Mimoza Keka, PhD, is a classical concert pianist with interests in different fields: music performance, teaching, research, digital technologies, recording and musicology. Along with her numerous projects and concerts across the country and abroad, she earned acclaim as a recitalist, chamber musician, piano accompanist and recording artist.
At the age of 26, she defended her doctoral dissertation on ”The use of digital technologies in quantitative analysis of piano performance” and made a premiere performance of Sonata op. 26 from Samuel Barber and premiere integral performance of ”Miroirs” from Maurice Ravel and ”In the mists” from Leoš Janáček in her country. Therefore in 2021 she was awarded her PhD in Musical Arts from SS. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje. Her doctoral research ”The use of digital technologies in quantitative analysis of piano performance” received critical acclaim with critics complimenting its originality, novelty and utility as well as its remarkable interdisciplinary approach, stating that it is exemplary not only in the country but also abroad.
Since studying at the Faculty of Music in Skopje with Prof. Todor Svetiev and Prof. Lilya Zilberstein, obtaining a Bachelor of Music (2015) and a Master of Music Arts (2017), as well as being awarded in 2021 with a PhD in Musical Arts, Mimoza has launched into a successful concert career as a solo artist, with concerto appearances, solo recitals and chamber concerts. Moreover, she became member of the Association of Music Artists (SMUM). In 2022 she published her book “The use of digital technologies in quantitative analysis of piano performance” available at Amazon.com as well as she published her first solo album named NON-FUNGIBLE, available on all streaming platforms.
Performances and projects
Mimoza has collaborated with distinguished conductors including Sasha Nikolovski-Gjumar, under whose baton she performed the Piano concerto no. 2 from Camille Saint-Saens, conductor Sasho Tatarchevski, as well as conductor Bisera Chadlovska at the Faculty of Music in Skopje for the Opera Studio Subject (undergraduate and postgraduate studies). As a chamber musician, in 2017 she joined the Ensemble for contemporary music Contempora from SOKOM. Additionally, she has an active engagements playing piano duo with pianist Francesca Orlando.
Furthermore, she has enjoyed performing recitals in many European Cities including Paris, Rome, Prague, Bristol, Milan, Trieste, Siena, Punta Ala, Sovicille, Sozopol, as well as in the USA, where in June 2022, she performed a solo recital at Gallery MC, Manhattan, New York.
Mimoza has performed at Concerti del Tempietto, Les dimanches musicaux, International Festival Akordeon Art Plus, at the International Francophone Festival Soleil in Sozopol, Bulgaria, Siena Summer Festival, having performed in the renowned hall of Palazzo Chigi Saracini in Siena, Italy (2015, 2016, 2017), Festival International de piano Jeunеs Talents in Montrond-les-Baines, France, as well as at the Spring Concert Season of Bristol Music Club in the United Kingdom.
Among her most important engagements in the country are her solo recitals at major music festivals including the New cultural wave from the Ministry of Culture of North Macedonia, Festival Zlatna Lira/Golden Lyre in Skopje, Festival Days of Macedonian Music in Skopje, Autumnal Musical Festivities in Skopje supported by the Ministry of Culture of North Macedonia, and Musica Viva from the Faculty of Music in Skopje.
In 2017 she managed classical music projects in Sozopol and Skopje, performing solo recitals and promoting the classical music and music by composers from North Macedonia, including Tomislav Zografski, supported by the Ministry of Culture of North Macedonia.
Teaching, professional trainings and awards
Dr. Keka has served as a Piano Teacher at the State Music and Ballet School “Ilija Nikolovski-Luj” in Skopje from 2015 to 2017. From 2019 she is appointed as a collaborative pianist of Opera Studio Subject (Undergraduate and Postgraduate Studies) at the Faculty of Music in Skopje working with conductor Bisera Chadlovska.
Mimoza has also performed in a number of master classes with highly acclaimed pianists such as Alexei Volodin, Alexander Ghindin, as well as participating in professional trainings at prestigious music academies including Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, Italy with world-renowned pianist, maestra Lilya Zilberstein from 2015 to 2017.
She has been awarded numerous national and international awards including the 2018 first prize-laureate at International competition ‘‘Akordeon Art Plus” Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the 2010 second prize at International competition ‘‘Pietro Argento’’ Gioia del Colle, Italy, 2009 second prize at International competition ‘‘Giovanni Talenti’’ San Bartolomeo, Italy, 2008 second prize at International competition Nis, Serbia, as well as a two-times First Prize Winner of the North Macedonia State Competition.