Sabine (Yelena Koshelevskaya) is an extremely talented young piano player. Originally from Moscow, Russia she got her classical training from the best teachers in Russia and the United States.
Among her teachers were John Perry, Jerome Lowenthal, Michael Lewin, Natalia Trull, Mihail Olenev, Tatiana Zelikman, and many others. She received her formal education and degrees from the USC Thornton School of Music, the Boston Conservatory, the University of Northern Iowa in the USA, the Russian Academy of Music and the Moscow Gnessin Central Special School for gifted children in Moscow, Russia.
As a professional performer she developed her skills since a very young age. Since the age of 6 she performed at different venues which included the Central House of Art, the Moscow Scientist House, the Russian Academy Great Hall, the Moscow Conservatory Great Hall, etc.
At the age of 12 she gave her first solo recital and she learned Rachmaninoff's Third Concerto. At the age of 15 (she spent only 3 months learning it) she appeared on the TV show "Success". Still being a student of the Gnessin School she performed at the following prestigious international festivals: International Russian Music Festival in Graz, Austria (1991), International Contemporary Music Festival in England (1990).
Later on she became a top-prize winner of numerous international and national competitions:
- Liszt Los Angeles International Piano Competition (2004, Special Prize For Liszt Sonata B-minor)
- Concerto Competition Winner at the Boston Conservatory (2002-03,1 prize and performance of the Prokofiev's Second Concerto with an orchestra)
- Concerto Competition Winner at the University of Northern Iowa (2000-01, 1 prize and performance of Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini with an orchestra)
- MTNA finalist in Washington, DC (2001)
- MTNA Competition Winner in Minneapolis (2001,1 prize)
- MTNA Competiton Winner in Iowa-city (2000, 1 prize)
- IBLA Grand Prize International Competition for pianists and vocalists in Italy (1999,1 prize) which brought her to the United States.
She got a full Scholarship and Assistantship at the University of Northern Iowa.
Her other classical achievements included Music Academy of the West in Santa Barabara (2003, music festival and summer school), and The Great Romantics International Piano Festival in Hamilton, Canada (2005, one of the major guest-performers).
Her talent for jazz was discovered at the USC Thornton School of Muisic by Dennis Thurmond (piano faculty member, who used to teach at the Berkelee College), and she had an opportunity to attend his jazz improvization classes. After Dennis Thurmond introduced her to jazz and improvisation, Sabine became deepy involved in this music.
When she moved to Washington, DC in 2007, she worked very closely with famous sax player Fred Foss, who was her major mentor by that time. In less than 2 years she has performed at the prestigious Cosmos Club, Twins, HR-57, Sofitel, Post Office Pavillion in DC, Jay's on Reed in Baltimore, La Porta in Virginia, etc.
Her performing partners include Arch Thompson, Fred Foss, Herman Burney, Leonardo Lucini, Butch Warren, Sharon Thomas,and others. Sabine currently resides in Los Angeles, CA. She has already performed at Hollywood Studio Bar&Grill on Sunset, Spazio, M Dinner House, and other venues. Before she moved to California, she was a piano player for the Butch Warren Experience Band.
