From MUSO Magazine, UK

Here at Muso we’re no strangers to mind-bending genre-blending, but glam Russian pianist Olga Stankevich’s claim to mix classical with dance music came as something of a surprise.

MUSO Magazine

Apr/May 2011

Here at Muso we’re no strangers to mind-bending genre-blending, but glam Russian pianist Olga Stankevich’s claim to mix classical with dance music came as something of a surprise. Mix she does, however, and to exotic – if slightly sugary – effect, with synths swooshing around wistful piano melodies and thumping drums underpinning sultry, ominous bass lines.

Stankevich trained classically and graduated from the Petersburg Music College – where she has also taught – before completing five years at the Moscow Academy of Culture and Arts within the opera faculty. While she counts numerous classical heavyweights among her influences – including Rachmaninoff, Bach, Brahms and Liszt – she also namechecks Jean Michel Jarre, Robert Miles, Space, Whitney Houston and, um, Mariah Carey as inspirations.

Dramatic and at times truly dancefloorworthy, Stankevich’s music is likely to infiltrate the UK scene in unexpected ways; we wouldn’t be surprised to hear the likes of Path Towards the Dream soundtracking jubilant recaps of suitably epic entertainment events, or to find Inspiration – the lead single from her recently-released album, Piano and the City. Dreamway – remixed for a hot and sweaty clubnight (indeed, it’s already been given a trance makeover by DJ Justin Fry).