Award winners of NATS-LA YAA will participate in a masterclass with Nino Sanikidze of Los Angeles Opera.

Georgian pianist Nino Sanikidze has held the position of a Head Coach for the

Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program at Los Angeles Opera since the

program’s inception in 2006. In addition to her duties with the Young Artist

Program, she often serves on LAO Music staff as a pianist and a prompter,

working closely with Plácido Domingo and James Conlon.

Outside of LA Opera, she has been engaged with such companies as Teatro

Real in Madrid, Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, Royal Opera House Muscat,

Teatro Municipal di Santiago, Washington National Opera, Bard Summerscape,

Cleveland Opera, and Wichita Grand Opera. A frequent collaborator with the

Broad Stage in Santa Monica, her notable concert appearances include a recital

with tenor Marcelo Alvarez and a recital with mezzo-soprano Elina Garanca. In

addition she has performed in a recital with world-renown guitarist Angel

Romero at Palm Springs Life Festival.

Since 2008 she has been an official pianist for Placido Domingo’s World Opera

Competition Operalia. In this capacity she has performed on the illustrious

stages of Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Royal Opera House in London, Teatro

Nacional de Sao Carlos in Lisbon, National Centre for the Performing Arts in

Beijing, Hungarian State Opera House in Budapest, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in

Los Angeles, Teatro Degollado in Guadalajara, Teatro Filarmonico in Verona,

Grand Théâtre de Québec, among others.

Dr. Sanikidze serves on a judging panels of the Metropolitan Opera National

Council auditions, Richard Tucker Music Foundations Study and Career Grant

Auditions, Marcela Sembrich International Voice Competition, Classical Singer

Convention, Music Center Spotlight Awards, and Center Stage Opera

Competition. A sought-after clinician, she has been a principal guest coach for

the USC Thornton School of Music and has conducted masterclasses at

Chapman Conservatory, Opera Santa Barbara, University of Kansas, Songfest,

Music Center Spotlight, and YoungArts Los Angeles.

Ms. Sanikidze is the recipient of numerous honors, including the Marilyn Horne

Foundation Award for Excellence in Vocal Accompanying. She received her

Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Maryland, College Park,

and is an alumna of the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program at Washington

National Opera, as well as the Music Academy of the West, Aspen Opera

Center, Cleveland Art Song Festival, and SongFest.