Kimia Rafieian is an acclaimed collaborative pianist, vocal coach, and répétiteur. With a distinguished career in both solo and collaborative performances, Kimia has received numerous awards and prizes including First Prize in Clara’s Annual Piano Competition, Second Prize for Best Shostakovich Performance, the National Society of Arts and Letters Award, and Second Prize in the FSMTA Gray Perry Award. She was also invited to perform as a soloist at the Spivakov XIV International “Moscow Meets Friends” Festival.

As a collaborative pianist, Kimia has been awarded prestigious fellowships such as the Aspen Music Festival Vocal Coach Fellowship and the Polonsky Foundation Fellowship. She has also won First Place in the National Opera Association’s Opera Production Competition as a coach for the production of Janacek’s “The Cunning Little Vixen” at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theater and Dance.

Kimia has performed in renowned venues, including the Michigan Theater, Bass Concert Hall, Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, and the Palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. She is currently engaged in a series of concerts with bassist Ali-Kian Yazdanfar, presenting a fully commissioned program called “Chiaroscuro.” In addition to her performing career, Kimia has served as the Principal Pianist of the Central Texas Philharmonic and brings over nine years of experience as a dedicated piano instructor. Kimia currently serves as Music Director and Piano faculty at the Waterfront Montessori, the Léman Manhattan Preparatory School and her private piano studio.