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Mission & Leadership

Bringing the transformative power of classical music to children who need it most.

Our origin

How it began

Katya Grineva smiles from the piano bench beside the Steinway on the Carnegie Hall stage, in a deep red gown

I first got the idea of establishing a nonprofit organization in 2023 following a concert I played at the beautiful Taos Art Museum at Fechin House. While in Taos, I was interviewed by journalist Tamra Testerman for the Taos News and was asked about my vision for my musical future and the legacy I hoped to leave behind.

I shared my passion for bringing the transformative power of classical music to underserved children, and it was Ms. Testerman who suggested that creating a nonprofit organization could provide the funding, partnerships, and support needed to expand this mission on a global scale.

I was so inspired by that conversation and encouraged by friends and colleagues with nonprofit experience, that I began taking the necessary steps to turn my vision into reality.

“They discover a profound truth — that they belong in beautiful spaces, in big dreams, and in a world full of possibility.”

The founder

About Katya Grineva

I was born in Moscow, Russia, during a time when life was difficult. Food was scarce, and it wasn't unusual to stand in long lines for hours, hoping to bring something home for my family to eat.

Yet even in those challenging times, people found comfort, hope, and inspiration through music and the arts. Beginning at the age of five, my parents took me to concerts at the Moscow Conservatory. Those experiences shaped my life and ignited my passion for music.

Katya Grineva as a young girl, seated in profile at an upright piano, reading sheet music with her hands on the keys, circa 1977
1977 Katya at the piano

Today, that is why I am so passionate about giving underserved children in this country—and around the world—the opportunity to experience the transformative power of live classical music. Every child deserves to discover the beauty, hope, and inspiration that music can bring.

Explore Katya's concert career at katyagrineva.com

Katya Grineva sits alone at the grand piano on the Carnegie Hall stage, looking out over the vast, empty auditorium
On the world's greatest stage From a challenging childhood to the Carnegie Hall stage, Katya brings the power of the arts to children who have never imagined themselves inside a concert hall.

Our mission

Katya Concerts for Kids was established in 2024 to bring hope, wonder, and inspiration to some of the nation's most deserving and underserved children — many of whom have never heard live classical music or imagined themselves inside a grand concert hall.

The children who attend are not simply an audience. They are welcomed into an experience that stirs the heart and awakens possibility — an experience truly life-changing.

Leadership

Board of Directors

Executive Officers

  • Katya Grineva

    President

    New York City / Woodstock, NY

  • Tara Gilvar

    Vice President

    Longboat Key, FL

  • James Beer

    Treasurer

    Saugerties, NY

  • John Briscoe

    Secretary

    Cambria, CA

At-Large Board Members

  • Tamara Lang

    Woodstock, NY

  • Karen (Kay) Sobel Lojeski

    Long Island, NY

  • Syd Andrews

    New York City

Advisory Board

  • Carol Stenberg

    Rhinebeck, NY

  • Ann Watts

    San Jose, CA

  • Patricia Grant Lancaster

    Bronx, NY

The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation logo

In partnership with

The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation

We are proud to count the Helen Gurley Brown Foundation among the supporters who make this mission possible.

A registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit

Katya Concerts for Kids is a registered 501(c)(3) public charity. Contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

EIN: 99-2144966