Department Chair, Professor of Music

EMAIL: jvmortyakova@muw.edu

PHONE: (662) 241-6399

About Dr. Mortyakova

B.M., Vanderbilt University
M.A., New York University
D.M.A., University of Miami

Julia Mortyakova serves as Professor and Chair of the Department of Music at the Mississippi University for Women, a position she has held since 2012.

A pianist, Dr. Mortyakova maintains an international performing career. She has performed solo piano recitals and/or appeared as soloist with orchestras in Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Ireland, Italy, Romania, Russia, Spain, Ukraine as well as throughout the United States. She is the recipient of the 2026 and 2022 Performing Arts Fellowships from the Mississippi Arts Commission, the 2023-2024 MUW Excellence in Creative Activity Award, and the 2023 Programming Award from the International Alliance for Women in Music.  She is on the Mississippi Artist Roster.

Dr. Mortyakova’s teaching was recently recognized by the 2025 Kossen Faculty Excellence Award (Mississippi University for Women), the 2023-2024 MUW Excellence in Teaching in Creative Spaces Award, and the 2023 Steinway Top Piano Teacher Award.

Dr. Mortyakova is a strong advocate for women composers on and off the stage and she is the Founder and Artistic Director of the International Annual Music by Women Festival at the W, celebrating ten years (2017-present).  

Dr. Mortyakova is a graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy, Vanderbilt University, New York University, and the University of Miami. 

During her tenure as a music executive at the W, Dr. Mortyakova has oversaw the expansion of the music program to include three new degree programs: BA in Music (Performance), BA in Music (Composition) and BM in Music Education (Instrumental).  She has led the creation of the instrumental and composition options within music degrees, the creation and development of large and small instrumental ensembles (including Wind Ensemble and Community Band), Opera Scenes Musical Theater Workshop, and Music Production.   She has guided the W through two successful re-accreditation processes by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).  

Professor Mortyakova teaches Major, Secondary and Elective Piano, Group Keyboard Skills Sequence, Class Piano, Piano Pedagogy, Professional Skills for Musicians and Music Appreciation.  She also directs the Piano Ensemble.   

Professor Mortyakova is the 2017 Mississippi Honored Artist (Mississippi State Committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts). She is a member of the Mortyakova/Bogdan Piano Duo, the Second Prize winners of the 2017 Ellis Duo Piano Competition. Dr. Mortyakova is a laureate of the 2014 American Prize for her performance Cécile Chaminade, and the winner of the 2012 Sigma Alpha Iota Career Performance Grant. 

Professor Mortyakova’s research focuses on the existentialism of Jean-Paul Sartre, life of Cécile Chaminade, women composers, leadership in academia, and group piano teaching. She has presented her research at numerous international, national and regional conferences. 

Equally active in the lives of her colleagues, Dr. Mortyakova is a past President of the College Music Society Southern Region and serves on the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) Commission on Accreditation. Additionally, she is an active NASM on-site evaluator. 

Professor Mortyakova is the author of Class Piano textbook, a method of individual and group piano study, now in its second edition and available from Kendall Hunt publishing. 

She has released multiple solo and piano duo albums featuring music by women composers and available on all major streaming services.  

Dr. Mortyakova’s students have won numerous piano competitions and have successfully completed prestigious graduate programs.