Concertmaster
Mariya Potapova
St. Petersburg native Mariya Potapova grew up in a family of musicians and began playing the violin at age 8. She continued her studies in Knoxville, TN, when her family moved to the United States in 1999, and at the University of North Carolina Asheville, where she holds Bachelor degrees in Music and Psychology. She soloed with the Blue Ridge Civic Orchestra, after having won the Blue Ridge Concerto Competition in 2006. Her primary teachers have been Inez Hullinger Redman, Vladimir Gentselt, Vadim Voyler, and Emma Polonskaya of St.Petersburg School of the Arts.
Mariya leads a multi-faceted performing life in the Asheville and Greenville, SC areas. She is a member of the Asheville Symphony, Greenville Symphony, Hendersonville Symphony, Symphony of the Mountains, Soluna String Quartet, Opal String Quartet, and Vakama Piano Trio, and performs with many other local orchestras. She collaborates with a wide range of classical and non-classical ensembles, including the Kruger Brothers, Pan Harmonia, Meadowlark Quartet, Free Planet Radio, The Get Right Band. Equally at home performing musicals, Mariya has frequented the orchestra pit at the Flat Rock Playhouse and Western Carolina University. Mariya has also been a part of many recording projects for various bands and movie soundtracks.