With unparalleled technical, musical and communication skills, Marika Bournaki is at once a world class performer, outstanding pianist, vivacious young woman and the freshest face on the classical music scene. Marika’s innovative approach to her art and performance is reflected in her recent collaboration, Let’s Play, with cutting­ edge and world­ renowned multimedia creative shop, Moment Factory. Her role as Ambassador to the Orchestra Symphonique de Montreal’s summer event, “A Cool, Classical Journey” was an opportunity to explore new and exciting ways to share her music with the public. The award­ winning documentary, I am Not a Rockstar, directed by Bobbi Jo Hart and featuring Marika, has captivated audiences of all ages in festivals around the world. The feature­ length film chronicles Marika’s evolution as an artist from the age of 12 to 20. A runaway success at multiple international film festivals, I am Not a Rockstar, was screened at, among many others, the 30th International Festival of Films on Art in Montreal, Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, Barcelona Music Documentary Film Festival, DOCSDF Festival in Mexico City, and the Napa Valley Film Festival in California. Marika’s unique approach and intense passion have also been heard over the airwaves on Radio­Canada, Radio­France, BBC, WQXR in NYC, and Toronto’s 96.3FM. She has been featured on television networks such as ERT, TF1, France 2, CTV, Global, Radio­Canada, CBC, and Canal+.
Recent performances include a benefit recital for the Glenn Gould Foundation at New York’s Carnegie Hall, concerto appearances with the Orchestra Symphonique de Montreal, Orchestra Metropolitain, l’Orchestre de Chambre I Musici, Orchestra Symphonique de Quebec, and Orchestra Novo, recitals at the National Arts Center in Ottawa, Flanders Festival in Belgium, Concert Accordate in Aachen Germany, the EMMA Concert Association in Florida, Chamber Music Northwest in Oregon, and the Laminate Festival in Toronto. Other engagements include performances with the St­ Petersburg Symphony Orchestra in Russia, recitals with duo partner, cellist Julian Schwarz, duo­piano recitals with pianist Ji­Yong in Korea, and chamber music appearances at the Eastern Music Festival in NC, and Bargemusic in NYC.
Marika holds Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from the Juilliard School where she studied with Yoheved Kaplinsky and Matti Raekallio.
The Schwarz-Bournaki Duo received the Top Prize at the 2016 Boulder International Chamber Music Competition (BICMC- “Art of Duo”).