Musical Bridges
Then and Now:
Anya Grokhovski’s Enduring Notes of Change
“Back then, I was building bridges note by note. Now, I see entire communities walking across them.” – Anya Grokhovski
The folding chairs scraped across the hardwood floor as Anya Grokhovski arranged seating for a dozen guests in a San Antonio living room. It was 1998, and she had just flown in a pianist from Russia using money she didn’t really have. The performance that evening would be her first house concert, a “totally wild idea” that would become the foundation for something extraordinary.
Today, Grokhovski is the founder, CEO, and Artistic Director of Musical Bridges Around the World (MBAW), a nonprofit that presents international performances and free cultural programming throughout the city. But her journey from modest salons to public stages was anything but linear.
Born into a family of musicians in Moscow, Grokhovski was raised on the disciplined artistry of classical music. Her father was a violinist with the Moscow Philharmonic, and her mother was a noted teacher. By her early twenties, Grokhovski was already an accomplished pianist.
When she moved to the U.S. in 1989 with her then-husband and young son, she brought with her an impressive resume and little else. Their suitcase was lost in transit, and neighbors stepped in to offer donated clothing, including a pair of bright pink pajamas. Grokhovski, unfamiliar with American styles, mistook them for a regular outfit and sent her son to school wearing them. She laughs now at the memory. “There were no colors like that in the Soviet Union.” The moment captures what would become a recurring theme in her life: vulnerability met with grace, and the resilience that comes from starting over.
She joined the University of Texas at San Antonio as a staff accompanist and, for a time, considered a complete career change. A conversation with a former professor reminded her where she belonged. “You have to play,” he told her. “It’s in your DNA.”
That encouragement set her back on course. She returned to Moscow to complete her DMA in piano performance and later invited that same professor to San Antonio. When a concert arrangement fell through, she hosted the event in a friend’s home. Guests were enchanted. They asked for more.
From that one living room performance, MBAW was born. The mission was simple: to build cultural bridges through music. What began as a grassroots effort quickly expanded to include public concerts, educational outreach, and international collaborations. In 2002, Grokhovski partnered with Father David Garcia to present the Russell Hill Rogers Musical Evenings at San Fernando Cathedral, a free concert series that continues to this day.
Her leadership is personal and community-driven. “I never set out to be an executive,” she says. “But I knew how to bring people together through music.”
Under her guidance, MBAW now serves more than 30,000 people annually through concerts, festivals, and school programming. During the pandemic, Grokhovski led a digital pivot, filming artists in their home countries and delivering gift baskets to local audience members so they could enjoy the performances from their own living rooms.
Perhaps her most lasting legacy is the women she has mentored along the way. What began as a one-woman operation is now a full-time team of eight as of 2025, five of them women, and Grokhovski has made it a priority to help each person grow. “It matters who you surround yourself with,” she says. “We lift each other.”
She often shares this advice with younger women: “Dream big, but don’t be afraid to start small. If you’re persistent and committed to excellence, the rest will come.”
Looking ahead, initiatives include expanding MBAW’s global reach through artist exchanges and a summer festival in Europe, advancing adoption of the organization’s curriculum throughout Texas, and growing the endowment to sustain it all.
Still, the heart of her work remains the same. “Music can break stereotypes, heal wounds, and bring people together in a way nothing else can. That will always be our mission.”
From the pink pajamas to packed theaters, Anya Grokhovski’s journey is a reminder that great institutions can begin in the most unlikely places and that women who step into the unknown with courage often end up creating something lasting for everyone else.
Join Anya Grokhovski and Musical Bridges Around the World this fall for their landmark Season 28 of Russell Hill Rogers Musical Evenings, “One Unforgettable Season, Two Great Venues.” Learn more and secure your free tickets at www.musicalbridges.org.
