Biography
Born in the Soviet Union, I lived in Moscow until 1994 before moving to Chicago with my family. My mother instilled in me a love of reading, while my father’s musical influence gave me a strong ear for music. I was fortunate to graduate from the best conservatory, where I had the privilege of meeting some of Russia’s most renowned composers and scholars. After completing my studies, I began teaching at a prestigious music college and later at the Maimonides Academy, where I expanded my scholarly interests to include the comparative analysis of contemporary and classical forms in both music and literature. My academic pursuits focused then on the intersection of music and literature, particularly the works of composers such as K. Penderecki, S. Gubajdulina, and A. Schnittke. I earned my PhD in Moscow (1993) and my second PhD in Chicago (2000), with both research projects exploring the convergence of music and literature. I plan to translate my book Tjutchev: Euphony and Beyond (2012) into Russian. I have taught at the University of Chicago, DePaul University, and UIC from (2000-2024). I am passionate about both teaching and research.