2025 AFSF Opportunity Award
Anna Kesselman is a 17 year old pianist from New York City. A 12th grader at the Special Music School at Kaufman Music Center, she has studied with Ms. Natela Mchedlishvili for the past twelve years. Anna has performed with orchestras such as the Park Avenue Chamber Symphony and the Midwest Young Artists Conservatory Symphony Orchestra, and has won prizes in the Special Music School High School Concerto Competition and New York Music Competition, among others. She is a Lang Lang Young Scholar and participated in the 2023 Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival. Furthermore, she has performed in venues such as Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall and Merkin Hall, and has performed internationally at festivals including Cremona International Music Festival in Italy, Vivace International Music Festival in North Carolina, and SummerFest in New York City. An avid chamber music collaborator, Anna has had the privilege of performing in esteemed halls such as Alice Tully Hall and Rose Studio with her trio, and has shared the stage with artists such as Antonio Pomona-Baldi, Peter Dugan, and Charles Yang. She has performed in Masterclasses for many distinguished artists, including Richard Goode, Orli Shaham, Jeremy Denk, Vladimir Feltsman, and Wu Han.
In addition, Anna co-authored the book Who is Florence Price?, published by G. Schirmer. Following its national acclaim, she presented and performed Price’s music with her fellow co-authors in several New York City libraries and halls, Lincoln Center, and Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia. She also created a website and organization called Keys 4 Community that hosts benefit concerts and online fundraising projects through music, and raised over $1000 for non-profit organization Food For Needy. Passionate about community engagement, she founded a student organization at her school called Music For All, which brings live music to people at assisted living facilities and rehabilitation centers throughout the city, and serves as Co-President of her school’s National Honor Society chapter. In her free time, Anna volunteers to support and promote Kaufman Music Center’s programs as a member of its High School Ambassadors, and enjoys drawing and painting, where she has received an honorable mention from the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards in comic art.