Russian-American pianist Olga Kern is recognized as one of her generation's great artists. With her vivid stage presence, passionately  confident musicianship and extraordinary technique, the striking pianist continues to captivate fans and critics alike.  Kern was born into a family of musicians with direct links to Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff, and began studying piano at the age of five. She jumpstarted her U.S. career with her historic Gold Medal at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth—the first woman to do so in more than 30 years.  Steinway Artist and First Prize winner of the Rachmaninoff International Piano Competition at seventeen, she is a laureate of many international competitions. In 2017, she received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, joining other honorees including Rosa Parks, Buzz Aldrin, Coretta Scott King and Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. This commendation recognizes Americans who “embody the spirit of America in their salute to tolerance, brotherhood, diversity, and patriotism.”  In 2016 she served as Jury Chairman of both the Seventh Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition and the first Olga Kern International Piano Competition, where she also holds the title of Artistic Director.   Kern frequently gives masterclasses and since September 2017 has served on the piano faculty of the prestigious Manhattan School of Music.  She was named Connie & Marc Jacobson Chamber Music Series Director for the Virginia Arts Festival beginning with the 2019 season.  In the 2019-20 season, Kern performed with the Allentown Symphony, Grand Rapids Symphony, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Symphony, Toledo Symphony Orchestra, New Mexico Philharmonic, and the New West Symphony, as well as appearing on US tour with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine. She appeared in recitals in Orford, Sunriver, Fort Worth (Cliburn), Carmel and San Francisco.   In recent seasons, Kern performed with the Moscow Philharmonic, Santa Fe Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, Baltimore Symphony and Pacific Symphony, and was a featured soloist for the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.  She also served as Artist in Residence for the San Antonio Symphony’s 2017-18 season and had her Chinese debut with the National Youth Orchestra of China tour.  Other season highlights included returns to the Royal Philharmonic with Pinchas Zukerman, Orchestre Philharmonique de Nice with Giancarlo Guerrero.  Kern's discography includes Harmonia Mundi recordings of the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and Christopher Seaman (2003), her Grammy-nominated recording of Rachmaninoff’s Corelli Variations and other transcriptions (2004), a recital disk with works by Rachmaninoff and Balakirev (2005), Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Warsaw Philharmonic and Antoni Wit (2006), Brahms Variations (2007) and a 2010 release of Chopin Piano Sonatas No. 2 and 3 (2010).   More recently, SONY released their recording of Kern performing the Rachmaninoff Sonata for Cello and Piano with cellist Sol Gabetta.  She was also featured in “Playing on the Edge,” the award-winning documentary about the 2001 Cliburn Competition, as well as “Olga’s Journey,” “Musical Odyssey in St. Petersburg” and “They Came to Play.”  In 2012, Olga and her brother—conductor and composer Vladimir Kern—co-founded the Aspiration Foundation to provide financial and artistic assistance to musicians throughout the world.