Biography: Erika Galinskaya

“Grooming a generation of professional musicians around the world”

Born in Odessa, Ukraine, Ms. Erika Galinskaya studied piano for 17 years. She graduated from a musical college in Murmansk, Russia and from university in Vinnitsa, Ukraine with Master’s degrees in four different musical specialties – solo piano performance, group performance, piano accompaniment and piano pedagogy.

In the course of her career, Erika has studied under a large umbrella of wellknown musicians and teachers in Ukraine, like Nicola Figol, Nicola Uchnovsky and the legendary Vladimir Sinichin.

Before coming to Canada in 1977, she was employed by the comedy theatre “Goldoni” in Rome, Italy as a music director, pianist and stage producer. She has worked with American actors on popular classical musicals and children’s plays which attracted large audiences, both old and young.

Since coming to Canada, Erika has enjoyed a very successful music career, with her talent as a performer and teacher becoming quickly acknowledged and praised. She has released three piano CDs, and has performed in numerous concerts as a soloist and accompanist in Canada and the United States.

Erika has also collaborated with many singers, instrumental musicians, ensembles, community choirs, and public school music productions. She remains deeply involved in Vancouver’s artistic scene, bringing her artistry to her students and to her community.

As a pianist who is classically trained in the old Russian tradition, Erika enjoys playing and teaching jazz and folk music. She is proud to have taught generations of Vancouver musicians for more than three decades. As a member of the Piano Teachers Federation and the British Columbia Registered Music Teachers Association, her reputation as a professional and experienced teacher has earned her outstanding recognition in British Columbia, across Canada, and even in the United States.

Examples of professional work
Small excerpt of live performances and appreciations

• Main Music School celebrating its 30th year, Article in "East Side REVUE" - Dec 2006, Vol.15, No.9
• collaboration with many musicians accompanying as a pianist, for example - Cantor Nixon from 1983 to 1993, Mariam Breitman (choir), Max Kushnir (violin) from 1986 to 1995, Benno Strummer (vocal)
• Artistic director and piano performer at 25th Gala dinner event of "The Hebrew Free Loan Association of Vancouver" in 2007
• numerous piano solo recitals in Russian, Polish and Jewish community centres
• Representative of "Music and Arts in Canada" in Kiev in 1995, Culture exchange for the Canada-Ukraine-Society as well as broadcasting in Russian radio station in Tel-Aviv, Israel, 2001.
• Musical editor in various publications, for example - 'Singles International' in 1983 Volume 1 No.1
• 3 piano CDs published