Pro-Musica partners with Johns Hopkins/Peabody Institute for fall concert series

El Paso Pro-Musica’s next series of Concerts will feature Doctoral Performance Arts Students from the Prestigious Johns Hopkins/Peabody Institute of Music.

The Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University and El Paso Pro-Musica, under the artistic direction of Zuill Bailey, have partnered to form the Young Artist Development Series, launching this fall in El Paso. The program is designed to bring the study of musical performance beyond mastery of technique and musicianship and into the context of community engagement.

“There are many aspects of classical performance that are critical to success in today’s world, but are often relegated to the sidelines of a conservatory education,” notes Peabody Institute dean Fred Bronstein. “Through innovative programs like the Young Artist Development Series, Peabody is creating a comprehensive education for 21^st century classical musicians.”

The first recipients of the internship are Peabody Conservatory graduate students Nikita Borisevich, violinist, and Margarita Loukachkina, pianist. The duo was selected by a team from Peabody and Zuill Bailey based on their musicianship, artistic collaboration, communication skills, and experience in connecting with diverse audiences.

Mr. Borisevich and Ms. Loukachkina will travel to El Paso, Texas, from November 12 to 18 for a week of “real-world” performance experience. Their internship will include musical outreach performances in schools and venues throughout the region, including master classes at the University of Texas at El Paso; concert appearances in El Paso, Texas, and Las Cruces, New Mexico, as part of the El Paso Pro-Musica Series; and participation in a special event with the El Paso Museum of Art to celebrate the Guggenheim Series exhibit and accompany the painting, “The Green Violinist.” They will work alongside world renowned cellist and El Paso Pro-Musica artistic director Zuill Bailey, a graduate of the Peabody Institute who was honored last year with the Peabody Distinguished Alumni Award.

More about the Young Artist Development Series participants

Nikita Borisevich

Award-winning Russian violinist Nikita Borisevich is known for the precocious depth and sensitivity in his playing and utterly finessed technique. He swept onto the international stage at the age of twelve, and has since then performed in Russia, Czech Republic, Latvia, Austria, Germany, Spain, and the US, on renowned stages such as the Kennedy Center (Washington D.C.), the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory (Russia), and the Manuel de Falla Auditorium (Granada, Spain).

Nikita received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the renowned Moscow Conservatory, where he studied on full scholarship with Maya Glezarova and Marina Keselman, and is currently pursuing further graduate studies at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore with Victor Danchenko and Michael Kannen.

Margarita Loukachkina

A native of Russia, Margarita began her studies of piano at age five with Tatyana Schklovskaya and shortly after was accepted into the prestigious Gnessin School of Music for Gifted Children in Moscow, Russia. While at Gnessin, Margarita traveled to competitions and performed in various recital series across Russia and Europe.

At the age of nine she was awarded second prize at the 1998 “KONZERTEUM” International Piano Competition in Athens, Greece. At only sixteen, Margarita was accepted into the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Maryland, to study with the world renowned Russian pianist Alexander Shtarkman.

Since then she received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees and is currently pursuing a Doctoral degree there. Margarita is on faculty at Garrison Forest School and the Peabody Preparatory and holds an assistantship in music theory with Ildar Khanannov.