Natalia was was born in Moscow and was lucky enough to get a real flavor of the nineteenth-- century’s cello traditions. She started with Anatoly Klivansky, the favourite student of Anatoly Brandukov (dedicatee of Tchaikovsky and Rakhmaninov) and continued with M-me Vera Birina, most popular Russian cello teacher, once a classmate of Rostropovich in Semyon Kozolupov’s studio. Natalia’s Professor at the Conservatoire was Alexander Fedorchenko, teacher of nearly all best Russian cellists today, including Natalia Shakhovskaya, Ivan Monighetti, Alexander Ivashkin, and Alexander Kniazev. Natalia also studied with Alexander Brown ( a pupil of great German cellist Hugo Becker) and with Alexander Stogorsky ( brother of Gregor Piatigorsky), who premiered many great works, including famous Prokofiev‘s ‘Cinderella Adagio’, and has discovered and published dozens of unknown cello masterpieces , including the original version of the Tchaikovsky’s ‘Rococo Variations’, so popular today.
Well known as a soloist, chamber musician and teacher, Natalia has established one of the finest cello classes in Russia, having also been the assistant to Professor Alexander Fedorchenko at the Moscow Conservatoire Central Music School. She also taught at the conservatoires in USA, Australia and New Zealand. In 1989 Natalia was Artist-in-Residence at the Kunstlerhaus Boswil (Switzerland) and in 1989 - 1990 she taught cello at St.Mary's College of Maryland, USA, the oldest music college in the country.
In 1992- 1999 Natalia was on staff at the University of Canterbury School of Music (New Zealand), teaching cello, chamber music and cello ensemble. She has also been the National recording artist in New Zealand and performed as soloist with most of New Zealand orchestras. In 1998 she was awarded New Zealand National Award of Excellence, for outstanding achievements in teaching and performance. Since 1999 Natalia has been living in London.
Natalia has been a personal friend and a collaborated closely with two greatest Russian cellists: Daniil Shafran and Mstislav Rostropovich. Shafran has been an encouraging mentor for Natalia in the early years of her pedagogical career and shared many of his performance ideas with her. Rostropovich inspired Natalia’s best pupils by generously offering masterclasses and lessons to many of her cello students. Close contact with Rostropovich has been continued over the decades, since his memorable performances and lessons in Moscow conservatoire .
Professor of Cello at Trinity College of Music in London and at the Specialist Purcell School, Natalia is a highly sought after teacher, in great demand for masterclasses internationally, with a large number of award winning students on several continents. They include the winners of International competitions in Austria, Portugal, Canada, London , Gisborne , Osaka, Adam Cello Competition, Brahms Competition . Natalia’s s former students are currently professors at the conservatoires on different continents, they play as soloists and in leading string quartets around the globe. Natalia has conducted masterclasses and taught at summer schools in UK, USA, Australia, Russia, China , Taiwan, Belgium, Greece, Croatia, Italy, New Zealand. She has been a judge at many international contests, including the Adam cello festival/competition, the Tunbridge Wells International competition, the Antonio Janigro Cello Competition, and the Gisborne International competition, among others.
Natalia performs in UK, Russia, Europe, America, Australia, and New Zealand and makes recordings on British label 'Chandos' , including the world premiere recording of Sofia Gubaidulina’s ‘Quaternion’ . Natalia’s new CD ( with music by Pergolesi, Boismortier, Boccherini, Mozart, Vivaldi) has just been released on ‘Alma Classics’ label.
Natalia plays Andreas Roesch cello of 1721.
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