Performer | SOPHIA KILBURG*

Sophia Kilburg is a senior at the University of Iowa double majoring in Theatre Arts and English with a minor in Dance. Recent credits include The Children's Hour and String at the University of Iowa and Newsies and The Music Man at Countryside Theatre in Eldridge, IA. Sophia would like to thank her teachers, family, and friends for all their support!

Accompanist | MARIYA AHKADJANOVA

Mariya Akhadjanova is currently an ABD student finishing her doctorate studies in piano under Dr. Ksenia Nosikova at the University of Iowa. She is a native of Uzbekistan and started playing piano at age 6. In 2018-2022, Mariya was a piano teaching assistant for individual lessons and group piano, as well as collaborative pianist at the University of Iowa. Mariya performed with National Symphony Orchestra of Uzbekistan and throughout the world as a soloist and a chamber musician. She was a winner of International Piano Competitions in Central Asia and Russia. In October 2021, Mariya performed at Carnegie Hall, New York, as a winner of the 2021 “Golden Classical Music Awards" International Competition. In the past few years, she participated in different online piano competitions and received First Prize of the Charleston International Competition (Baroque and European Music Competition), First Prize of the Swiss International Music Competition, and was selected for the Career Project, and Second Prize of the International Moscow Music Competition.

In Spring 2022, she was a rehearsal accompanist and in the orchestra for the University of Iowa production String. In March 2019, she participated in the University of Iowa production Sunday in the Park with George as a rehearsal accompanist and in the orchestra.