“Music without words means leaving behind the mind. And leaving behind the mind is meditation. Meditation returns you to the source. And the source of all is sound.”
– Kabir (15th Century Indian Poet)
Darya (“Dasha”) Koltunyuk is a pianist, curator, and arts advocate devoted to forging meaningful connections through music. She graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University in 2015 with a degree in Comparative Literature and certificates in Piano Performance and Translation Studies. As a student, she immersed herself in the campus music community and, through her work as Chair of the Princeton University Concerts Student Ambassadors, began dreaming up new ways to invite more people into the concert hall. That spirit of creative advocacy led to an invitation to join Princeton University Concerts after graduation, where she has worked ever since as Outreach Manager.
In that role, Dasha has focused on expanding access to classical music and reimagining what a concert experience can be. One of her first initiatives was Breathe in Music: Live Music Meditation, a series pairing world-class performances on PUC’s series with guided meditation. What began as a simple idea to create space for stillness with music has since received international acclaim—including features in The New York Times and Performance Today—and inspired similar programs across the globe.
She also co-created Music & Healing, a deeply personal series that weaves together conversation and live performance to explore how artists draw on music in times of grief, illness, and personal challenge. These events often extend beyond the concert hall through community-driven initiatives such as bone marrow drives and the revival of a local Dance for Parkinson’s chapter—underscoring Dasha’s belief in music as a force for collective well-being.
As a pianist, Dasha has performed as a soloist and chamber musician throughout the United States and Europe, with appearances in Spain, France, Germany, Holland, and the United Kingdom. She has received top prizes at both national and international competitions, including the Thousand Islands International Piano Competition and the New York Chamber Players Piano Competition.
Beyond Princeton, Dasha helped launch a chamber music camp for low-income youth through the Opportunity Music Project in New York City—an extension of her ongoing commitment to making music accessible, inclusive, and transformative for all.
Bachelor of Arts: Princeton University 2015
Private Piano Studies with Professor Miyoko Lotto
Semester Abroad at the Royal College of Music (London)
- Graduated Summa Cum Laude, Princeton University with Best Junior Paper Departmental Prize; Member of Behrmann Undergraduate Society of Fellows
- First Prize, Thousand Islands International Piano Competition
- Princeton University Concerto Competition
- First Prize, New York Chamber Players Piano Competition
- Top Three, Kosciuszko Foundation Chopin Piano Competition
