Alsop, Edward Gardner, Nicholas McGegan, Arvo Volmer, Gintaras Rinkevičius, and Valentin Uryupin; and a dedication to chamber music, including close collaborations with Quartetto di Cremona and in duo piano repertoire with Lukas Geniušas. Anna’s debut recording, featuring works by Prokofiev and Rachmaninov, was released on LINN Records in March 2020. A laureate of major international piano contests, she previously had strong finishes at the Leeds (laureate and 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. Also an enthusiastic teacher, she actively teaches masterclasses and adjudicates competitions, and served as assistant professor at the Moscow Conservatory until 2022. She currently resides in Lithuania with her husband and their two young sons.