Belarusian-American composer Olga Amelkina-Vera is recognized as being “at the very forefront of composers writing for the guitar today” (Soundboard Magazine). Her works have been called “the discovery of the evening” (Sarasota Herald-Tribune), “brilliant” (The Royal Gazette), “incandescent” and “hypnotic” (Fort Worth Star Telegram). Olga is a prizewinner of numerous composition competitions, including the Grand Prize in the instrumental chamber music student division of the 2017-2018 American Prize competition. She is in demand as a composer, performer, conductor, and educator. Olga’s works have been performed all over the world and recorded by the Grammy Award winning classical guitarist David Russell (Spain), winners of the Guitar Foundation of America International Concert Artist Competition Thibaut Garcia (France), Martha Masters, Xavier Jara, and Adam Holzman (US); Grand Finals Winner of the Metropolitan Opera Council Auditions mezzo-soprano Mack Wolz and soprano Michelle Areyzaga (US); renowned concert guitarists Rene Izquierdo (Cuba/US), Jiji Kim (South Korea/US), Matt Palmer (US), and Owen Moriarty (New Zealand); chamber ensembles Weimar Guitar Quartet (Germany), Canadian Guitar Quartet (Canada), Atlantic Guitar Quartet (US), Quattro Palos Guitar Quartet (Japan), Kacherski-Morita Duo, Clarinet Meets Guitar, and Kithara Duo (US); New Texas Symphony Orchestra, Irving Symphony Orchestra, and many other professional and student ensembles and soloists.
Olga enjoys a busy schedule of commissions for new works and professional travel throughout the US. She performs with Kithara Duo, her classical guitar duo with Fernand Vera. Recent and upcoming commissions include Pulling Down the Clouds, a work for mezzo-soprano, electric guitar, percussion, and guitar orchestra, commissioned by Tucson Guitar Society and premiered in April 2023; “First Snow,” a new solo guitar work for the Guitar Foundation of America Spotlight Series, to be premiered in NYC in June 2023; a piece for plucked string orchestra commissioned by Bundesjugenzupforchester (Germany), to be premiered July 2023; set pieces for the 2024 Marlowe Guitar International Myrna Sislen Youth Guitar Competition; a work for guzheng and guitar duo commissioned by Duo Chinoiserie with support from Arizona Commission on the Arts; and many others.
