At age six, Nikolay and Anna discovered the piano and singing. And even though their love for music and teaching developed separately, it was a chance meeting in their early 20s that brought them together when Anna helped a young pianist, Nikolay Pestov, with a contemporary piece for a mixed singing group by sitting beside him at the keyboard. This ordinary moment marked the first meeting of two musicians whose lives would continue to intersect in unexpected ways. Neither realized their paths would cross two more times before finally connecting for good, ultimately sharing a passion for the piano, singing, teaching, choir, and life!

 

Rooted in their journey as musicians, their training was shaped by a strong education at the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, one of Russia’s leading music institutions. 

 

Their careers on stage and in the professional cultural environment, working at the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia and the Department of Culture of the City of Moscow, is where they met a wide range of remarkable professionals, performers, educators, cultural managers, and creators of artistic projects. This experience gave them deep insight into how major educational and artistic initiatives are conceived and developed. There, their professional mindset and approach to music were formed, along with a dedication to teaching with care and love, as they worked with students.

 

Over time, they realized that everything meaningful is created by people. This belief inspired the creation of their first music school, Open Music School, part of Adriatic Open School, a bilingual international school in Bar, Montenegro. The school became a living embodiment of their realization, bringing together students, teachers, parents, and concertgoers in a shared, ever-evolving space, with audiences filling the Bijela Dvorana concert hall. By performing in concerts, festivals, and competitions, students gradually found their own musical path.

 

After creating the Open Music School in Montenegro they decided to create a new project, Open Music School Porto, their second major initiative, which would serve as a bridge between the Atlantic and Adriatic, Portugal and Montenegro, and the energy of the ocean and sea. In both locations, students meet, exchange experiences, join masterclasses and festivals, and perform solo concerts in different countries.

 

Each year, Nikolay and Anna organize a unique summer camp in Montenegro. There, intensive musical training with distinguished teachers fuses with seaside living and forest surroundings. The program features camping and academic courses in general subjects, collaborating with colleagues from the Adriatic Open School.

 

At Open Music School Porto, they are developing intensive programs year-round for highly motivated students seeking advanced training, stage experience, and concert performances.

 

Every day, their passion for music and teaching grows, and their story continues, driven by the belief that everyone has the potential to achieve their dreams. If that dream is music, they are committed to guiding, supporting, and inspiring the journey.

 

In addition to all that they do at Open Music School Porto, they are also dedicated to sharing the paintings of Nikolay's sister with the people of Portugal through ongoing art exhibitions. For more information, click here.