Pianist Tanya Karyagina is praised for her “brilliant fluency, outstanding tone quality” (La Libre Belgique) and “elegant alternation of tragedy and optimism” (Fort Worth Star-Telegram). Born in Kazakhstan, American pianist Tanya Karyagina made her concerto début at the age of nine with the Kazakh Chamber Orchestra under Yuri Dorokhovski and has also appeared as a soloist with the Kazakh National Symphony, Fort Worth symphony Orchestra, TCU Symphony, USC Symphony, North East Symphony, and Nova Amadeus Chamber Orchestra working with such distinguished conductors as Leon Fleisher, Sergiu Comissiona, Nicola Samale, Keri-Lynn Wilson, Jeremy Swerling, German Gutierrez, and Tolepbergen Abdrashev.

She has performed throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Kazakhstan, Russia, Belgium, France, Italy, Greece and Germany in such venues as Carnegie Hall (Weill) in New York, Vilar Performing Arts Center in Colorado, Bass Performance Hall in Texas, Segerstrom Center for the Arts and McCallum Theater in California, Le Théâtre Bonbonnière in Epinal, France, Rachmaninov Hall in Moscow, Russia, Central Concert Hall, National Philharmonic Hall and National Opera Theater in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Tanya Karyagina has won top prizes in nearly thirty National and International Piano Competitions. Among them are the First Prize in 2009 Bradshaw and Buono International Piano Competition, Mendelssohn Prize in 2009 Mendelssohn International Piano Competition, two Second Prizes in Divisions V and VI and a Special Prize for the best performance of a Paganini Etude in 2008 Los Angeles Liszt International Competition, Second Prize, Silver Medal of the President of the Senate, Eko and Foundation Como Prizes in 2008 Rome International Piano Competition, and First Prize in 1998 Chopin International Piano Competition. 

As an avid chamber musician and entrepreneur, Tanya Karyagina is the founder and pianist for the ALORTA TRIO, which has been in high demand performing to critical acclaim around the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex and beyond. She is the founder and director of Southwestern Piano Ensemble – a student ensemble that performs repertoire written and arranged for multiple pianos. Tanya Karyagina also collaborates regularly with members of Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra in different small ensemble settings as the pianist and harpsichordist.

Tanya Karyagina’s passion for training and equipping the next generation of pianists and musicians has led her to establish Tanya Karyagina Piano Studio – a school which provides world-class training for talented, motivated and committed students. She is the pianist for Cliburn in the Classroom program that brings classical music to public schools in the DFW Metroplex. Dr. Karyagina has served on music faculty in many higher education institutions: Vanguard University, Tarrant County College, Dallas Baptist University, Texas Christian University, USC’s Thornton School of Music, and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Texas Baptist College, teaching Piano and Piano and Theory related classes to undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students. Tanya Karyagina is in high demand as a Master Class Clinician and Workshop Presenter on topics related to Piano Performance and Pedagogy.

Dr. Tanya Karyagina started taking piano lessons at the age of five with Evgenia Rubina. She graduated from the Baiseitova Special Music School for Gifted Children in Almaty, Kazakhstan, where she studied with professors Aida Isakova and Nurlan Izmailov. She received the Bachelor of Music Degree in Piano Performance and Performer’s Certificate from Texas Christian University’s School of Music, where she studied with professors Tamás Ungár and Harold Martins. She also holds the Master of Music Degree in Piano Performance, the Artist Diploma and the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Piano Performance with academic and elective fields in Music Theory and Analysis, Piano Pedagogy and Early Music (Harpsichord) from the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music, where she studied with the renowned professor John Perry.

Tanya Karyagina has articles and concert reviews published world-wide. She has appeared on CBS 11, world satellite TV, Radio Vaticana and Kazakh National TV and radio stations performing, giving interviews and acting. Apart from her teaching and piano performance career Tanya Karyagina is an aspiring violinist. She likes spending time with friends and family, being outdoors, hiking, walking, jogging, swimming, cooking, reading, traveling and experiencing new cultures.