Mikhail Shekhtman
Mikhail Yurievich Shekhtman (; born 25 February 1989) is an Israeli-Russian conductor and pianist. Early life and education Mikhail was born in Moscow in 1989 to a Russian father and Jewish mother, both being biochemists working at the Moscow State University. It was Avram Shechtman, Mikhail's grandfather who deeply loved classical music and, possessing a tenor voice and often singing to young Misha at home as well as playing LP recordings, inspired him to study music. Mikhail has a sister Ekaterina, who is choir conductor and artistic director of the Intrada ensemble. Mikhail's great-grandmother's sister was Emma Shadkhan (Emma S. Woytinski), wife of Wladimir S. Woytinsky, advisor to president Franklin D. Roosevelt. Shekhtman started to play the piano at the age of six and performed her first solo concert at the age of seven. Since early childhood, Mikhail has been studying piano with Elena Aleksandrova. Throughout 2004—2008 Shekhtman studied at the Moscow State Conservatory Academic Music College with Professor Vera Khoroshina, friend of Emil Gilels and one of the favourite female students of professor Heinrich Neuhaus (teacher of S. Richter and E. Gilels). He also studied organ with Professor Natalia Gureeva. Subsequently, he continued studies at the State Tchaikovsky Conservatory