KATARINA
KOCHETOVA
pianist | singer | composer | arranger
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Pianist, vocalist, composer and arranger, Katarina Kochetova has distinguished herself as one of the leading voices in the European jazz scene.
She was born in Ukraine's capital - Kyiv, and she grew up in Belgrade (RS) with her parents who are both musicians: Max Kochetov and Ksenija Kochetova.
At the age of 6, Kochetova began studying classical piano with Nada Filipovic, Milica Vasiljevic-Bisenic and Ruzica Gojkovic. She studied classical piano for 7 years and at the age of 13, she was admitted to a music high school "Kornelije Stankovic" at the jazz piano department where she studied with Milos "Mike M" Krstic and Aleksandar Grujic. She participated in a few jazz competitions: she won a prize in the "Naturalmente Piano Forte" competition, 2nd prize for an original composition in the competition "The Best Musical Mind", 2nd prize on “Katowice Miasto Ogrodow Composition Competition” and many more. Katarina also took part in Lee Ritenour's "Six String Theory Competition" and was awarded 4th place in the Rhythm Section Competition as a pianist.
Katarina’s music career in Serbia flourished during her years in high school, and this success led her to study music at the university level. In 2018, she was accepted to one of the best universities in Europe – “Music and Arts Private University of The City of Vienna” in Vienna (AT) where she studied Jazz Piano with Oliver Kent. In the summer of 2022, she finished her Bachelor Studies in Vienna. She seized an opportunity to do an exchange program in Sweden’s “Royal College of Music in Stockholm” in her last year of studies. She actively played and participated in the local jazz scene of Stockholm and Gothenburg. In the Fall of 2022, Kochetova continued her collegiate studies at the university in Vienna, and is currently pursuing a Masters of Music.
She has played with many established jazz musicians such as Seamus Blake, Wolfgang Muthspiel, Django Bates, John Hollenbeck, Guillermo Klein, Song Yi Jeon, Ofri Nehemya, Jure Pukl, Alex Hitchcock, Ben Tiberio, Nicola Caminiti, Felix Rossy, Håkan Broström, Per "Texas" Johansson, Vladimir Kostadinovic, Karl-Henrik Ousbäck and many others.
Kochetova has concertized as a leader and side-woman throughout much of Europe, performing with projects such as "Kochetova/Broström Quartet", "Max Kochetov Quartet", "Ingryd Schyborger Quartet", "Felix Rossy's Delightful Quintet", etc. As a bandleader and composer, Katarina can be found performing frequently with her trio “Katarina Kochetova Trio”, as well as in her quartet and quintet formations.
In 2023, Kochetova recorded her debut album "Beyond Motion" of all original music in trio, featuring Jure Pukl on tenor sax and Joander Cruz on alto sax.
The album was released in June 2024 under ©&℗ A.MA Edizioni, and was named one of the Top 100 Greatest Jazz Albums of 2024 by JAZZIT Magazine.
Currently she is working on her second album.
Katarina is currently attending the Focusyear program in Basel, Switzerland, where she is collaborating with an international ensemble featuring Elena Schäfer and Stephanie Borgani on vocals, Aidan O'Connor on tenor saxophone, Camil Arcarazo on guitar, Tino Ribeiro on double bass, and Gary Jones III on drums. Through this program, she continues to develop her musical voice, expand her artistic horizons, and explore new possibilities through collaboration and ensemble playing.