Elena and Gregory Fainshtein will be among the featured performers at the 2015 National Accordion Association (NAA) Convention in Plano, Texas. Elena has experience teaching the accordion and piano for over 25 years. Currently, she is working with children and adults in her own home studio, Musical Expressions, located in Plano, Texas and she also teaches via Skype.

Elena said, “It is beautiful to watch people develop a passion for playing the piano and accordion and to share in my joy of spreading music to others.

 I have been playing in a duo with my husband, Gregory, for several decades, and our music has accompanied us from the Soviet Union, to the State of Israel, and for the past decade, in Texas. We have journeyed to different countries and learned other languages, but what has remained a constant is music.”


Elena started to play the accordion at the age of five. She first took private lessons and then attended the School for Gifted Kids in Minsk, Belarus, where her second instrument of choice was piano. Then, she went to the Minsk Music College, graduating with the highest honors. After music college, she attended the Academy of Music in Minsk.

At the age of 17 at music college Elena began playing as an accordion duo with her classmate, Gregory Fainshtein, who became her husband and music partner for life six years later.

Since their school days, they have performed in a variety of concerts all over the world, including Belarus, Russia, Georgia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Germany, Israel, and the United States. 

The Fainshteins have recorded two CD’s “Musical Adventure” and “Together”. Joan Cochran Sommers in her review of their CD said, “It is obvious they are not only entertaining performers but, also, very well-trained ones with excellent technical abilities. They compliment, enhance, and listen to each other; their respect for the music is evident throughout the recording.”

Elena will conduct the intermediate/advanced orchestra. Her students will participate in “Time to Shine” concert. Elena and Gregory will perform with Stas Venglevski as a trio and also present a workshop.

For further information: elena.fainshtein@gmail.com