Elena Cholakova

Elena Cholakova is the Director of Piano Studies and an Associate Teaching Professor of Piano at Emory University. She is a renowned Bulgarian pianist active in Europe, South America, and the U.S., performing in venues like Vienna’s Musikverein and Chicago’s Fazioli Salon. Her work includes collaborations with the Atlanta Chamber Players and multimedia productions of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. She champions contemporary music, particularly through an album commissioning works by female composers.

Dr. Cholakova holds a Doctor of Music (20XX) and Master of Music (20XX) from Northwestern University. Her research focuses on Chopin’s Preludes, presented at the World Piano Conference in Serbia. She directs Emory’s Young Artist Piano Competition and teaches internationally at festivals like Interharmony (Italy) and Prague Piano Festival (Czech Republic).

Her awards include the Rislov Foundation Scholarship and Vaughan Williams Grant. She advises students who have won national and international competitions, emphasizing pedagogical innovation. Her professional networks span festivals such as Balabanov’s House Music Days (Bulgaria) and the International Chamber Music Festival (Mexico).