Our Teachers

Dr. Peter Kostov is a Leader of the Music Department at the School. He has over 25 years of teaching experience of various Music disciplines and instruments like Piano, Guitar, Oboe, Saxophone, and Conducting.

A part of his outstanding career is to teach and inspire students in VIVA School of Music and Ballet:

• Doctor of Musical Arts (North western University, Chicago, USA);
• Master of Music in Choral and Orchestral Conducting (National Academy of Music, Sofia, Bulgaria);
• Juror of International Music and Ballet Competitions;
• Producer and Stage Director of Musical Performances;
• Active as a Performer and Conductor around Singapore;
• Member of the League of American Symphony Orchestras;
• Multi-Lingual and Multi-Cultural life experience on four continents.
• Work experience with many Great European Musicians as Daniel Barenboim 

Teaching is one of those professions that keep me on my toes and forever young at heart. It allows me to use my brain and, at the same time, to continue learning every day. I have found that students can teach me about different cultures, abilities, and perspectives.

The best moment is witnessing a student grasp a concept for the very first time. There is no better reward than helping a student reach clarity. This moment can be life-changing for both the student and myself. I have a passion for the Music I teach, and that keeps me going. To inspire young minds to play with new ideas, to encourage them to care deeply about the music they play, to take on more challenging tasks, and to become successful in life. This is what inspires me to teach. Seeing my students reach their goals and become productive members of society is the ultimate reason why I teach.

Teaching is a profession that allows me to be creative and work with a variety of different people. Each day brings with it a new musical beginning.

I believe that there is nothing more satisfying in life than to inspire students to open their minds. All of us have had a teacher in our lives who may have changed our outlook or made a significant impact on us.

I try to make learning Music easy and full of fun, especially now that digital learning is taking over our educational system. Learning to play pieces of music on a new instrument can be a challenging, but achievable goal. Students who master even the smallest goal in music will be able to feel proud of their achievement.

Being part of the transformative force that is music education can be a powerful thing, but so too, is experiencing the reward of everyday moments shared with young minds.

Music can shape our abilities and character. It is scientifically proven that music education can greatly contribute to children’s intellectual development. What better way to change the world than by forging strong characters one student at a time?

Her Teacher’s Lineage can be traced all the way to Heinrich Neuhaus, one of the most charismatic and sought-after pianist-pedagogues of the twentieth century, earning a formidable reputation as one of the pillars of Russian pianism through the success of his star pupils Emil Gilels, Sviatoslav Richter, Lev Naumov and many others.

Teacher Natalya is a professional Pianist and Piano teacher with over 20 years of experience as a soloist and often performed in The “Glinka” Concert Hall in Novosibirsk, Russia home of the world famous Vadim Repin and Maxim Vengerov. And as a Piano teacher, she is training Piano students and future Teachers at a very professional and competitive level.

As a professional musician, Teacher Natalya gained a performing career in 3 continents and became a part in world class Music projects and received Diplomas and Certificates of recognition in Teaching Excellence.

Natalya began playing piano at a very young age, she was accepted to study professionally in The Shostakovitch College of Music in Kurgan in Russia.

After studying for a Master’s degree in Piano performance and Teaching qualification from The Novosibirsk State Academy of Music, where she was trained under the remarkable Pianists like the well-known prof. Melnikova, Prof.Baranova and many others, she graduated her post-graduate studies with honour.

• Conservatory and Postgraduate Education
• Master Degree in Music Arts • Bachelor of Musical Arts Degree
• Her students are winners of top prizes at over 120 International
• Music Competitions all over the world, including Steinway competition.
• Juror of International Music Competitions
• A myriad of Musical Performances;
• Active as a Performer in Europe, Asia and here in Singapore;
• Member of Music Teacher’s Association of Russia
• Member of Music Teachers Association Singapore
• Multi-Lingual and Multi-Cultural life experience on three continents.

