Born into a family of musicians, Misha Galant began piano lessons at the age of six with his mother, Olya Katsman. During high school, he received guidance from Sharon Mann and Yoshikazu Nagai of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He graduated from Columbia University, where he studied piano with Joseph Kalichstein through the Columbia-Juilliard Exchange, while also earning degrees in Data Science and Russian Literature. In 2023, he completed a Master’s in Piano Performance under Dr. Viktor Valkov, followed in 2025 by a Master’s in Atmospheric Sciences with Dr. John Horel at the University of Utah. His other influential teachers include Tatiana Zelikman of the Gnesin School in Moscow and Dr. Yu-Jane Yang of Weber State University in Utah. Misha has performed as a soloist with the Fort Worth, Rochester, Utah, and Oakland symphonies, among others. He was a prizewinner at the Gina Bachauer, New Orleans, Eastman, and the inaugural Van Cliburn Junior international piano competitions, and in 2020, was named one of two Gilmore Young Artists in the United States. In March 2022, he organized and performed a benefit concert for Ukraine, raising $8,500 in humanitarian aid. Beyond his musical and academic pursuits, Misha enjoys hiking, skiing, and trail running, and was a member of Columbia University’s Division I swim team.

This concert is sponsored by The SEARK Concert Association, The National Federation of Music Clubs, The Monticello Music Clubs, and the Pine Bluff Musical Coterie.