Anna Rastopchina

Anna was born in St Petersburg, Russia, where she studied in Music School, The Rimsky-Korsakov Music College, and then in The St Petersburg (Leningrad) State Conservatoire. Anna graduated from Conservatoire with Honours diploma, qualifying as concert pianist, chamber ensemble player, piano accompanist and piano teacher. Throughout her time at the Conservatoire, Anna was performing extensively and worked as a soloist of the Leningrad Chamber Philharmonia. One of the most memorable performances for her was being a soloist in Rachmaninov’s “Rhapsody on the Theme of Paganini” with Leningrad Conservatoire and Opera Studio Orchestra. In 1987 Anna became a prize winner of the West of Russia Young Musicians’ competition.

In 1994 Anna was awarded the Broadwood Fellowship in piano accompaniment at The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now RCS) in Glasgow, and in the following year she won the RSAMD scholarship. At that time Anna settled in UK with her family. Anna fell in love with tradition Scottish music and won the Brewster Carnegie trophy for composing a Strathspey at the 2015 Kirriemuir Music Festival.

Anna performed in solo and chamber recitals and concerts in Russia, Ukraine, Czech Republic and UK. She recorded for Russian TV. In 2001 and 2002 she appeared as soloist in Chopin concerto No.2 and Schumann concerto with the Edinburgh Symphony Orchestra conducted by Alasdair Mitchell, Glasgow Sinfonia conducted by Gerard Doherty and Athenaeum Orchestra of RSAMD and University of Glasgow conducted by James Grossmith. The venues of recitals include the Queens Hall in Edinburgh, Henry Wood Hall, RCS concert halls, Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities, Ramshorne Theatre, City Halls Recital Room, Greyfriars Kirk, Helensburgh Kirk, Burrell Collection and others.

Anna took part in many masterclasses, including Philip Jenkins, Roger Vignoles and John Street. Anna adjudicated The Tony and Tanya Webster prize for piano at RCS in 2014 and the Beethoven Piano Competition at RCS Junior Conservatoire in 2015. Anna was an official accompanist for Ayrshire Music Festival for 14 years.

Anna is a very busy piano teacher, from 1997 she has been teaching at RCS senior and junior, also at the Music School of Douglas Academy and at The Glasgow Academy. She also has been playing for conducting classes at RCS, led by Martyn Brabbins and Alasdair Mitchell, from 1997.

Currently, Anna teaches piano for BEd pupils (first and second study piano, piano accompaniment). She continues to accompany conducting classes at RCS and teaches piano at RCS Junior Conservatoire. She also continues teaching piano at Music School of Douglas Academy and The Glasgow Academy.