At the age of five, Elena Ulyanova began studying piano under the guidance of her mother, Larisa Ulyanova, in Saki, Crimea. Her talent quickly became evident as she went on to win several first prizes in both Ukrainian and Russian competitions. These early successes earned her full scholarships to prestigious institutions in Moscow, including Gnessin College of Music, Gnessin Academy of Music, and the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory. Shortly after entering the Moscow Conservatory, Elena became a prizewinner in the second Rachmaninov International Piano Competition. She later received her Master of Music degree and pursued postgraduate studies with Victor Merzhanov, all while performing extensively for the Moscow Philharmonic Concert Association. Throughout her development, she took master classes with prominent figures such as Emanuel Krasovsky, Victor Derevianko, John O’Connor, Howard Shelley, and Leslie Howard.

In 2004, Elena recorded her first solo CD with Classica Records, featuring the works of Franz Liszt. Soon after, she immigrated to Washington, D.C. In 2005, she worked with Howard Shelley, who has recorded all of Rachmaninoff’s works, to prepare for her recording of Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. This piece, along with Piano Concerto No. 2, was performed with the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra and featured on her 2006 CD released by Bel Air Music. Elena’s talent has also been showcased on various radio stations, including WFMT in Chicago, CKWR in Ontario, and WQED in Pittsburgh.

Elena has performed in orchestra, chamber, and solo concerts across the globe, including in the United States, Russia, Ukraine, Great Britain, Austria, Korea, the Netherlands, China, Poland, Bulgaria, and Romania. Her orchestral performances include collaborations with the Vienna Musikverein Orchestra, the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Crimea State Symphony Orchestra, the State Russian Orchestra “Boyan,” and the Omsk Philharmonic. One of her most notable performances was with the Rachmaninoff White Lilacs Festival Orchestra in 2001, where she performed Rachmaninoff’s Second Concerto on only four hours’ notice. In November 2014, she was honored with the title of “Steinway Artist” by Steinway & Sons, New York.

As an educator, Elena has been recognized with several teaching awards for her contributions to the development of undergraduate and graduate students. She has also served on numerous committees as a juror and examiner for piano competitions and senior concerts.