Pianist Katia Dinas was born in Syracuse, New York, and raised in Greece, where she commenced her study of piano at the age of 7. She enjoys a multifaceted career as an educator, performer, and collaborative pianist in the United States and internationally.

 

She has received First Prize at the Panhellenic Performing Arts Competition, Second Prize at the Association of Greek Conservatories Piano Competition, and Second Prize at the American Protégé International Competition. During her graduate studies, she received the Hira Poncha Music Award and the Evalina Vernon Honsinger Award for Performance Excellence. In addition, she was invited to join the national music honor society, Pi Kappa Lambda. In the summer of 2015, she performed on Vladimir Horowitz’s piano as a participant of the Kutztown Festival Concerto Competition in Pennsylvania and was awarded First Prize for exceptional concerto interpretation.

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Dr. Dinas has given solo and chamber music recitals in concert venues across the United States, Canada, England, Germany, and Greece. In May 2017, she had her Carnegie Hall debut at the Weill Recital Hall performing works by Franz Liszt. She has played for Greek television and her recitals have been broadcast on radio stations in New York (WCNY-FM) and Michigan (WKAR-FM). In January 2018, she was invited to a music residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in Canada, where she presented her doctoral research on Aaron Copland’s piano works, and gave a recital at the Rolston Recital Hall.

 

Dr. Dinas holds a Doctorate Degree in Piano Performance from Michigan State University and a Piano Diploma with the highest distinctions from the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki. Her principal teachers have been Van Cliburn Silver Medalist Panayis Lyras, renowned French pianist Bernard Ringeissen, and Ellie Zacharopoulou, pupil of Monique Haas. As well, she has taken lessons with Natalya Antonova, Nelita True, Brandt Fredriksen, Katherine Chi, and Maria Asteriadou. In addition to her piano performance degrees, she also holds a Master's Degree in Musicology from the Aristotle University.
 

As an avid academic, Dr. Dinas has previously taught piano at Syracuse University, Michigan State University, and University of Michigan-Flint. She currently resides in Dallas, TX, where she works as a collaborative pianist at Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University.