ANA PALANCIUC

Soviet-born pianist Ana Palanciuc Hamilton came to the US from the Republic of Moldova, where she was reared in a musical family. Her father was a conductor and professor of choral conducting at the Moldavian State Conservatory, and her mother was a classical pianist who studied with Olga Zhukova at the Moscow Conservatory. Ana began playing piano at an early age and soon began winning competitions at the local, national, and international levels. Early highlights include finalist and special recognition prizes at the inaugural Vladimir Horowitz international piano competition in Kiev, winner at the E. Coca international competition in Chisinau, Moldova, and many national radio and television appearances.

After studying with Nina Panieva, Daniel Goiti, and Zsofi Kovacs in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, in high school, during which time she won the second prize at the national music olympics as well as numerous awards and honors, she auditioned for world-renowned pianist Mark Zeltser and became his first international student at Centenary College in Shreveport, Louisiana. After two years under his tutelage, Ana achieved notable success, including receiving top prizes at the MTNA piano competitions at the state and US regional levels. After Zeltser’s departure from Centenary, Ana was privileged to complete her studies at Louisiana’s Northwestern State University school of music under Dr. Nikita Fitenko. Other highlights during her college years include receiving the Shirley Hawn Award as the outstanding freshman in music from Centenary, the Arthur Chopin Watson Award for excellence in music and academics from Northwestern State, winning NSU’s concerto competition, and serving as principal pianist at the Shreveport Symphony. Performance highlights include concerts with the National Symphony Orchestra of the Republic of Moldova, the Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony Orchestra, and recitals throughout Eastern Europe and the US.

Success during her college years coincided with a newfound desire to devote herself to charity work, which eventually led Ana and her husband to China, where they worked with poor and underprivileged children in Yunnan Province for three years. After returning to the States and continuing to work with students in inner-city schools for several years, she undertook graduate studies under the tutelage of Dr. Joseph DiPiazza in the University of North Carolina Greensboro’s school of music, graduating with the M.M. degree in piano performance (with distinction) in 2018.

Ana is known for her virtuosity, lyricism, and passionate live performances. She is also an accomplished and ardent collaborative pianist, with a vast repertoire of choral, vocal, and instrumental works. Ana resides in the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina with her husband, philosopher and poet Jesse Hamilton, and their daughter, aspiring artist and writer Elizabeth Hamilton.

Audio

(excerpts from live performances)

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