Angelina Gadeliya Leads Piano Master Class at Wesleyan

Angelina Gadeliya is a Ukrainian-American pianist and teacher who has performed both solo recitals and chamber music across the United States and Europe. Born in Sukhumi, Georgia, she began playing piano at the age of five, later moving to Ukraine to continue her education. She immigrated to the United States in 1990 and now serves as Assistant Professor in Residence of Piano and Coordinator of Keyboard Studies at the University of Connecticut, as well as the President and Artistic Director of the Fryderyk Chopin Society of Connecticut.

On Friday, Nov. 6, 2026, Gadeliya led an open master class with three Wesleyan students at Crowell Concert Hall. Each student performed a prepared piece, and afterward received 30–45 minutes of advice and instruction from Gadeliya, who suggested improvements in technique, tempo, and dynamics. 

Beyond her professional roles, Gadeliya has been praised for her ability to “make music speak” in a review in the Colorado Springs Gazette. Her focus on not just the mechanics of the piano, but also the imagination and emotional expression of the pianist was a defining feature of her teaching style during the master class. 

Across the three sessions, Gadeliya drew on her expertise to emphasize not only technical skill at the piano, but also the skill of emotional expression through musical technique. The master class offered tailored guidance to each student, addressing their specific challenges.

The first performer, Sienna Lagdamen ’29, played Frédéric Chopin’s Nocturne in B-flat Minor, Op. 9: I. Larghetto. Lagdamen has studied piano for 13 years, is a prospective physics and math double major, and is also involved in Onomatopoeia, a treble-voice a cappella group. During her session with Gadeliya, the two focused on improving fingerings, wrist mechanics, and the emotional expression of the piece. Gadeliya asked her to picture the imagery of the piece and allow the music to “sing,” emphasizing the importance of conveying the feeling and beauty that Chopin intended. 

Next, Boran Zhang ’28 performed Mozart’s Piano Sonata No. 11 in A Major, K. 331 / 300i: I. Andante Grazioso. Zhang, who has played piano for over 15 years, is double majoring in physics and music at Wesleyan. He has participated in multiple Elizabeth Verveer Tishler Keyboard Competitions, winning the Emerging Artist Recognition Award in 2025 and the Western Classical Piano Performance category in 2026. Gadeliya worked with Zhang to refine the sonata, focusing on increasing tempo and hand techniques and helping him develop an already strong performance. 

Finally, Leo Sullivan ’27 played Moritz Moskowski’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in E Major, Op. 59: IV. Allegro deciso, entirely from memory. A physics and astronomy double major, Sullivan has practiced piano for about 15 years, playing both jazz and classical. He has played in Wesleyan chamber ensembles for three semesters, although he is now focusing on solo performance. Sullivan spent six months preparing the technically demanding concerto, which is filled with challenging passages. During their session, Gadeliya gave insight into methods of practicing difficult passages.

All three students gave impressive performances and adapted their playing to Gadeliya’s advice during the class, demonstrating their ability to put feedback into practice. The master class showed the importance of guidance in piano, giving each student the chance to refine their playing while introducing new methods and insights. Gadeliya displayed her skills as a versatile teacher and experienced musician throughout the master class, emphasizing her diverse knowledge in the musical field.

Katerina Vasyukevich can be reached at kvasyukevich@wesleyan.edu.