Gulrukh Shakirova, Piano

Biography

Pianist Gulrukh Shakirova has delighted audiences internationally with depth of musicality and technical brilliance. Originally from Uzbekistan, she graduated with honors from Uspensky Special Music School in Tashkent. She continued her education with Marina Sultanova at the State Conservatory of Uzbekistan, where she graduated with honors with a Bachelor’s Degree in piano performance. She studied on full scholarship with Van Cliburn Competition Gold Medalist Stanislav Ioudenitch at the International Center for Music at Park University, receiving a Graduate Certificate in piano in 2006 and Master’s in Music Performance in 2010.
Currently Gulrukh is studying on Artist Diploma program on full scholarship under the guidance of the legendary Menahem Pressler at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music. Gulrukh is an Associate Instructor of piano at the Jacobs School of Music.

Gulrukh has received various awards including first prize at the 15th Republican Piano Competition, Uzbekistan (1999); third prize and bronze medal at the 50th International Piano Competition “Nena Wideman,” USA (2000); second prize at the 7th Nikolai Rubinstein International Piano Competition, France (2004); third prize at the 3rd International Piano Competition in Almaty, Kazakhstan (2006); and the Laureate of Festival “Days of the International Meeting of Young Musicians,” Moscow (1994).

She was awarded the Presidential State Scholarship in Uzbekistan in the area of Culture and Art (2002). She also studied composition with the distinguished Uzbek composer Ikram Akbarov, and was awarded several prizes and diplomas in composition at various competitions for the creative youth of Uzbekistan.

During 2006-2007 Shakirova performed concertos with the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Uzbekistan. She played a solo recital at the 2005 Grand Piano Festival at Park University and performed there also in 2006. During Park’s Grand Piano Festivals from 2005 through 2009, she played in master classes with Dmitri Bashkirov, Fou Ts’ong, William Grant Naboré, Martino Tirimo, Dang Thai Son and Hae-Sun Paik.
Shakirova was awarded the Certificate of Achievement from Kansas City’s International Relations Council and Park University, for excellence in speaking and performance in the International Classroom Partnership Program, and for fostering international understanding between Uzbekistan and the United States.