Audition Cafe

Introduction

Elena Bondareva has continued to raise her own previously-set bar since she played her first note at age 8. A profoundly well-rounded artist, she has been capturing the undivided attention and respect from audiences and judges around the world through her appearances as a solo artist, group player, and multi-talented musician.

From 2003-2010, she expanded her artistic aptitude as a member of “Detstvo,” a youth choir ranked as one of the top 10 in the world. While with Detstvo, the group performed at renowned competitions such as Europa Cantat Choir Festival 2004 in Never, France and the 2008 World Choir Games 2008 in Graz, Austria, the latter being the largest choral competition in the world.

By the young age of 18, her worldly experience earned her an invitation to work as a flute teacher at the Central Music School in Blagoveschensk, Russia. She took on the role eagerly, while also dividing her time as a member of her college brass band and performing in a folk orchestra as a flutist and piccollist. Soon after, she continued to steadfastly build her resume performing with the Novosibirsk Conservatory Symphony Orchestra from 2010 to 2014, as well as the Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theatre for three of those years.

Around the same time, she was awarded honors in multiple competitions, including  “Zolotaya Sibir” International Music Competition (2nd place), Otrajenie Talanta Russian Music Competition (2nd place), and Rossia Molodaya Music Competition (3rd place).

After graduating with her Bachelor of Arts degree in Flute Performance from Novosibirsk State Conservatory, Elena decided to move abroad to the United States, where she quickly made a name for herself overseas. She continued to hone her leadership skills in Philadelphia as a volunteer flute teacher in Nelly Berman School of Music, and also served as a member of Philadelphia Flute Society.

As a teacher, one of her student Betty Ben Dor have followed her lead in earning esteemed awards, including earning a $4,000 annual Muhlenberg College Music Talent grant; placing in 2016 Pennsylvania Music Educators’ Association’s District 12 Band and Orchestra, Region VI Band, and All-State Band; 2nd place in AC Melos Online International Music Competition back-to-back years in July 2016 and July 2017; and more. Also, she was a Flute section leader in Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, 2016-2018; Principal flute player for the performance of Carmina Burana in Verizon Hall with The Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia. She had many concerts throughout the year at the Kimmel Center’s Verizon Hall and the Union League of Philadelphia.

Despite already having a curriculum vitae more extensive than many musicians three times her age, Elena shows no signs of slowing down soon. She continues to share her talents with new audiences and push her own boundaries as principal flutist for the West Chester Symphony Orchestra while pursuing her master’s degree in Flute Performance at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, in addition to partaking as a member of the Trilovati Flute Ensemble.

She continues to seek new opportunities to expand her skillsets by performing in large and small ensembles, and most recently performed in the 2018 Mid-Atlantic Flute Convention in Virginia.