Yekaterina Afonasyeva

Experienced composer and pianist Yekaterina Afonasyeva has had promising beginnings to her musical career, which was a long time coming after a childhood and young adulthood full of music, music instruction and performances. Living and working out of the Baltimore area, Yekaterina finds herself inspired by life and her family as she grows and develops her skills as a composer and musician with each passing year.

A native of Moscow, Russia, Yekaterina has been influenced by music from a young age, beginning with her mother, who was a talented and versatile pianist, and her grandfather, who was also a pianist she has looked up to as she’s matured as a musician. She began her own piano studies at Lyadov Children’s Music School No. 15, and after high school and music school, she enrolled in Moscow A. Shnitke Music College for a Bachelor’s degree in piano performance. In 1998, she moved with her family to the U.S., and she eventually graduated from Towson University with a Masters of Music degree in piano performance.

Her sound exudes a deep understanding and comfortable handling of her instrument as she makes the piano shine with her richly melodic compositions. Though she’s been playing for some time, she still derives a youthful interpretation of piano music from her many inspirations and musical influences. She is most often compared to Paul Mauriat, Barry Manilow and Russian pop artists.

Yekaterina has self-produced several recordings over the years since she began composing in 2007: La Vita in December 2008, Emotions (piano selections) in June 2009, the single “Christmas Is Coming!” in December 2009,Travel in April 2010, and the educational score book and CD Scales Are Fun! in 2010. On the albums, she composes all of her own music and lyrics, and she arranges and performs everything herself as well.

In the last five years, Yekaterina has seen her music really take off and be appreciated for the work of art that it is. In 2010, two of her instrumental pieces, “Prelude” and “Nocturne,” were included on the online radio program, Women of Substance Radio. Her instrumental piece “Soaring” was included on the Celtic Roots Radio podcast show No. 22. Also in 2010, her song “Christmas Time” was included on the Christmas compilation The Greatest Gift by Minnesota Association of Christian Songwriters. In 2011, her song “Christmas Is Coming!” was included on the Christmas Music 24/7 Radio Show.

2012 brought another series of notable accomplishments. Her song “Christmas Is Coming!” was selected for another online radio show, Capt Jelly Bean & His Wacky Astro Pals. That June, she enjoyed one of her most memorable accomplishments when she received an Award of Merit from Global Music Awards for her educational score book Scales Are Fun!

Music education is one primary outlet for her love of music. In addition to the creation of her educational score book and CD, since 2006 Yekaterina has also been a part-time professor at Towson University where she teaches piano classes and works as an accompanist for voice lessons. She has also worked as an accompanist for voice classes and masterclasses, choirs, violin classes and ballet classes and performances at several different schools in the Baltimore area.

Yekaterina produces music that is vibrant and expressive, polished and primed to provide a background or accompaniment to a wide range of artistic endeavors, including soundtracks and other customizable compositions. Releasing her songs to music supervisors and licensing companies is the next step for Yekaterina to forward her music career and share her compositions with the world.

One way Yekaterina’s music will be shared in the future is via a WiFi PR Group composer sampler that will feature her and other composers and will be pitched to music supervisors and publishing companies beginning in late April. - CAROLYN HENEHGAN