Violinist Masha Polishchuk is a passionate chamber musician and champion of new music. Recently recorded and performed new works include those by Cristobal MarYan, Lacy Rose, and Jon Crompton. She performs with the American Ballet Theater and American Symphony Orchestra. She has previously performed on distinguished stages such as Carnegie Hall, David Geffen Hall, The Barns at Wolf Trap, and National Sawdust, as well as across the globe, including Austria, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Russia, and Switzerland.
Polishchuk is also a frequent performer and collaborator with MusicTalks, a chamber music concert series which makes music of different eras accessible to diverse audiences. This season's concerts with MusicTalks include collaborations with Tony-nominated star Tony Yazbeck, producing and performing an immersive tribute to Monet, and exciting and educational Klezmer shows.
Born in Moscow, Russia, Polishchuk immigrated to the United States with her family at a young age and immediately began her musical pursuits with her parents, also professional musicians. She was later trained by esteemed pedagogues, Isaac Malkin and Elisabeth Zeuthen Schneider. She was awarded the prestigious Helen Airoff Dowling and Twiford Foundation Scholarships, as well as the Josephine C. Whitford Award at the Manhattan School of Music, where she earned her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees. She later won the Lillian Fuchs Chamber Music Competition.
Photo: Tayla Nebesky
PEDAGOGY
Teaching Philosophy
Learning to play an instrument involves a set of skills that are transferrable to every aspect of life. The cycle of persistent attention to detail, seeking to make something the student imagines a reality, and the ultimate satisfaction of creating a product the student can be proud of is at the center of the teaching philosophy. Students are guided through learning to teach themselves how to succeed at the performance of a piece of music so that they may become more comfortable and confident teaching themselves more music they love, or perhaps other, completely unrelated pursuits they may find themselves attracted to.
Students learn how to listen to themselves, constantly raise their standards, take pleasure in the sound of the violin and develop a unique sound, and to become comfortable with playing the violin. Appropriate attention is also spent learning relevant rudiments of music theory, ear training, composition, ensemble playing, and performance.
Online instruction is offered both as a supplement to in-person lessons as well as a distance learning option. Please note, online instruction is not recommended for very young beginners, as there are many aspects of violin playing technique that need to be demonstrated and physically guided, and much is lost in the way of sound quality when the student and teacher cannot be in the same room.
AETAS
Photo: Tayla Nebesky
Chamber ensemble AETAS is dedicated to sharing the beauty of human connection through music. Presenting works of all eras, from medieval to contemporary, the ensemble seeks to promote accessibility through artistic exposure.
AETAS has given world premieres of commissioned works from composer/conductor Solomon Hoffman and the award-winning composer Paolo Marchettini, composer-in-residence at Berklee College of Music. Founded by Anthony Limoncelli and Mariya Polishchuk in 2014, it is comprised of a diverse roster of musicians and ranges widely in size to suit performance needs.
AETAS is available for corporate and private events in several configurations, including small string ensemble (duo, trio, quartet) to full chamber orchestra. We provide both more traditional concert experiences as well as incidental or ceremonial music in a wide array of genres.
