Ivan Menolascino began studying piano at age five with his father. Much of his early practice was on a small electric organ, on which he played Bach inventions and chorale partitas. By age seven, Ivan was performing solo pieces and accompanying singers and string ensembles in church. Also at age seven, he began studying cello. By 2019, when Ivan moved with his family to Durham, NC, he had begun memorizing Beethoven piano sonatas and was playing with such elan that his father realized he needed a teacher commensurate with his talents. Thus, at age 10 Ivan began studying with Derison Duarte, with whom he still studies. On piano, Ivan has won multiple competitions, including the 2023 MTNA Junior competition for North Carolina, the 2023 DMTA competition, and the 2024 Nakarai competition. In summer 2024, he will attend the Bowdoin International Music Festival to study with Juilliard professor Julian Martin.

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Ivan (now 13 years old) will perform the first movement of Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 with the CHP on Sunday, May 5 at 7:30pm.