Strezeva Milana

About

Milana Strezeva, a Moldovan-American pianist, has distinguished herself through her impressive career in chamber music and her exceptional contributions to the promotion of classical music. Born in Moldova into a family of musicians – her father a clarinetist and her mother, the renowned soprano Svetlana Strezeva, nicknamed "The Russian Mermaid" and winner of the 1982 Tchaikovsky Competition – Milana began playing the piano at the age of 5 and, at just 11 years old, was already performing chamber music with her parents. She studied at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York, where she received full scholarships for her bachelor's and master's degrees, under the guidance of masters such as Bella Davidovich and Julian Martin, becoming a founding member of the Manhattan Piano Trio, an award-winning ensemble that has performed in over 30 US states, as well as in Australia, South Africa, Italy, and China. Her artistic achievements include major awards at international competitions such as the Plowman Chamber Music Competition, Yellow Springs Chamber Music Competition, Australian Broadcasting Corporation Listeners Choice Award, and IBLA International Competition, and critics, such as those from the Boston Globe, have praised her for "technically fluid, dramatically compelling, and full-bodied sound collaborations." She has performed in legendary halls like Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Merkin Hall, and Ravinia Festival, releasing a CD with Schumann and Chopin trios on the Marquis Classics label. As president and artistic director of the Grand Piano Series, founded in 2016 in Naples, Florida, alongside her husband Raniero Tazzi, Milana has developed a platform that hosts elite artists such as Eric Lu and Callisto String Quartet, on a Fazioli F308 unique in the USA, promoting access to classical music in communities, including disadvantaged schools, despite challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricane Ian. Her long-standing collaborations with her mother have led to recitals in the USA, Italy, Denmark, Germany, Ukraine, Romania, Moldova, and China, with programs dedicated to Russian vocal literature. Active as a pedagogue, vocal coach, and organist at St. Leo Catholic Church, Milana lives in Naples, Florida, with her husband Raniero Tazzi, continuing to enrich the musical scene through education and innovative concerts, inspired by her Moldovan roots and her love for live music.