"Her playing is virtuosic, has poetry and refinement..." (R. Frank, Pizzicato Magazin)
Anastasia Yasko – Pianist, Musicologist, University Lecturer
Anastasia Yasko is regarded as one of the distinguished pianists of her generation, combining an international concert career with scholarly research and teaching. She began her musical education at the prestigious Gnessin Music School in Moscow under the guidance of Prof. Tatiana Shklovskaya. She subsequently studied at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory with the legendary pianist Prof. Vera Gornostaeva, graduating with distinction in 2014.
Her artistic development continued at the Mozarteum University Salzburg, where she completed her Master's degree in Piano Performance under Prof. Rolf Plagge with highest honors. She then pursued postgraduate studies with Prof. Jacques Rouvier. Following the successful completion of her doctoral studies at the Mozarteum University Salzburg, she was awarded the academic degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in 2020. Since 2018, she has served as a Lecturer in Piano Performance at the Mozarteum University Salzburg, contributing to the education of a new generation of pianists.
As a soloist, Anastasia Yasko performs regularly on international stages throughout Europe and Asia. Her concert engagements have taken her to Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, France, Luxembourg, Portugal, and Japan. She has appeared in prestigious concert venues, including the renowned Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, the Grand Hall of the Warsaw National Philharmonic, and the Great Hall of the Mozarteum Foundation Salzburg. As a soloist, she has collaborated with distinguished orchestras such as the Moscow State Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Kharkiv Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra. In 2019, she was presented as a prizewinner of the International Summer Academy Mozarteum Salzburg during the Salzburg Festival.
As both a pianist and musicologist, Anastasia Yasko enjoys international recognition not only as a performer but also as a communicator of musical knowledge. She has given numerous lecture-recitals and discussion concerts in Austria, Germany, and Spain, combining scholarly expertise with artistic performance in a unique and engaging format. She is also a regular guest at renowned European music festivals, including the De Klenge Maarnicher Festival (Luxembourg) and the International Piano Festival Hainfeld (Germany).
Alongside her concert activities, Anastasia Yasko is deeply engaged in research on twentieth-century piano music. Her scholarly work culminated in the monograph The Piano Sonata in Russia in the Second Half of the Twentieth Century (Waxmann Verlag, 2024), which is regarded as a significant contribution to international piano scholarship.
Her discography has also received international acclaim. Her debut album, 20th Century Russian Piano Sonatas (ARS Produktion, 2021), was nominated for the Opus Klassik Award in two categories. It was followed by Chopin Piano Works (ARS Produktion, 2023), likewise nominated in two categories, and 20th Century Russian Piano Sonatas Vol. 2 (ARS Produktion, 2025), which received another nomination for the prestigious award.
Awards:
Anastasia Yasko is the recipient of numerous prizes at international piano competitions. Her most notable distinctions include First Prize at the International Igumnov Competition (Lipetsk, Russia, 2005), First Prize at the Festival of Romantic Music for Young Musicians (Moscow, Russia, 2008), Third Prize at the 9th International Vladimir Krainev Competition (Kharkiv, Ukraine, 2008), Third Prize at the International Flame Competition (Paris, France, 2012), First Prize at the Ennio Porrino International Piano Competition (Cagliari, Italy, 2013), Fourth Prize at the Mauro Paolo Monopoli International Piano Competition (Barletta, Italy, 2016), Third Prize, the Iberia Prize, and the Recital Prize at the Marbella International Piano Competition (Marbella, Spain, 2018), and First Prize as well as two special prizes for the best interpretations of Chopin and Bach at the Carles & Sofia International Piano Competition (Spain, 2023), among many others.