Ghilyana Dordzhieva

Ghilyana Dordzhieva earned her Master’s degree and Ph.D. (2000) from the Saint Petersburg State Conservatory in Russia. With an extensive background in higher education, she previously served as an Associate Professor at both the Saint Petersburg Conservatory and the State University for Culture and Arts. Ghilyana has taught piano in diverse settings, including the Child Development Center at Fort Riley, Kansas; a private piano studio in Kaiserslautern, Germany; and independent teaching in Upstate New York. She uses age-appropriate and play-based methods that integrate piano, singing, music theory, and ear training. Specializing in early childhood music development, her teaching philosophy centers on nurturing a deep, lifelong love of music-making.

Alongside her teaching, Ghilyana actively performs as a church pianist and organist, collaborates with OPRO, and researches traditional Mongolian and European music. Whether guiding a young child through their very first musical steps or mentoring continuing piano students, Ghilyana is dedicated to building confidence, curiosity, and a genuine joy in musical creativity.