Silvana Santinelli, Pianist, DMA Biography Silvana Santinelli has performed in Russia, Czech Republic, France, Canada, China and Switzerland, in addition to the United States and her native Mexico. A Fulbright former scholar, Dr. Santinelli’s many accomplishments include being the first prize winner of the Mexican National piano Competition. At the age of fourteen, she made her solo debut with the San Antonio Symphony, performing the Ravel Piano Concerto in G Major, after winning first prize in the Young Artist Award Competition. Other prizes and awards include being the winner of the Ulrich Piano Competition, in Maryland, the French International Piano Festival Competition in Paris and the Josef Hoffman International Piano Competition. Dr. Santinelli was a semifinalist in the San Antonio International Piano Competition, the Missouri International Piano Competition, and the New Orleans International Piano Competition. Dr. Santinelli graduated with a Doctorate in Musical Arts from the University of Maryland, College Park. Her main instructors include Santiago Rodriguez, Andre Watts, Alexander Alexandrov, Valeri Grokovski, Emmett Vokes, and Robert Avalon. Santinelli’s two-CD set of the “Most Representative Piano Works” by Mexican Composer Rodolfo Halffter on Centaur Records label has been internationally acclaimed. Her recent CD recent with violinist Ron Francois (Duo Francois) “Mexico City Blues” has won the Silver Medal in the “Golden Global Awards” in the category of Best Duo and emerging Artistis. The CD features works for Violin and Piano by Andrew Paul MacDonald, Canada, James David, United States and Juan Trigos, Mexico. The CD under iTinerant Classics label is available on Itunes, Spotify, Amazon. The recording of the Concerto for Piano and Orchestra by Mexican composer Carlos Chavez, with the Orchestra of Guanajuato, will be available at the end of 2018. In addition to her extensive career as a soloist, Silvana Santinelli is a member of the “Duo Francois” with violinist Ron Francois. The Duo just recently was awarded with the prestigious Mexican grant FONCA. Projects for 2017-2019 include International tours in China, Canada, United States, Mexico and Europe. Since 2011, Silvana Santinelli has been a frequent guest and lecturer at the University of Guanajuato and Conservatorio de Celaya in Mexico. She maintains a flourishing private studio in Fort Collins, Colorado and is the President of the Fort Collins Music Teachers National Association (FCMTNA).