Kimia Rafieian is an acclaimed Iranian collaborative pianist, vocal coach, and répétiteur. With a distinguished career in both solo and collaborative performances, Kimia has garnered numerous awards and prizes, including First Prize in Clara’s Annual Piano Competition, Second Prize for Best Shostakovich Performance, the National Society of Arts and Letters Award, and Second Prize in the FSMTA Gray Perry Award. She was also invited to perform as a soloist at the Spivakov XIV International “Moscow Meets Friends” Festival.

As a collaborative pianist, Kimia has earned prestigious fellowships such as the Aspen Music Festival Vocal Coach Fellowship and the Polonsky Foundation Fellowship. She won First Place in the National Opera Association’s Opera Production Competition for the production of Janacek’s “The Cunning Little Vixen”, showcasing her skills in opera coaching and performance.

Kimia has performed in renowned venues, including the Michigan Theater, Bass Concert Hall, Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, and the Palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. She is currently engaged in a series of concerts with bassist Ali-Kian Yazdanfar, presenting a fully commissioned program called “Chiaroscuro.” In addition to her concert career, Kimia serves as the Principal Pianist of the Central Texas Philharmonic and has over nine years of experience as a dedicated piano instructor.

Kimia’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from Lynn University under the tutelage of Roberta Rust, and a Master of Music in Collaborative Piano from the University of Michigan with renowned pianist Martin Katz. She has studied under esteemed musicians such as Jon Nakamatsu, Cameron Stowe, Peter Serkin, and Myra Huang.