Artistic Vision and Style
Sofia Vasheruk is a concert pianist whose artistry exudes both professional elegance and poetic expression. At the heart of her musicianship is a signature approach to concert programming that seeks to awaken and expand the listener’s perception of classical music. She often juxtaposes eras and styles in imaginative ways, believing that context can profoundly shape how we hear familiar works. “Playing with contrasts of styles and moods during a concert… can significantly change the impression of a particular musical piece.” A Bach prelude placed at the start of a recital will feel different from the same piece performed after the passionate dissonances of Prokofiev or Scriabin; Vasheruk crafts programs as journeys—full of harmonies, contradictions, and discoveries—inviting audiences to listen with fresh ears.
This innovative spirit extends to her concert presentations. Vasheruk often introduces pieces with brief, lucid reflections or historical vignettes, drawing a thread between composer, score, and moment. The result is a sense of shared exploration: in her hands, a recital becomes a story, and the audience a companion to it.
Critic Clare Varney has captured this atmosphere in a series of reviews. She describes Vasheruk as “completely at one with the piano,” revealing “an intimate and highly nuanced sound world.” At another performance, there was “an audible gasp as Sofia Vasheruk took to the stage.”
And in Rachmaninov, she opened with “an understated, mysterious, and tense opening.” Together, these portraits sketch an artist who marries inward depth with communicative clarity. (thespidyeditor.com )
“Sofia is not just a pianist, but an artist that music itself feeds on. She is a tireless explorer of the compositional universe she navigates; she does not merely play: she digs, discovers, transforms, with the sole purpose of giving more… Sofia is one of those artists who, if there is one thing she will never abandon, it is music.”
— Girolamo Salerno, Artistic Director, Palermo Classica Festival
Studies and Early Achievements
Moscow‑born into a family of musicians, Vasheruk began at the Gnessin State Music College (Prof. Ada Traub), continued at the Chopin Music College in Moscow (Prof. Ksenia Knorre), and later studied in the Netherlands at the ArtEZ Conservatorium in Enschede and Zwolle with Prof. Michail Markov (Bachelor 2012; Master cum laude, 2014). From 2012–2016 she pursued postgraduate studies with Prof. Eliso Virsaladze at the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole (Florence).
During her formative years, Vasheruk quickly gained international recognition through numerous piano competitions: a semifinalist at the Queen Elisabeth Piano Competition (Brussels), Grand Prix and special prizes at the André Dumortier International Piano Competition (Belgium), 3rd Prize at the Sigismund Thalberg International Piano Competition (Naples), and 3rd Prize at the International Piano Competition Enschede; she also took 3rd Prize at Amsterdam’s National Young Pianist Foundation competition, performing Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 in Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ with Noord Nederlands Orkest
Vasheruk’s early career quickly blossomed from competition halls to concert stages around the world. Even as a young artist, she was invited to perform as a soloist with numerous orchestras, appearing in venues across Europe, Asia, and beyond. She has graced stages such as Teatro Juárez in Guanajuato, (Mexico), Moscow Philharmonic (Russia), Palermo Classica International Festival (Italy), Plovdiv State Opera,( Bulgaria), Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall in Yerevan, (Armenia), Auditorio de la Diputation de Alicante, and Torrevieja Auditorio in Alicante, (Spain ), Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ in Amsterdam , (The Netherlands) Auditorio Boa Nova in Estoril (Portugal), working with such orchestras as: , Noord Nederlands Orkest, Russian National Orchestra, Palermo Classica Festival Orchestra, Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfónica de la Universidad de Guanajuato, Savaria Symphony Orchester, Romanian State Philharmonic Orchestra, Turkish National Philharmonic Orchestra and South Korea, where she appeared at the Busan Maru International Music Festival in 2023
A milestone in her discography is the debut album Reverie (Debussy)—a Palermo Classica release (2017) in which she writes, “Debussy is a composer who creates sound before anything else.” The recording affirmed her affinity for color, atmosphere, and the poetic line at the heart of French impressionism.
Since 2015, Vasheruk has channeled her artistic vision into original, interdisciplinary programs as co‑founder (together with pianist Andrey Nesterenko) and artistic director of the international foundation Stichting Music Take In.
As the artistic director of this foundation, Vasheruk set out to break the fourth wall of classical music by fusing it with other disciplines and creative storytelling. The foundation’s concerts often combine classical music with elements of theater, literature, and dance, striving to make every program personal, vivid, and deeply engaging for the public. In her own words, the goal has been to lower the barriers between performers and audience, so that after each concert “no one stays untouched” by the experience.
Bach’s Koffiecantate (BWV 211) & Bauernkantate (BWV 212) — Early Music Take In productions (2015) with singers in semi‑staged form, bringing out the humor and humanity of Bach’s miniature music‑theater.
Two Hearts (2016) — An authentic crossover in which all music was specially transcribed by Vasheruk’s tango quartet Sienstango; unique arrangements of Kurt Weill songs and a spectrum of tangos (including Piazzolla) were performed as a single, narrative arc.
Rachmaninov Spreekt (2023) — With Daniel Rowland, Aleksandra \kaspera and Andrey Nesterenko a portrait of Rachmaninov that blended performance with the composer’s own words to mark his anniversary year.
Take Me Home (première 2024) — A personal program about belonging and “home,” first in Enschede’s Arkezaal with Yaroslav Abaimov and Anna Emelianova; later versions in Roden with Aleksandra Kaspera and Andrey Nesterenko, and in Zwolle with Lisa Jacobs.
Home Unbound (2025) — With Italian writer Bianca Soria, thirteen migration stories intertwined with piano miniatures by Chopin, Gershwin, Scriabin, Barber, Schumann, and others—spoken word and music enriching one another in real time.
Duet van Verbeelding (2025) — A kinetic conversation between sound and sculpture, created with Theo Jansen and his Strandbeesten; Romantic soundscapes meeting moving forms in an evening of narrative, humor, experiment, and surprise.
Dutch Chamber Fest (from 2025) — A three‑day festival in Schaarsbergen–Arnhem realizing Vasheruk’s dream of mentoring young artists: twelve international talents coached by Carel Kraayenhof, Lisa Jacobs, Johan van der Linden, Aleksandra Kaspera, Andrey Nesterenko and Vasheruk, culminating in a grand finale all together on one stage - in the Muzenzaal, Musis Arnhem.
Across these projects, one constant remains: Vasheruk’s drive to connect disciplines and people—turning concerts into living stories that resonate long after the final chord.
Current Endeavors and Future Horizons
Today, Sofia Vasheruk continues to build on her artistic vision with a range of exciting projects. In addition to her concert schedule—from intimate chamber music collaborations to concertos with orchestra—she is dedicated to expanding the recorded repertoire. Her upcoming solo piano album will be devoted to the music of Leo Samama, a recording project timed to celebrate the composer’s 75th birthday in early 2026. Slated for release in January 2026, this album reflects Vasheruk’s commitment to shining a light on living composers and less familiar works. In a special presentation recital planned for the occasion, she will unveil Samama’s piano creations, offering listeners a chance to discover the lyrical and modern facets of his sound world.
As she moves forward, Vasheruk remains devoted to her mission of enriching the classical music experience. Each new program—whether centered on a concept, a composer, or a poetic idea—is crafted to invite audiences into deeper engagement. With imaginative programming, thoughtful interpretations, and a radiant stage presence, Sofia Vasheruk continues to captivate listeners and colleagues alike, ensuring that classical music remains a living, breathing art—forever ready to surprise and inspire.
