Julia Elkina became a member of the MacPhail piano faculty in the fall of 2010. She has more than 20 years of teaching experience, including 10 years of teaching at St. Olaf College in Northfield. She enjoys teaching all ages of students, from preteens to adults, including motivated beginners. In her teaching style she incorporates the best traits of Russian and American pedagogical methods. Her goal is to achieve great results while enjoying the process.
Julia is particularly known for her duo-piano work with her twin sister Irina. Together they won several international Duo-Piano competitions. Highlights of Julia’s performing career include concerts at Lincoln Center in New York and a recital at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts as a part of Schubert Club’s international Artists Series. Julia has also made several appearances on Minnesota Public Radio shows, including performances on “A Prairie Home Companion”.
A graduate of the St. Petersburg Conservatory in Russia with a Diploma of Distinction in Piano Performance, Julia came to the United States in 1993 and continued her studies at the University of Minnesota where she earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance.
