Nichole Green

04/26/2016
MUSC 1040 - Mary Danzig
Final Presentation Essay
ndickers@bruinmail.com

Regina Spektor

Regina Spektor was born 1980, in Moscow Russia.

She was born into a musical family, her mother Bella was a

Professor in a Soviet college of music in Russia, Her father

Ilya Spektor also is a violinist.

When she was seven years old, She began studying classical

piano; She played a Petrof piano that her grandfather gave to

her.

In 1989, When Regina was nine years old, her parents to leave

Russia collapse of the Soviet Union. Because of religious

persecution over their Jewish faith.

When Regina and her family left Russia, they had to sell her

piano because it was considered Russian property and couldnt be

taken with them.

She told Rolling Stone magazine "We went first into Austriaand

that's why my last name is spelled with a k, the German way; and
then Italy and then America, where I had to learn both English

and Hebrew."1 http://www.biography.com/people/regina-spektor

She uses different languages in her music because of her journey

to America.

They arrived in the Bronx, New York. They did not have anything.

They were overwhelmed by the generosity of their neighbors that

just gave them food, clothing and furniture.

Because Regina had to leave her piano in Russia, she began

imaging she was playing on the window seals and an out-of-tune

piano, until her father couldnt stand another moment of her

playing on an out of tune piano so he introduced her to Music

Professor Sonia Vargas. Regina studied with her until she was 17

years old.

I believe playing an out-of-tune piano has helped with her sound

today because she often experiments with harsh and dissonant

sounds in her music.

In 2001, Regina graduated with Honors in a music composition

program from SUNY Purchase College in New York.

After graduating, she became familiar with the Anti-Folk scene

in New York City. She then went on to produce her album SOVIET

KITSCH which was played to the Strokes, and they loved it so

much that they invited her to tour with them on their sold out
North American tour in 2004. She recorded the song Post Modern

Girls & Old Fashion Men with the Strokes.

http://www.artistdirect.com/artist/bio/regina-

spektor/2821327#6o2upiojhpzRDoLo.99

After opening for the Strokes and then for Kings of Leon, She

signed with Sire Records. Then her breakout single Fidelity

hit 20 on Billboard 200.

In May 2010, Regina was asked to perform at the White House for

President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama in honor of

Jewish Heritage Month. She performed Us and The Sword and the

Pen.

In 2013, She wrote and released the opening theme song Youve

Got Time for Netflixs Original Series Orange is the New

Black which won a Grammy Award for the Visual Media category at

the 56th Annual Grammy Awards.

Regina Spektor mainly plays the piano, but she also plays the

guitar as well. Her songs have influences from Folk, Punk, Rock,

Jewish, Russian, Hip-Hop, Jazz, and Classical music.

I don't have an overall sound, she explains. I tend to think

of each song as its own little world, so one song can be a

complete punk song while another could be a chamber ensemble

with strings. It's more fun that way because I never have to do

the same thing over and over again.2

http://www.artistdirect.com/artist/bio/regina-

spektor/2821327#O3sJmeP4UHg0CEES.99.

I think that the difference between Art and Illustration is that

Illustration is intended to be interpreted in one way. Whereas

Art is intended to be interpreted in many ways.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
1http://www.biography.com/people/regina-spektor

2http://www.artistdirect.com/artist/bio/regina-

spektor/2821327#O3sJmeP4UHg0CEES.99

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-Ds9lyXslY