ANNOUNCING 2026 “THE CHARLINE” AWARD HONOREE FOR PERFORMING ARTS-ANYA GROKHOVSKI
WIFT TEXAS ANNOUNCES ANYA GROKHOVSKI AS ITS 2026 “THE CHARLINE” AWARD HONOREE
Anya Grokhovski, DMA, Founding CEO & Artistic Director of Musical Bridges Around the World will be Honored at The Celestial Awards™ Show on January 17th with “The Charline” Award for Excellence in Performing Arts, Named in Honor Charline McCombs on January 17th at The World-Class Tobin Center in Downtown San Antonio
SAN ANTONIO, December 21, 2025 – Today, Women in Film & Television Texas (WIFT Texas) is honored to announce Anya Grokhovski, DMA, the internationally acclaimed pianist, performing arts visionary, and founding CEO & Artistic Director of Musical Bridges Around the Worldas the 2026 recipient of “The Charline” Award for Excellence in Performing Arts, named in honor of transformative performing arts icon and philanthropist Charline McCombs.
The Celestial Awards™ honor trailblazing women of achievement in the media and entertainment industry, recognizing excellence across all verticals. The awards show will take place on Saturday, January 17th, 2026, at The Tobin Center’s world-class H-E-B Performance Hall in downtown San Antonio, following the Texas Media+Entertainment Summit™ on January 15th and 16th at the Gunter Hotel. Actress and producer Renae Treviño will host the high-profile, entertainment-filled awards show.
“I’m truly honored to receive ‘The Charline’ Award for Excellence in Performing Arts.. For me, music has always been about connecting people and creating understanding across cultures. To be recognized for this work means so much to me, and I deeply appreciate Women in Film & Television Texas for this special recognition. Thank you for believing in the power of music to make a difference,” said Anya Grokhovski, DMA – CEO & Artistic Director, Musical Bridges Around the World.
Born into a family of classical musicians in Moscow, Anya Grokhovski completed her Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees at the prestigious Russian Academy of Music. She served on the faculty of the renowned Gnessin State College before relocating to the United States in 1989. Her extraordinary performance career has included collaborations with the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra, recordings for national radio networks across Europe, appearances at festivals worldwide, and performances on stages including Carnegie Hall.
In 1998, Anya Grokhovski founded Musical Bridges Around the World, which was originally an intimate salon concert series that has since become a celebrated international arts organization reaching more than 30,000 people each year through free concerts, multidisciplinary festivals, educational programs, senior outreach, military community support, and high-profile collaborations.
“Anya Grokhovski has dedicated her career to building cultural bridges through music, and her impact resonates far beyond the concert hall. Her leadership at Musical Bridges Around the World has transformed San Antonio into a global stage, welcoming artists and audiences into an experience that blends art, connection, and humanity. Honoring Anya with ‘The Charline’ Award for Excellence in Performing Arts in San Antonio where Charline McCombs had enduring impact, truly celebrates her visionary ability to elevate the second largest city in Texas’ artistic identity on the world stage,”said Ceslie Armstrong, WIFT Texas CEO & Executive Producer of the Texas Media+Entertainment Summit™ and The Celestial Awards™.
The Musical Bridges Around the World educational outreach began in 2001, with performances, and eventually expanded to include curricula for schoolchildren. Programming for senior communities followed in 2010. In 2018, the leaders of the San Antonio International Piano Competition asked Anya to guide the prestigious competition’s future. Under her leadership, it was reimagined as The Gurwitz International Piano Competition.
“Anya’s work exemplifies the power of performing arts to unite communities and expand cultural understanding. Through her talent, discipline, and global perspective, she has nurtured one of Texas’ most cherished artistic institutions. Her recognition with ‘The Charline’award reflects her extraordinary leadership and the indelible mark she continues to make on our state’s cultural landscape,” said Eileen Kret, VP of Women in Film & Television Texas, Executive Producer of the Texas Media+Entertainment Summit™ and The Celestial Awards™.
Anya Grokhovski’s leadership embodies the spirit of the award’s namesake, Charline McCombs who was a champion of artistic excellence, civic engagement, and cultural legacy in Texas. For more than 25 years, Anya has served as one of Texas’ most influential cultural ambassadors, blending classical mastery, visionary leadership, and an unwavering commitment to public access and arts education.
ABOUT “THE CHARLINE” AWARD HONOREE ANYA GROKHOVSKI, DMA
Anya Grokhovski earned her Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees in piano performance from the Russian Academy of Music in Moscow. Before moving to the United States in 1989, she served on the faculty of the Gnessin State College. In 1991, a staff accompanist position at the University of Texas at San Antonio initially brought her to San Antonio, TX, where she has since built a career as a respected pianist and arts leader.