Her Teacher’s Lineage is with legacy and is powered with well-known names as Prof. Lyuba Encheva, judge in the famous“Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition” Moskow/St Petersburg, Prof. Margarita Krasteva one of the most well known Baroque specialist and Harpsichord performer/teacher in the National Music Academy, Prof. Pencho Stoyanov – one of the doyens of the Bulgarian composer’s generation, Prof. Krassimir Gatev top Bulgarian pianists of the 20th century.

https://bnr.bg/en/post/100452860/70th-birth-anniversary-of-pianist-krassimir-gatev

Teacher Tanya is a professional Pianist and Piano teacher for more than 20 years, 10 of which she gained an experience in Singapore.

As a soloist and performer in her native country she was often a pianist in The “Bulgaria” Concert Hall in Sofia capital of Bulgaria. Place of the world-famous Bulgarian Musicians and Composers.

As a professional pianist, Teacher Tanya was often invited to participate in Various Music Projects and Concerts in venues as Esplanade in Singapore and oversees countries.

As a Piano teacher, she is training Piano, Theory and Singing students and potential Music Teachers at a very positive and approachable manner. Her strong, but soft character helps students to enjoy music lesson and at the same time to achieve deep and truthful understanding of the Musical Art.

• Conservatory and Postgraduate Education
• Master Degree in Music Arts with Teaching Specialization
• Bachelor of Musical Arts Degree Focus in Music Pedagogy
• Specialization in Opera Singing
• Composition Studies
• Winner of several International competitions.
• Soloist of various symphonic and chamber orchestras in the cities in her native Bulgaria.
• Her students have many achievements as distinctive exam results and awards from International competitions.
• Variety of Music Performances
• Solo Performer in Europe, Asia and here in Singapore;
• Member of Music’ Association of her born city.
• Preparing Piano teachers not only for their diplomas, but for their teaching career and helping them to build up a Professional portfolio.

Teacher Elmira is a professional Violinist and Violin teacher with over 25 years of Teaching and Performing experience.

Graduated with Master’s degree in Violin performance and Teaching qualification from The National State Academy of Music in her native country (Formal Soviet Union),​ ​​where she was​ ​trained ​under the remarkable, well-known Violinists and Pedagogs, she graduated her post-graduate studies with Distintion.      

Apart from the many Music concerts that teacher Elmira has organized in her home country, she took a part in numerous Group and Solo Performances and Music Projects in countries such as China, Russia, and cities of Saint Petersburg, Ekaterinburg, Moscow and many more…

As a professional musician, Teacher Elmira gained a great Performing & Teaching Portfolio and her professional development includes preparation of students for the Music College and Conservatories for Violin all over the world.

She has worked extensively with young children as well as adults for over 25 years and has been in Singapore for more than 10 years, teaching small children from 3 to 33 years old in piano and violin performance individually and in the group, as well as Music Theory, Ear training and Rhythm Development. Capable of not only teaching individual classes, but also group ensembles, her professional experience exceeds more than the usual student’s expectation, and because of her personality, her instructions are very wise and nurturing, which helps the students to learn and succeed smoothly and speed up their achievement.

• Conservatory and Postgraduate Education
• Master Degree in Violin Performance
• Bachelor of Musical Arts Degree and chamber music performance
• Some of her students have won local and International Music Awards
• Jurorof International Music Competitions
• A Multitude of experience in Musical Performances, Solo, Orchestral, Opera and Chamber.
• Active as a Performer in Europe, Asia and here in Singapore;
• Member of Music Teacher’s Association in the Capital of her born country

Teacher Esther is currently obtaining her FTCL equal to Master Degree in Piano Performance and building up extensively her performing and teaching career. She is working with young children as well as adults for over 10 years and teaching small children from 3 to 18 years old in Piano and Theory individually and in the group in a very gentle, but extensive way.

Capable not only of excellent Music performance, but also for teaching Piano and Theory classes at a very professional way, she always strives to empower her knowledge and skills with more studies and extra curriculum. Her love in teaching youngsters, helps students to appreciate much more their music lessons and develop musical perception and Joy in Playing the Piano.

Her personality and instructions are very nurturing and encouraging, which leads the students to succeed more than the usual student’s expectation.

Her professional development includes preparation of students for the Music Graded exams in Piano performance and Theory. Apart from the examination teacher Esther helps to organize performances for many of her students and preparing tailored individual class programs according to every student need. 

