Anastasia Virsaladze

Anastasia Virsaladze née Abdushelishvili, Georgian: ანასტასია ვირსალაძე, (1883–1968) was a Georgian concert pianist and music teacher. In 1921, she began to teach at the Tbilisi Conservatory. Promoted to professor in 1929, she remained there until her retirement in 1946, teaching over 100 pianists. Among her most prominent students were Dmitri Bashkirov, Lev Vlassenko and her own granddaughter Eliso Virsaladze.[1][2][3]

Biography

Born in Kutaisi on 11 November 1883, Anastasia Virsaladze studied at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory under Anna Yesipova, graduating in 1909.[1] She married Spiridon Virsaladze (1869–1930), a prominent physician in Tbilisi.[3][4]

After engaging in concert performances, in 1921 she began teaching at the Tbilisi Conservatory where she was promoted to professor in 1932, heading the piano department for an extended period. She performed in Berlin in 1926 and was probably the first Georgian pianist to perform in the United States where she met many American composers, frequently playing their works.[1][3]

At the Conservatory, she was active in the Talented Children Group from 1934 to 1938. During her career, she taught over a hundred pianists, including Dmitri Bashkirov, Lev Vlassenko and in particular her granddaughter Eliso Viraladze whom she taught intensively from the age of eight until she was 14. She later taught her while she was a student at the conservatory.[1][3]

Anastasia Virsaladze was the first Georgian woman to receive a higher education in music. She died in Tbilisi on 5 September 1968.[1]

References
  1. "ანასტასია ვირსალაძე" (in Georgian). NPLG. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  2. "Wirssaladze" (in German). Piano News. 2005. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  3. Gvakharia, Giorgi (9 September 2002). "ელისო ვირსალაძე 60 წლის გახდა" (in Georgian). Radio Tavisupleba. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  4. Mikaberidze, Alexander (2015). Historical Dictionary of Georgia. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. pp. 681–. ISBN 978-1-4422-4146-6.
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