Vera Gornostayeva

Vera Vasilyevna Gornostayeva was a Soviet and Russian pianist, pedagogue, and public figure in music. She held the position of Professor and head of the special piano department at the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory and served as the President of the Moscow Union of Musicians. In 1988, she was awarded the title of People's Artist of the RSFSR.

Born in Moscow on October 1, 1929, to a pianist mother and an engineer father, Gornostayeva began her musical education in 1937 at the Central Music School. She went on to graduate from the Moscow State Conservatory in 1952 and completed her postgraduate studies in 1955 under the tutelage of the legendary Heinrich Neuhaus. Immediately following her studies, she embarked on a dual career as a concert performer and a teacher.

Gornostayeva's pedagogical career spanned over six decades. From 1955 to 1959, she taught at the Gnessin State Musical College, initially as an assistant. In 1959, she joined the faculty of the Moscow Conservatory, where she was appointed professor in 1968. Her teaching influence extended internationally; upon the recommendation of Mstislav Rostropovich, she taught for nearly 20 years at the 'Yamaha Master Class' in Japan starting in 1990, and also worked in France and other countries. She was a respected jury member at prestigious international competitions in Cleveland, Leeds, Bolzano, Warsaw, Hamamatsu, and Athens.

Beyond her performing and teaching, Gornostayeva was a significant cultural figure. She created and hosted 'Open Grand Piano,' a unique educational program on Soviet television dedicated to the piano. She was also the founder of the Moscow Union of Musicians. Gornostayeva expressed her insights through writing, authoring the book 'Two Hours After the Concert' and numerous reviews and essays on great contemporary musicians, placing them within the context of their era.

Her teaching legacy is profound, having mentored a multitude of distinguished pianists. Her students include Eteri Andjaparidze, Pavel Egorov, Sergei Babayan, Dina Joffe, Ivo Pogorelić, Vadim Kholodenko, Andrey Gugnin, and her grandson, Lukas Geniušas, among many others. She was praised by musicologists for her ability to fully realize her performance potential, a trait attributed to her strong character and exceptional intellect. Vera Gornostayeva passed away in Moscow on January 19, 2015, at the age of 85, and was buried at the Danilovskoye Cemetery.

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