Music Lesson Instructor
Email: sovrutsk@holycross.edu
Biography
Sonya Ovrutsky Fensome is a classical pianist, composer, and educator. Her performances are
known for their fresh, imaginative, and passionate interpretation. Her extraordinary artistry
brings new life to a wide array of piano repertoire – from Baroque to the 21st Century.
Ms. Ovrutsky Fensome has performed in major venues in the United States, Europe, Russia, and
South Africa – including Weill Carnegie Concert Hall and Lincoln Center in NY, Kimmel Center in
Philadelphia, Aspen Music Festival, Palace de Beaux Arts in Brussels and Lucerne Music Festival.
She performed as a soloist with the Aspen Festival Orchestra, Reno Philharmonic, and
Neuchatel Festival Orchestra in Switzerland. She has performed in recitals with world renowned
violinist Sarah Chang, and continuously collaborates with her brother Mikhail Ovrutsky. Their
duo CD “Turning Points” recorded for Berlin Classics® has earned outstanding reviews and was
selected as “CD of the Week” by RBB Kulturradio. Ms. Ovrutsky Fensome’s numerous
competition awards include the Aspen Music Festival Competition and Concert Artist
Competition in New York. Her compositions are streaming on numerous platforms including
Apple Music and Spotify.
A passionate supporter of music education, Ms. Ovrutsky Fensome was appointed Director of
the Piano Academy at M. Steinert and Sons in September 2014. Her commitment to teaching
and inspiring young people in their study of piano music has been recognized with the Top
Teacher Award by Steinway & Sons for several consecutive years. Her recently founded
YouTube channel “From My Piano Room” is recognized around the world and features
educational videos focusing on piano music.
Born into a family of classical musicians, Ms. Ovrutsky Fensome gave her first performance at
age 5. At age 15, she gained world recognition upon winning the International Piano
Competition in Senigalia, Italy. She was invited to study at the Juilliard School of Music as a full
scholarship recipient, where she earned her Bachelors and Masters Degrees in piano
performance, studying with legendary professors Herbert Stessin for piano and Felix Galimir for
chamber music.
Ms. Ovrutsky Fensome resides in Boston, Massachusetts, with her husband and son.