JULIA AMIROVA

Julia Amirova is a Ukrainian pianist, arranger, and composer now living in Krakow, Poland. Julia started her musical career as a performer of classical music. In 2011, Julia graduated cum laude from Kyiv Institute of Music with a major in “Solo musician, accompanier, ensemble performer”, where she studied in Tetiana Pivovarova’s class. In 2012, she graduated cum laude from Kyiv National University of Theatre, Cinema, and Television majoring in sound mastering. As a student, she won numerous competitions and festivals in Kyiv and throughout Ukraine (III place at International Festival “The art of XX century” in 2002, Worzel, Ukraine, II place in Music Festival “Zoloti Zerniata Ukrainy” in 2004, Kyiv, Ukraine, laureate of the Kyiv Region Competition of Young Pianists in 2004, 2005, 2006, I place at Kyiv City Olympiad of the History of Music, 2004, I place at the Kyiv Piano Duet Competition “Traditional and Contemporary” in 2006, I place, III place, and II place at Etude Competition at Kyiv Institute of Music at 2008, 2009 and 2010). Awarded the Kyiv major’s scholarship for academic success and significant creative achievements (2004) and diploma for creative contribution to the activities of Kyiv Institute of Music (2011). Among the styles of music, Julia prefers Late Romanticism, Impressionism, and modern music. Julia’s fondness for jazz and rock music dates back to school time; she was very excited when she first heard “The Koln Concert” by the famous jazz pianist Keith Jarrett.

In 2011, she started the band Strikha-project together with her friends. The band played traditional Ukrainian folk songs in modern arrangements, combined with jazz, blues, and electronic music.

In 2014, she moved to Krakow to study at the Krakow School of Jazz and Modern Music (her teachers were Piotr Kalicki and Dominic Wania). In 2015, Julia participated in the International Summer Jazz Academy in Krakow, where she was a special assistant. She co-founded the band KlezzJezz, where she made arrangements, created her own compositions, and played the piano. The main direction of the band’s creative work was playing klezmer music in jazz arrangements along with their own pieces.

In 2016, Julia started the band Good Flow Trio. They play jazz standards and popular songs in the band’s own swing, soul, bossa nova, and pop arrangements.

In 2018, she started the girl’s jazz quartet “Fuzzy Birds” together with friends. They play their own compositions in jazz, fusion, jazz-rock, and jazz-folk styles.

In 2020, she graduated cum laude from Krakow Academy of Music majoring in jazz piano in Joachim Mencel’s class. There she met Mikolaj Sikora, the bassist, and Patryk Gajda, the drummer; together, they formed Julia’s own jazz band Amirova Trio. The main style of Amirova Trio’s music is jazz: contemporary jazz, modern jazz, and groove, but Slavic folklore influences it greatly.