Lera Auerbach

Lera Auerbach, born Valeria Lvovna Averbakh on October 21, 1973, is a Soviet-born Austrian-American classical composer, conductor, and concert pianist. She was born into a Jewish family in Chelyabinsk, where her mother, a piano teacher, inspired her musical pursuits. Auerbach started composing at an early age and remained committed to art, leading her to the United States in 1991 on a concert tour. Despite language barriers, she chose to stay and pursue a musical career, graduating from New York's Juilliard School in piano and composition. She has performed internationally and her works have been widely commissioned, featuring collaborations with various artists, orchestras, and ballet companies. Auerbach has received numerous accolades including the Hindemith Prize.