Musicologist · Austin, TX
Anna Vilenskaya
I explain how music is built — and why it hits you.
On 🎤 stage, 📕 in print, and on 🎙️ the record for your story.
Lectured at:
New York Public Library
UT Austin
Carnegie Mellon University
Macalester College
Experience:
10 years of public talk experience
80+ cities worldwide
Co-host of a podcast on music and the war (RU)
Author of "Complete guide to Radiohead"
Musicologist · Austin, TX
Anna Vilenskaya
I explain how music is built — and why it hits you.
On 🎤 stage, 📕 in print, and on 🎙️ the record for your story.
Lectured at:
New York Public Library
UT Austin
Carnegie Mellon University
Macalester College
Experience:
10 years of public talk experience
80+ cities worldwide
Co-host of a podcast on music and the war (RU)
Author of "Complete guide to Radiohead"
What brings you here?
01
Looking for a speaker
If you need an evening your audience will retell
Live lectures at the piano: I take apart music, the room laughs, argues, votes — and leaves hearing the music in a whole new way.
Two hours of intensive and joyful work plus Q&A.
A 60-minute version is available for series with tighter slots.
Works for concerts, halls, series, festivals, campuses.
Journalist on deadline
If you need a music expert who talks like a human
Album drops, plagiarism suits, award-show moments, "why do all songs sound like this now" — I give you a quotable take in plain English, fast. Credentials below, bios in the press kit.
What brings you here?
01
Looking for a speaker
If you need an evening your audience will retell
Live lectures at the piano: I take apart music, the room laughs, argues, votes — and leaves hearing the music in a whole new way.
Two hours of intensive and joyful work plus Q&A.
A 60-minute version is available for series with tighter slots.
Works for concerts, halls, series, festivals, campuses.
Journalist on deadline
If you need a music expert who talks like a human
Album drops, plagiarism suits, award-show moments, "why do all songs sound like this now" — I give you a quotable take in plain English, fast. Credentials below, bios in the press kit.
Who am I?
02
I'm a musicologist.
What I actually do is take music apart to find out why it does what it does to us — and then hand that over to people who never studied it.
My approach is simple: I apply the tools of classical music theory to popular music. First, I break down the chords, harmonic resolutions, textural layers, and structural elements in detail.
Then, I try to grasp the composer's intent and evaluate the musical talent behind the composition. This allows me to trace the evolution of musical genres that have never before been analyzed from a musicological perspective!
My goal is to use this analysis to answer questions—like which chords distinguish the Beatles from the Rolling Stones—and to map out the entire evolution of chords and rhythms in pop music.
Forbes Russia named me to its 30 Under 30. I do all my own illustrations.
Who am I?
02
I'm a musicologist.
What I actually do is take music apart to find out why it does what it does to us — and then hand that over to people who never studied it.
My approach is simple: I apply the tools of classical music theory to popular music. First, I break down the chords, harmonic resolutions, textural layers, and structural elements in detail.
Then, I try to grasp the composer's intent and evaluate the musical talent behind the composition. This allows me to trace the evolution of musical genres that have never before been analyzed from a musicological perspective!
My goal is to use this analysis to answer questions—like which chords distinguish the Beatles from the Rolling Stones—and to map out the entire evolution of chords and rhythms in pop music.
Forbes Russia named me to its 30 Under 30. I do all my own illustrations.
Why trust me with your audience?
03
Since moving to the US I've lectured at the New York Public Library and three universities — on Russian music history, on Shostakovich, and on why there are seven notes in the first place. Different subjects, same method: take the music apart, show the room how it works.
New York, NY
Sept … Dec 2024
Saint Paul, MN
Macalester College
The Physics Of Music, Or Why There Are Seven Notes
Sept 2025
Pittsburgh, PA
Sept 2025
Austin, TX
UT Austin
Shostakovich: Music, Power, and Paradox
Oct 2025
The previous chapter · 2016–2026
Before the US: a decade of packed halls in another language
I built one of the largest Russian-language platforms for music appreciation — touring lectures, video courses, and an audience of hundreds of thousands. Now I'm doing it in English here in US.
