# Valentina Starikova

Valentina Ivanovna Starikova (born February 24, 1949, Ufa, Bashkir ASSR, USSR) is a Russian pianist, artist, and music educator. She is an Honored Worker of Culture of the Republic of Bashkortostan, associate professor at the Bashkir State Pedagogical University, laureate of international and all-Russian competitions, and a teacher at the Specialized Secondary Music College of the Republic of Bashkortostan.
She is a jury member of several international music competitions.

## Creative and teaching career

Starikova is one of Russia's leading piano methodologists. Over her career, she has trained more than 60 laureates of international and all-Russian competitions, including Honored Artist of Russia Sergey Chipenko, Honored Workers of Culture of Bashkortostan Ildar Khisamutdinov, Tatyana Lonshakova, and Alexandra Vorotnik, as well as pianists Lee Sion (grand-prix winner of the Haydn Music Competition, Vienna, Austria) and Denis Khusainov (gold medalist of the International Delphic Games and laureate of the first prize of the Konstantin Igumnov Piano Competition). Her graduates teach and perform in many cities across Bashkortostan, Russia, and abroad.
She is the co-founder and educator of the "Music for Everyone" school-studio.
She serves as a jury member for international piano competitions, including the Skavronsky International Competition for Pianists and Piano Ensembles, the A. D. Frank Competition, and festivals such as "On the Wings of Talent" and "Yondoz Ile." She is also a regular participant and co-organizer of scientific conferences and events at the International Forum "Art and Education in the 21st Century." Starikova conducts master classes in Russia and abroad (India, South Korea) and is the author of numerous methodological publications on piano teaching.
She is a long-time partner of the Vladimir Spivakov International Charity Foundation.

## Reviews of her work

Yuri Slesarev, People's Artist of Russia and professor at the Moscow State Conservatory:
"I have had the opportunity to hear many of Valentina Ivanovna's students at competitions, masterclasses, and lessons in the special piano class. I am convinced that their high professional level is the result of the meticulous work of a talented teacher, which I undoubtedly consider Starikova to be. Her pedagogical mastery and methodological expertise allow her to conduct master classes and consultations for piano teachers at all levels of education—schools, colleges, and universities. I always hear positive feedback about these events from colleagues. In my classes at the Moscow Conservatory and the Central Music School, I have taught students of Starikova (specifically Denis Khusainov and Galina Minibayeva), so I am especially familiar with the high quality of her teaching work."
She is a recipient of a grant from the Russian Performing Arts Foundation.

## Awards and titles

She is a laureate of international, national, and regional competitions and an Honored Worker of Culture of the Republic of Bashkortostan. Starikova was awarded the "For Excellent Work" badge by the USSR Ministry of Culture. In 2012, for training her student Lee Sion, who won the grand prix, she was awarded the special "Best Teacher" diploma by an international jury.