Ruta Smedina-Starke
E-mail: smedinastarr@vcu.edu
Ruta Smedina-Starke was born in Latvia and began playing the piano at the age of five. She studied the piano at Yelgava City Music High School with Larisa Olshtinskaja. In 1988, Smedina-Starke graduated from the University of Latvia in Riga with a B.A. in English as a Foreign Language. She then moved to Richmond, Va., where she graduated from VCU with an M.M. in piano performance under Sonia Vlahcevic.
Smedina-Starke is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda, the National Music Honor Society. She has been selected to participate in master classes with international pianists Jon Nakamatsu and Stephen Hough. During the 2006 PianoTexas International Academy and Festival, she participated in the master class with international pianist Harold Martina. Smedina-Starke is the recipient of the Jordan Kitt’s Music 2006 Educator Grant.