80+
cities in Europe, Asia and North America
300K+
YouTube subscribers (RU)
4M+
views, flagship interview
100K+
Instagram followers
Why trust me with your audience?
03
Since moving to the US I've lectured at the New York Public Library and three universities — on Russian music history, on Shostakovich, and on why there are seven notes in the first place. Different subjects, same method: take the music apart, show the room how it works.
New York, NY
Sept … Dec 2024
Saint Paul, MN
Macalester College
The Physics Of Music, Or Why There Are Seven Notes
Sept 2025
Pittsburgh, PA
Sept 2025
Austin, TX
UT Austin
Shostakovich: Music, Power, and Paradox
Oct 2025
The previous chapter
2016–2026
Before the US: a decade of packed halls in another language
I built one of the largest Russian-language platforms for music appreciation — touring lectures, video courses, and an audience of hundreds of thousands. Now I'm doing it in English here in US.
80+
cities in Europe, Asia and North America
300K+
YouTube subscribers (RU)
4M+
views, flagship interview
100K+
Instagram followers
Lecture Topics
04
Over the past 10 years, I've built a repertoire that covers everything from medieval chant to Radiohead. But I don't like repeating myself. I love diving into new territory, so if there's a topic you'd love to hear about — even one that sounds completely unexpected! — I'd be delighted to explore it.
Classical
History
Music & society
History of Russian Classical Music
A comprehensive history of Russian classical music from Glinka to Shostakovich, taking into account the social and political context.
5 Lectures
× 120 min + Q&A
piano
projector
Classical
Electronic
Pop
Rock
How Radiohead Builds Magic
A live dissection of the machinery behind the world's most anxious band: the chords, rhythms and production tricks that make you feel unease before you know why.
120 min + Q&A
piano
projector
Classical
History
Music & society
How Catastrophes Shape Music
Wars and disasters reshape politics and economies — do they reshape music? From Napoleon to 9/11, Messiaen composing in a camp, and the strange link between Chopin and anime.
120 min + Q&A
piano
projector
Lecture Topics
04
Over the past 10 years, I've built a repertoire that covers everything from medieval chant to Radiohead. But I don't like repeating myself. I love diving into new territory, so if there's a topic you'd love to hear about — even one that sounds completely unexpected! — I'd be delighted to explore it.
Classical
History
Music & society
History of Russian Classical Music
A comprehensive history of Russian classical music from Glinka to Shostakovich, taking into account the social and political context.
5 Lectures
× 120 min + Q&A
piano
projector
Classical
Electronic
Pop
Rock
How Radiohead Builds Magic
A live dissection of the machinery behind the world's most anxious band: the chords, rhythms and production tricks that make you feel unease before you know why.
120 min + Q&A
piano
projector
Classical
History
Music & society
How Catastrophes Shape Music
Wars and disasters reshape politics and economies — do they reshape music? From Napoleon to 9/11, Messiaen composing in a camp, and the strange link between Chopin and anime.
120 min + Q&A
piano
projector
Contact
06
events
You need an evening
your audience will retell
Date, venue, audience — that's all I need to confirm availability and fee. Halls, series, festivals, campuses, libraries.
Media & podcasts
You need a music expert who talks like a human
Comment for a story, interview, podcast episode. Tell me the topic and the deadline — you'll get a quotable take, not a lecture.
Something Else
Just ask
Collaboration, a course question, a wild idea — go ahead.
Contact
05
events
You need an evening
your audience will retell
Date, venue, audience — that's all I need to confirm availability and fee. Halls, series, festivals, campuses, libraries.
Media & podcasts
You need a music expert who talks like a human
Comment for a story, interview, podcast episode. Tell me the topic and the deadline — you'll get a quotable take, not a lecture.
Something Else
Just ask
Collaboration, a course question, a wild idea — go ahead.