Native of Minsk, Belarus, Elina Chekan graduated from Belarus National Academy of Music with a degree in Classical Guitar Performance, Orchestral Conducting and Guitar Pedagogy. Elina continued her education in the United States, holding a Master of Music from Yale University and a Doctorate degree from Northwestern University.
Combining active performance and teaching careers, Ms. Chekan performs, teaches master classes and gives lectures at festivals, colleges and universities throughout the United States and abroad both as a solo performer and in the Duo Exaudi with her life-long partner Rene Izquierdo.
Some of the recent appearances include Wilson Center International Guitar Competition, Madison Guitar Society Festival, Chamber Music Milwaukee Series, Brno Guitar Festival, Mannes Guitar Festival in New York City, Romanillos Foundation Series in Spain, Altamira Series in China, Brussels Royal Museum of Musical Instrument in Belgium, Tucson Classical Guitar Society, and Mannes College Guitar Festival in New York.
Ms. Chekan is a co-creator of the Camino Artes Guitar Workshop at the ancient pilgrimage route of Camino de Santiago in Spain, where participants have daily master classes and performances at churches circa X-XIII centuries.
Elina actively collaborates with composers to expand guitar’s modern repertoire. Renowned Argentinean composer Jorge Morel dedicated his “Campañas” to Ms. Chekan, published by Mell Bay in “The Magnificent Guitar of Jorge Morel”.
Elina Chekan is currently a faculty member at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In her teaching Ms. Chekan believes in the individualized approach to every student with tailored instruction based on student needs. Elina has extensive knowledge of guitar pedagogy and repertoire and has experienced first-hand different guitar schools of thought. She is also a certified Suzuki instructor. Her extensive teaching experience allows her to find unique approaches and repertoire for each of her students, giving them a solid foundation both in technique and musicianship.
Elina performs on Savarez strings and is a Savarez artist.
