Guest pianist Svetlana Belsky to perform Sept. 18

Guest pianist Svetlana Belsky will present a public recital 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, at Saint Mary’s. The free performance — to be held in Figliulo Recital Hall — will include works of Busoni.

Born in the Soviet Union, Belsky began piano lessons at the age of 7, and was soon performing in the major concert halls of her native Kiev. Her playing has been critically acclaimed as “passionate,” “impressive,” “hypnotic” and “... (possessing) a high degree of musical maturity and sensitivity.”

After immigrating to the United States, Belsky studied with Chicago’s beloved Emilio Del Rosario. She received her Bachelor of Music and Master degrees from the Peabody Conservatory of Music and her Doctorate in Performance at the Manhattan School of Music.

Although she trained mainly in the United States, Belsky has an unmistakably Russian temperament and tonal gift, with which she combines her stylistic versatility and love for a wide variety of music. Belsky has won prizes in numerous national and international piano competitions and has been active as a recitalist and chamber performer throughout the United States, in concert and on the radio. Plans for the upcoming seasons include concerts of Ferruccio Busoni's compositions in the United States, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

She is the coordinator of Piano Studies at the University of Chicago. Her busy teaching schedule includes students from four continents, many of whom are competition winners, professional musicians and performers themselves. She is great demand as a lecturer on the subjects of piano pedagogy, masterclass guest teacher, and competition adjudicator. Additionally, Belsky has written widely on music history, appreciation and piano literature.