From Uzbekistan to Round Top

More than 7,000 miles from her home country of Uzbekistan, Kseniya Klyukina is trying to make the most of her musical education here in Texas, which includes participating in the Round Top Musical Festival with around 80 other talented musicians.

Having just finished her sophomore year at the University of North Texas in Denton, Klyukina decided to participate in the festival at the suggestion of one of her teachers, Susan Dubois, who serves as a summer faculty member for the program.

“I study viola performance in her studio, and she recommended that I visit the program,” Klyukina said. “She visits every year since she is part of the faculty, and I’m glad she recommended the program to me because I’m really enjoying it so far.”

Klyukina has been finetuning her craft for most of her life, learning to read music before most kids her age could read books.

“I started on the violin when I was four,” Klyukina said. “My entire family are musicians so I was introduced at quite a young age.”

Like the two previous student musicians that The Record has featured so far this summer, Klyukina didn’t start out playing the instrument that she is now planning on making a career out of.

“When I was 12, my violin teacher recommended that I switch to violia because it suits my personality more,” Klyukina said.

The violin and viola are very similar regarding how they look and how they are played, but minor differences between the two instruments can make a big difference in the sound and role of the player. The violin is a slightly smaller soprano instrument that is often featured in solos and the melody, while the viola is a slightly larger, deeper sounding instrument that specializes in accompaniment.

“The viola is more about supporting somebody who’s carrying the melody rather than being the main star,” Klyukina said. “I’m not much of a soloist.”

Klyukina may be from across the globe, but it seems like such a small world when a single connection created a chain of events that led her to study in Texas and ultimately participate in the Round Top Music Festival.

“My mom’s colleague studied with Professor Bushkova, one of the violin teachers at UNT,” Klyukina said. “Professor Bushkova knew Professor Dubois, the viola instructor, so she recommended the university to me and my family. I then took a mock class with Dubois and fell in love with the school. A couple years later, Professor Dubois told me about this festival.”

Once she graduates from UNT, Klyukina hopes to pursue her master’s degree.

“A plan I have for the far future is I would like to open my own private music conservatory back in Uzbekistan,” Klyukina said.

The Round Top Music Festival will have its final performances for the summer on Saturday, July 11. Tickets are available at www.festivalhill. org.