Maria Stembolskaya was born to a musical family in Baku. During her studies at the Music School of the Moscow Conservatoire she won 1st prize at the International Pozzoli Competition in Italy (1993). Graduated from the Moscow Conservatoire with distinction and completed a post-graduate course there (class of Elena Kuznetsova). Prize-winner at the international competitions Music of the 20th Century (the François Prize, 1998) the Iturbi Competition (2nd prize, 2002) and the Busoni Prize (Grand Prix and several special prizes, 2003).
Appears to great acclaim in France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and the USA. Has taken part in the Michelangelo Festival in in Brescia, the Piano Festival in the Ruhr, the Yamaha Festival in Moscow and the C’est pas classique festival in Nice. Guest soloist of the Société des Interprètes (Nice). In 2010 she received the award Diapason Découverte for her first compact disc featuring music by Melanie Bonis.
