Irina Nikitina

Irina Nikitina received higher musical education in St. Petersburg, Prague and Bern. She is a winner of international music competitions in Geneva, Paris (Grand Prix) and others.

In 1995, she founded and headed the Musical Olympus Foundation, which since 1996 has held the annual international festival “Musical Olympus” in St. Petersburg, as well as in Zurich, Berlin, New York, Baku, Singapore, China. The Foundation’s concert activity provided first appearances in Russia of many famous artists, among them Andras, Schiff, Diana Krall, Bobby McFerrin, Yo-Yo Ma, Daniel Barenboim and world top orchestras including Vienna Philharmonic, NHK and others.

As a young leader participated in the World Young Leaders Forums held by the BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt (2003–2005), took part in numerous international forums and symposiums, the WEF in Davos among them.

In 2001, she got the “Olympia” Russian National Award of Public Recognition and in 2013 — Silver Archer USA Award. She has been honored with the title Person of the Year in Russia twice: in 2013 as a music producer and in 2018 for her TV project.

Irina Nikitina is a member of the Board of the Geza Anda International Piano Competition, President of the Swiss Associations of Friends of the Musical Olympus and of the Musical Olympus USA Foundation; a member of the Honorary committee of the German-Russian Young Leaders Forum “The New Generation”. Since 2015 she is the Head of the Board of Trustees of the International Television Contest for Young Musicians Nutcracker and in since 2019 heads the Board of Trustees of the St. Petersburg State Conservator named after N.F. Rimsky-Korsakov.

Since 2016 Irina Nikitina hosts her own TV Program — Enigma Cycle at the TV Channel Russia-Kultura: a series of 40 minutes long interviews featuring top world musicians.