Do you play outside the Las Vegas valley?
I play throughout the Las Vegas valley — Las Vegas, Henderson, Summerlin, Enterprise and Spring Valley — and I travel beyond it for the right event. Travel is included in the quote.
Does the venue need to have a piano?
Yes — an acoustic piano at the venue is required. I play the instrument that is in the room; I do not bring one of my own, and I do not perform on an electronic keyboard. Ask your venue what they have, and if there is no piano, one can be hired in for the day. Either way, tell me early, so the programme is prepared for that particular instrument.
Is there a minimum booking?
Two hours is the minimum booking. Travel and any breaks within the engagement are part of the booked time and are included in the quote.
How long do you play, and how do breaks work?
That is arranged with you personally rather than sold as a fixed package. Tell me the shape of your day — when music should begin, when it should stop, and what happens in between — and I will propose the playing and the breaks around it. Breaks fall inside the booked time, so the programme runs to your schedule, not to mine.
What will you play?
Chopin nocturnes and waltzes, Debussy Clair de lune and Rêverie, Satie Gymnopédies, the Beethoven Moonlight first movement, Bach Air on the G String, Pachelbel Canon in D, Ave Maria, Mozart, Schumann, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Gershwin, and film and popular melodies arranged for solo piano. The programme is chosen for your room and your occasion, not played from a set list.
Can I request a particular piece?
Yes. One requested piece is prepared in advance as part of every booking. If you would like more than one, ask early and we will plan it into the programme.
Do you play with other musicians?
Solo classical piano is the booking — that is what I do and what the programme is built around. A duo with violin or cello, accompaniment for a singer, or a small ensemble can be added by request, booked well in advance and priced accordingly, but the piano is the centre of the evening.
How far in advance should we book?
As early as you can. The date is held for one event only, so the earlier you write, the more likely your date is free and the more time there is to prepare a programme, and any requested piece, properly for your room.
Do you take a deposit?
Yes. A retainer reserves your date and takes it off the calendar for anyone else; the balance and the cancellation terms are confirmed in writing together with your quote.
What do you wear?
Concert attire by default. Black tie, all black, or something quieter on request — tell me what the room calls for.
How much does it cost?
Every event is quoted individually, so there is no price list. To prepare a quote I need the date, the start time and how long you would like music; the venue, and whether a piano is already there; the occasion and the mood you have in mind; and any piece that must be included. This is a concert engagement, not background cover — the programme is prepared for your room, the playing is at concert level, and the quote reflects that.
Who is actually playing?
Dr. Maria Pisarenko — Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, trained at the Central Music School of the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory and the Gnesins Russian Academy of Music. Second Prize at the International Piano Competition in Memory of Sviatoslav Richter in Paris and at the Frédéric Chopin International Competition in Rome. University faculty in Nevada and Utah, Steinway Top Teacher, featured on Nevada Public Radio.
