Caltech-Occidental Symphony Orchestra

Allen Gross, Director

The Caltech-Occidental Symphony presents a free concert featuring pianist Galina Barskaya. The program includes Verdi's Overture to La forza del destino, Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3, and Stravinsky's Suite from The Firebird.

Galina Barskaya teaches piano and is a staff coach/accompanist at Occidental College. She is also the Artistic Director of the Independent Opera Company.  She began studying piano at the age of four and started to perform professionally at the age of seven.  She got her BM and MM at Kiev State College and Kiev State Conservatory where she studied piano, organ, conducting, music history, and composition.  She toured extensively in Russia, Ukraine, and other parts of the former USSR.

Since coming to the United States in 1993, Ms. Barskaya has established herself as a soloist, chamber musician, accompanist, and teacher.  She has also been working as a conductor and music director.  Ms. Barskaya has been on staff at Santa Monica College and California State University at Long Beach and has been a member and founding member of several chamber ensembles.  In the Los Angeles area, she has performed at numerous venues including the Alex Theater and Hollywood Bowl.  She's been involved in different religious music programs as Music Director/Conductor as well as pianist/organist including Emerson UU Church, Kehillat Israel, and Lutheran Church of the Master.  She created the "Musical Explorations" concert series and from 2001 to 2009 had been its founding Artistic Director.  She was also Music Director of the Pacific Palisades-based opera company LA Metropolitan Opera from 2009 to 2012.

Presently, she is on faculty at Occidental College, Music Director at St. Andrews Lutheran Church, Music Director of Mesopotamian Opera Company, and the Founding Music Director/CEO of Independent Opera Company. Galina is also a composer, whose music was recently featured in an educational film titled "Birth In Action."

The same concert will be presented at Occidental College in Thorne Hall on Saturday, November 16th at 7:30 p.m.

Both concerts are free, with no tickets or reservations required, but early arrival is recommended.

For further information, please call the Caltech Office for Performing and Visual Arts at (626) 395-3295.

Presented By: Caltech Performing and Visual Arts