Event
Grand Piano Series
Narrative Musicales Keys Across America
Konstantin Soukhovetski, host
Mackenzie Melemed, piano
Copland — Buckaroo Holiday from Rodeo Suite
Beach — Ballade, Op. 6
Jaakko Kuusisto — Jurmo, Op. 31
Gottschalk — Union (Paraphrase on National Airs), Op. 48
Cowboys. Storms. Silence. Fireworks. Hosted by Konstantin Soukhovetski, Keys Across America brings frontier imagery and expansive sound into vivid focus with Finland-based, award-winning pianist Mackenzie Melemed in a program defined by contrast and character. Music by Aaron Copland, Amy Beach, Jaakko Kuusisto and Louis-Moreau Gottschalk collides, moving from frontier energy and open-range exuberance to romantic introspection, Nordic stillness and flashes of dazzling virtuosity — altogether forming a vivid portrait of America as a living crossroads of dances, dreams and diverse musical sensibilities.
Narrative Musicales is presented in collaboration with Grand Piano Series, an indepdendent nonprofit organization.
Konstantin Soukhovetski
Konstantin Soukhovetski
Konstantin Soukhovetski is a pianist, composer and educator recognized for his distinctive concert programming and multimedia performances. A laureate of 17 international competitions, he has appeared at major venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Wigmore Hall and The Louvre, performing in recital and with orchestras throughout the United States and Europe. Recent highlights include a Scotland tour with Absolute Classics and appearances at PianoFête in Vashon, Washington.
As director of education and community engagement at Grand Piano Series, Soukhovetski curates the series’ Narrative Musicales—multimedia programs that combine live music, storytelling and visual elements—and oversees Grand Piano Series' educational and outreach initiatives with schools and seniors in Lee and Collier counties.
Beyond the piano, his work includes composition, libretti and interdisciplinary collaborations in dance and film. His recording, Yuliya: Forgotten Songs of Julie Weissberg Rimsky-Korsakov, with soprano Sarah Moulton-Faux, was released on Azica Records. He is a voting member of the Recording Academy (Grammy) and serves on the faculty of The Juilliard School. Born in Moscow to a family of prominent artists, he studied piano and composition at the Central Music School of the Moscow Conservatory. Soukhovetski has been a resident of Naples since 2024.
Mackenzie Melemed
Mackenzie Melemed
Recipient of the 2022 Avery Fisher Career Grant, American pianist Mackenzie Melemed is recognized for his nuanced artistry, technical finesse and deeply communicative performances. Praised by The New York Times as “an excellent young pianist,” he brings a rare combination of clarity, imagination and emotional depth to the stage.
A laureate of the American Pianists Awards and the China International Music Competition, Melemed has appeared as a soloist with The Philadelphia Orchestra, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra and other leading ensembles, and he has performed at Carnegie Hall and major venues worldwide. A Steinway & Sons Artist and graduate of The Juilliard School, he is known for thoughtful programming that bridges core repertoire with rare discoveries. His Keys Across America project reflects a commitment to expanding the American piano canon and connecting with audiences through curiosity, storytelling and exploration.
Since 2020, Melemed has been based in Finland. Following his success at the Maj Lind Piano Competition and aided by his fluency in Finnish — developed during studies at Columbia University — he has established a strong presence across the country, performing with leading orchestras and appearing at major festivals.
Grand Piano Series
Grand Piano Series
Grand Piano Series is a nonprofit 501(c)(3), tax-exempt and financially self-supporting organization. Founded in 2016 by Milana Strezeva and Raniero Tazzi, Grand Piano Series is a nonprofit concert and education organization that seeks to enrich the cultural life of the Southwest Florida community with memorable concerts by international artists of the highest caliber, along with a dynamic program of community outreach for all ages, including programs for over 10,000 students each year in Collier and Lee counties.
For more information, visit grandpianoseries.org.