• Licentiate in LTCL equivalent to Bachelor of Musical Arts Degree in Piano performance
• Currently obtaining her Fellowship FTCL equivalent to Master Degree in Piano Performance
• Her students have shown high interest in Music Development
• Various Musical Performances in Singapore.
• Performer with a high level of technique, deep empathy and perception

Teacher Olga is a professional ballerina with over 17 years of experience as a soloist and performer in The Theatre of Opera and Ballet in Almaty in Kazakhstan. And as a Ballet teacher, she is training young ballet dancers at a very professional and competitive level.

As a professional ballerina, Ms Olga gained a performing career in 3 continents and became a part in world class masterpieces like “Swan Lake”, “Don Quixote”, “Bayaderka”, “The Nutcracker”, “Sleeping Beauty”, and many others.

Began dancing at very young age, she was accepted to study professionally in The Choreography Ballet School in Almaty in Kazakhstan.

After ​Graduated​​ with a Master’s degree in Choreography and Ballet Pedagogy from the famous Russian ​Cheliabinsk ​​Institute of ballet Pedagogy,​ ​​where she was​ ​trained ​under the remarkable Ballet dancers like the well-known prof Sarah Kusherbaeva, prof. Ramasan Bapov​ and many others, she went to Moskow for her post-graduate studies and graduated with honors.

Teacher Olga is trained ​entirely​ under ​the ​Vaganova Ballet Method, and ​is ​verse​d​ with variety of dancing styles in her professional study as a Jazz, Modern Ballet, Pointe, Tap dance Latin, Folk and many other dancing styles.

In her teaching carrier she bec​a​me a Head of Ballet for Miras International School in Kazakhstan and has served as a Ballet teacher at the School of Olympic Reserves. Her recognition and achievements as a ballerina began when she has earned numerous prestigious awards from regional and national competitions​ around​ Russia and ​former ​Soviet Union countries, given for her outstanding choreography and remarkable technique as ​well as she has written and has published numerous articles and tesises on ​the ballet pedagogy technique and artistic interpretation.

• Artistic Director
• Master of Arts Degree in Academic dancing
• Bachelor of Arts Degree in choreography and performance productions

• Dancers @ Work, National Gallery Singapore The noisy teahouse
• Dancers @ Work Cymone Woo Jing Yun, Title “Indentation” Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Campus 3 Studio Theatre
• NAFA Open House 2018 Flash Mob, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Campus 1 Foyer
• Dancers @ work, Contemporary Class Work Level 2, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Dance Studio
• Dancers @ work, Contemporary Class Work Level 1, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Dance Studio
• 2016 Dance Festival, NAFA production Third Space, Esplanade, Singapore
• Ballet Contingency Chingay, People Association, Ballet Dancer
• September 2017 Stephen Petronio Company, Dance Motion USA,
• Contemporary dance, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Dance Studio
• March 2017 Igal Perry, Ballet Master class, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Dance Studio
• Teaching Experience
• Intuition International, Ballet Teacher
• La Académie De Danse (Dance On Us), Ballet Teacher assistant
• Dance Theatre of Arts, Ballet teacher
• Intuition International, Ballet teacher

Teacher Esther is currently obtaining her FTCL equal to Master Degree in Piano Performance and building up extensively her performing and teaching career. She is working with young children as well as adults for over 10 years and teaching small children from 3 to 18 years old in Piano and Theory individually and in the group in a very gentle, but extensive way.

Capable not only of excellent Music performance, but also for teaching Piano and Theory classes at a very professional way, she always strives to empower her knowledge and skills with more studies and extra curriculum. Her love in teaching youngsters, helps students to appreciate much more their music lessons and develop musical perception and Joy in Playing the Piano.

Her personality and instructions are very nurturing and encouraging, which leads the students to succeed more than the usual student’s expectation.

Her professional development includes preparation of students for the Music Graded exams in Piano performance and Theory. Apart from the examination teacher Esther helps to organize performances for many of her students and preparing tailored individual class programs according to every student need. 

• Licentiate in LTCL equivalent to Bachelor of Musical Arts Degree in Piano performance
• Currently obtaining her Fellowship FTCL equivalent to Master Degree in Piano Performance
• Her students have shown high interest in Music Development
• Various Musical Performances in Singapore.
• Performer with a high level of technique, deep empathy and perception