Natalya Chesnova was born in Minsk (Belarus). She graduated from the State Belorussian Conservatory in 2004. After 5 years of study, she worked as a music teacher and a concertmaster (music assistant) at the State Music College in Belarus, where she also accompanied many different choreographers and dance teachers.
In 2001, as a member of the “Noviy Gorod” ensemble (Minsk, Belarus), Natalya won 3rd the competition “Golden Accordion”(New York, USA). In the same year, she took 1 place in “Concorso Internazionate di Castelfidardo” (Italy). In 2002, Natalya competed in “Festival International de la Masique Universitarie di Belfort” (France).
From 1997 to May of 2004, Natalya toured with “Nooviy Gorod” to several former Soviet Union countries, as well as Poland, Germany and Italy. She was also interviewed on Radio and TV programs in Belarus. In October of 2003, she was invited to Moscow to play at the celebration of “Belorussian Cultural Days”.
In the summer of 2004, Natalya moved to Italy, where she currently lives and works. Shortly after moving, she competed in the festival “Isola Folk”(Italy), performing a solo concert. She also played at the festival “Etno Bocconi” at “Universita omonima” in Milan, Italy. She also began collaborating with different folk music ensembles which played at the “Lombardy” festivals (regions Lekko and Bergamo, Italy). In May of 2007, the living legend Rishar Galliono, a master of bayan (type of accordion) music, gave a master class which was devoted to jazz improvisation influenced by the “musette” style, and Latino American music in modern music art. The master class was held in “Castelnovo ne Monti (RE)”, and Natalya Chesnova had the privilege of attending.
In September of 2007, Natalya competed in the festival “Isola Folk” as a soloist with a repertoire ranging from her folk beginnings to Russian classical music, which she incorporates in her concerts and performances to this day.
In November of 2007, Natalya was invited to the book premier of “Faccia di cuore”, by author Luka Tirabosca (director of the national Italian TV channel “Italia 1”), she was featured as a soloist. Now, Natalya works with actors and actresses of eclectic performances, where music alternates with prose and poetry, where sound and a word flow together in symbiosis, crossing the border between them. From October to February 2007, these performances were held as part of the literary evenings of the system of libraries in the Bergamo region.
In September of 2008, Natalya was as a soloist in the festival “Edufest 2008”, which was attended by the Minister of Education and the director of the Bergamo Conservatory.
Now, Natalya, with fellow musicians Nicola Portonato and Mirelle Ben are working on a compilation of British sea songs about epic adventures and sailing. These songs come from an era when every type of job was accompanied by a particular motet, which helped sailors and riggers work in a more organized fashion. Natalya, Mireille Ben (a singer and actress) and Lugano Michel Poletti (a puppet theatre actor, and director/artistic head of the “Festival Internazionale delle Marionette di Lugano”) staged a performance which was dedicated to Artistid Bruan , the founder of the famous Monmarte cabaret in Paris in the 19th century. This performance was on tour in Swizerland and Italy.
From 2008 till now, Natalya has enriched her creative abilities with new music projects: “Masterpieces of Soviet cinematography” , where she writes scores for silent movies; Christmas and New Year classical music selections; and songs from the Jewish diasporas and ghettos (this performance was shown many times in the Lombardia territory in Italy and in Switzerland).
In the autumn of 2009, Natalya played in “Festival Internazionale delle Marionette”( Switzerland). In June of 2010 she opened first at festival “Per antiche contrade” by collaborating with “Centro Studi Valle Imagna” (The center of studying Valle Emany).
In march 2011 her first soloist CD, “Quadri di musica russa”. Also in 2011 is the second masterclass with Richard Galliano. In the following years she take part in two international festivals: “The World of Accordion” in Castelfidardo (Italy) as invited guest non in competition and “Alexiand and International Friends Festival” in Lanciano (Italy).
In the later years she takes part in many festival in Italy, was invited to play and teach accordion in South Corea and in Montpellier (France).
Natalya also teaches in music schools in Bergamo, Lecco and Milan. She plays a bayan ,Victoria, which was made especially for her by the Castelfidardo factory (Italy), to whom she is very grateful.
