Summer Piano Academy (Advanced)

Born in Ukraine, Misha Tumanov started his musical education in Costa Rica at the Instituto Superior de Artes and the Pre-College Program of the National University, studying with Dr. Alexandr Sklioutovsky. After Mr. Tumanov graduated with honors from the National University at age seventeen, he continued his studies with Dr. Ray Kilburn at Ball State University, receiving a Master’s Degree and Artist Diploma in piano performance. Currently, Mr. Tumanov is a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Maryland, under Dr. Larissa Dedova, where he is recording works of the early Soviet Avant-garde, including Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Myaskovsky, Feinberg, and Roslavets.

Mr. Tumanov has taught in the DC area since 2010. Previously, he taught at the National University of Costa Rica, the Instituto Superior de Artes, and Ball State (both private lessons and group classes). Mr. Tumanov has also taught group classes at George Mason University and the University of Maryland. He has been often invited back to Costa Rica to work with students preparing for competitions and major performances, most notably the International Competition of Slav Music 2009 and 2010, where the students received two Second Prizes and one Third Prize. Mr. Tumanov’s students have performed at the Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, as well as prominent local venues.

Mr. Tumanov’s experience as a teacher ranges from 4 year-old beginners to advanced adults. Mr. Tumanov is passionate about guiding his students to find their own artistic voice and discovering the joy of music.

Mr. Tumanov has participated in masterclasses with such distinguished pianists and teachers as Gyorgy Sandor, Alexander Braginsky, Alexander Kobrin, Jerome Rose, and Jonathan Biss. In 2006 he released a CD featuring works by Bach, Mozart, Chopin, Schumann, and Rachmaninov.

Mr. Tumanov is a frequent performer at festivals and conferences, both as a solo and collaborative pianist, including the International Double Reed Society conference, MTNA, Piano Technicians Guild, and Orfeo Music Festival in Italy. He has been a featured soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, the National and Youth Symphony Orchestras of Costa Rica, as well as the Ball State Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Tumanov has won numerous awards and competitions, including second place at the East-Central Division of the MTNA National Competition, the Indianapolis Matinee Musicale, and 1st Prize at the Pinault International Competition in New York.

In addition, Mr. Tumanov is the pianist/organist and Concert Series Coordinator at the United Christian Parish in Reston, VA.

Andrew Miller, a native of Springfield, VA, is an accomplished pianist whose versatility and commitment to musicianship are exhibited by his active participation as a soloist, accompanist, chamber musician, and instructor in the Northern Virginia area. Mr. Miller is a current third-year doctoral candidate of the D.M.A program in Piano Performance at George Mason University and has had the privilege of studying with Dr. Anna Balakerskaia since 2010. During his studies at Mason, Mr. Miller was selected as a winner of the 2016 GMU Concerto Competition and performed for the Scholarship Benefit Concert with the Mason Symphony Orchestra in May of that year. Mr. Miller was a winner of the GMU Concerto Competition in 2013 and performed Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue in the Young Masters Concert before the completion of his Master of Music in Piano Performance in May 2013. He participated as a performer and chamber musician in the Orfeo International Music Festival held in Vipiteno, Italy in 2011.

In May 2010, Mr. Miller graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from Christopher Newport University. Under the tutelage of CNU professors, Dr. Jeffrey Brown and Dr. Amanda Halstead, Mr. Miller won the CNU Concerto/Aria Competition twice and was given the privilege of performing Beethoven’s “Third Piano Concerto” and Gershwin’s “Concerto in F” with the Christopher Newport University Orchestra. In addition to his orchestral recognition, Mr. Miller received first place in the annual Friends of Music Scholarship Recital and was nominated two times for the “People’s Choice” Award. He has performed various musicals for Theater CNU including the production of Urinetown (2007) as a member of the “Pit Stop Band” and was Assistant Musical Director for their production of Little Shop of Horrors (2008). During the spring of 2009, he was chosen by the faculty and was inducted into the honorary music fraternity Pi Kappa Lambda, which recognizes students for their advanced academic and musical accomplishments. In addition to his keyboard experiences, he enjoyed playing trombone as a member, and later as a drum major (2009), of the CNU Marching Captains.

Today, Mr. Miller works alongside keyboard professors as a graduate lecturer at Mason, maintains a private studio of 30 local students, as well as working as a vocal coach/accompanist for Mason’s private voice studios (since 2011), VA Hills Baptist Church (since 2012), and the Eastern Virginia School for the Performing Arts (2009-2010). In addition to his professional coaching, Mr. Miller has appeared as a soloist/accompanist for the concert series “Music for the Angels” at the National Swedenborgian Church in Washington D.C and is a current recipient of the Linda Monson Endowment Scholarship at George Mason University.