Now residing in Las Vegas, Nevada, concert pianist and master piano teacher Elissa Stutz Lechnir is a member of the music faculty at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Since her critically acclaimed New York City debut in 1988, Ms. Lechnir has performed throughout the United States and the former Soviet Union as solo recitalist and orchestra guest soloist. She has appeared with orchestras such as the Wichita Symphony, Tulsa Philharmonic, Sioux City Symphony, Nevada Symphony, Lviv Philharmonic, New Kharkiv Symphony and USSR Mininstry of Culture Orchestra, with whom she made a recording for the MK/Olympia label of a piece written for her by Ukrainian composer Valentin Sylvestrov. At Kiev Music Fest '93 in Ukraine, she gave the world premiere performance of Virko Baley's Concerto No. 1 which was taped for broadcast on PBS throughout the United States. Her solo performances have included appearances at The Juilliard School, Harvard, Sarah Lawrence College, Miami University, Palomar College, and others. Ms. Lechnir has also performed on television in Ukraine and live on Public Radio in Nevada.

In addition to her work with undergraduate and graduate piano majors at UNLV, Ms. Lechnir maintains an active private studio teaching students of all ages. She especially loves working with children and is one of the few master teachers in Nevada willing to accept beginning students as young as 4 years old, because she feels a proper start is crucial to the formation of a young musician.
She has made an impact on the futures of many of her students, and her care and personal involvement in their development is evident in their testimonials. As one former student recently wrote:"...I attribute much of my training as a musician to Elissa Lechnir. She sharpened my focus on the small details...which give life to music...and taught me that music is not only about technique, but about the ability to communicate emotional understanding of the deeper levels of music." (Michelle G., The Juilliard School).