She was born into a family of professional musicians. Her father was a violinist with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, and her mother is a distinguished violin teacher. This environment gave Anya early and constant exposure to music. In the U.S., she was honored to serve as accompanist for the legendary bass-baritone William Warfield. Her performance career includes recordings with the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra, several European national radio networks, and several solo and chamber music albums. She has appeared at festivals and concert venues throughout Europe, Russia, Mexico, and the United States, including Carnegie Hall.
Anya’s passion for music, her commitment to San Antonio, and her international connections helped inspire the creation of a new cultural nonprofit, Musical Bridges Around the World. With the support of local music enthusiasts, she launched a series of intimate salon concerts in 1998. By the next year, the series expanded to the historic San Fernando Cathedral, bringing artists from around the world to perform each season.
Educational outreach began in 2001, with performances and eventually expanded to include curricula for schoolchildren. Programming for senior communities followed in 2010. In 2018, the leaders of the San Antonio International Piano Competition asked Anya to guide the competition’s future. Under her leadership, it was reimagined as The Gurwitz International Piano Competition, with editions held in 2020 and 2024 through Musical Bridges Around the World. The organization also assumed administration of the Colburn-Pledge Music Scholarship in 2020 to support young string players preparing for careers in classical music, initially created by two former members of the San Antonio Symphony in 1986. Musical Bridges expanded into film in 2023 with the release of its first feature documentary, The Quilt: A Living History of African American Music. The film teaches about the evolution of African American musical traditions and their influence on music today.
Under Anya’s leadership, the organization has received several significant recognitions, including the 2019 Fair Saturday Award in Bilbao, Spain, and the 2025 Sister Cities International Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture.
What began as a small, family affair now reaches more than 30,000 people each year in the greater San Antonio area through programs that serve children, seniors, military communities, and the general public. The organization also reaches millions globally through its online presence and represents San Antonio on the international music scene. Anya continues to guide Musical Bridges Around the World as its Chief Executive Officer and Artistic Director and remains dedicated to advancing the organization’s mission and global impact.
ABOUT WOMEN IN FILM & TELEVISION TEXAS
Women in Film & Television Texas is the statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing equity, opportunity, and economic empowerment for women working in all areas of media and entertainment. Chartered in 2023 and headquartered in downtown San Antonio — the hub of the Media & Entertainment Industry in Texas — WIFT Texas serves a rapidly growing membership representing film, television, audio, digital media, journalism, gaming, live entertainment, creative services, and emerging technologies.
WIFT Texas is an official chapter of Women in Film & Television International (WIFTI), a global network of more than 13,000 members across 50 chapters on six continents. For more than 50 years, WIFTI has championed professional development, leadership advancement, and achievement for women across the creative and technical spectrum of media and entertainment.
Through year-round education, mentorship, leadership programs, advocacy, and statewide convenings, WIFT Texas expands access, elevates women’s voices, and strengthens the creative economy and cultural landscape throughout the state.
ABOUT THE CELESTIAL AWARDS™
The Celestial Awards™ is the signature statewide awards show presented annually by Women in Film & Television Texas. Celebrating excellence across media, entertainment, culture, and creative leadership, the awards honor outstanding women whose work shapes the artistic, civic, and cultural landscape of Texas. Many of the awards are named in tribute to Texas women whose legacies embody courage, creativity, leadership, and community impact.
The 2026 awards show is hosted by Renae Treviño and pays homage to Texas’ first film studio, The Star Film Ranch, founded in 1910 in San Antonio. Guests are encouraged to don Western Chic black-and-white attire in honor of the pioneering spirit of Texas filmmaking and the legacy of leading lady Edith “Billy” Storey, a pioneering actress known for her grit, glamour, and groundbreaking roles.
Guests are encouraged to don Western Chic black-and-white attire in honor of this legacy and the pioneering spirit of Texas filmmaking.
ABOUT THE TEXAS MEDIA+ENTERTAINMENT SUMMIT™
The Texas Media+Entertainment Summit™ is a Media & Entertainment Industry gathering presented by Women in Film & Television Texas and produced by The BeXar Studios. Each edition convenes leaders from film, television, journalism, gaming, audio, live entertainment, culture, philanthropy, and emerging creative technologies for two days of keynote conversations, panels, and professional exchange.
Hosted in downtown San Antonio — the destination hub of the media and entertainment industry in Texas — the Summit draws speakers and executives from across the state and global creative centers. Designed as a forward-looking engine for Texas’ creative economy, the Summit explores the ideas, innovations, and collaborations shaping the future of storytelling, production, and cultural impact.
The Summit is held biannually in San Antonio and also serves as the professional anchor to The Celestial Awards™ weekend annually in January.
MEDIA CONTACT
Maria Gónima, BigSmile Co.
maria@bigsmile.co
To learn more about becoming a member, supporter, partner, and the programming slate including The Celestial Awards™, visit WIFTTEXAS.ORG or email hello@wifttexas.org
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