ABOUT
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DJ MASHA is a board-certified medical doctor and a DJ.
During her performances DJ MASHA shares music from around the globe and utilizing sounds of different cultures, genres, and eras. Her events are all about transcending the cross-cultural divide and bringing us closer together through music! |
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DJ MASHA BIO
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Born in Moscow, Russia, to a family of physicists, DJ MASHA moved to the US with her parents in 90s. |
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Raised in a tradition of classical music, symphony, opera and ballet, Maria has played the piano since the age of seven, and has taken ballet and ballroom dance lessons growing up. |
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Upon arrival to the US, Maria went to a small community college in rural Alabama. While she met lots of very kind and generous people there, she also witnessed enduring segregation that was still prevalent in the South.
Caucasian and African American students sat at separate tables at the school cafeteria (at will, of course), and radio stations proudly announced that they were playing "All hits and no rap!" |
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While learning English at the community college, Maria took a speech class. Being impressed with America as the country of freedom for her speech class Maria picked a “hot topic” at the time of “gays in the military”. The speech was based on the information readily available in the mainstream publications and yet, it left her classmates speechless - not a “normal” subject in a small Alabama town... Maria was learning quickly that while the US is an open-minded society, the “American freedom” was not applied to everyone who lived here equally. |
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A year later, while at the University of California, Irvine, where Maria obtained her Bachelors degree in Biological Sciences, she also developed an appreciation and a deeper understanding of jazz and blues, uniquely connecting to African American musical heritage.
Although certainly less prevalent than in Alabama, the subtle, naturally occurring segregation was still noticeable (and perplexing) to Maria even in Southern California, and especially in various music venues. |
After her undergraduate studies, Maria went to Sackler School of Medicine at Tel Aviv University to study medicine.
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Medical education is intense, but in addition to obviously tough training, Maria also spent time exploring Israel, swimming daily in the Mediterranean sea, taking Latin and ballroom dance lessons, modeling, and enjoying incredible EDM events in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. |
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While Maria's stay in Israel was nothing short of fantastic, r the lack of peace in the middle east was an ongoing and growing problem. Sadly, the racial tensions in the US and the tragic Israeli-Palestinian conflict are even worse today ... |
While in medical school, Maria has done her best to travel any chance she had. So for almost every break, she took short international trips. Most influential musically, have been her to the Netherlands, Germany, and France. Each of these countries have had a profound impact on Maria's connection to music through the discovery of top notch house and lounge music, trance, and international hip hop.
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A few years later, during her Internal Medicine residency at New York, Dr. Maria worked and lived just a few blocks from the world trade center. She was there during the 9/11 tragedy, surviving the event as a first responder. Downtown NYC turned into a ghost town. The mood was solemn and the comradery unparalleled. The strength and the resilience of the people of New York was truly remarkable! |
Anyone who lived in the City at the time, even people who didn't lose someone close to them, we all were hurting collectively. When we passed each other on the streets, we didn't have to say anything to feel each others pain. It was palpable. It felt as is something inside of us has died. The whole country was devastated, but there the way it has affected the people of New York, that loss was incomprehensible. The loss of lives so unnecessary. But when is it ever necessary???
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Events of 9/11 aside, medical residency was brutal.
Somehow, in spite of the inhumane 100+ hours per week doctor schedule (which is by the way is somehow "normal" in the profession), Dr. Maria found time to explore the world of music. |
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Any chance she had, she'd go to the Virgin Megastore on Union Square and listen to all the new tracks that just came out, exposing herself to global beats that were becoming more widely available.
After NYC, Maria moved to LA to complete a fellowship in Geriatrics, and a year later to San Diego to complete training in Hospice and Palliative Medicine and in clinical research.
Hard work as a medical doctor, with its sleepless nights and constant exhaustion, not only have not dampened Maria's love for music, but in a way, has enhanced it.
Hard work as a medical doctor, with its sleepless nights and constant exhaustion, not only have not dampened Maria's love for music, but in a way, has enhanced it.
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While helping her hospice patients, Dr. Maria was learning from them. When you work in a hospice environment, one thing becomes crystal clear - we are all equal in front of death.
Another priceless lesson was the true appreciation for just how short and precious life is, and the observation of often at the end of life people regret the passions they did not follow and dreams they not pursue. |
From witnessing many witnessing the pain of regrets of dreams not followed, Maria's sense of "the time to do what we love is NOW" continued to grow.
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Armed with that Knowing, life was no longer about a successful career in medicine. Maria's mind had opened to exploring and truly living to the fullest.
She started taking classes that were in many ways nearly opposite from her previous scientific education, from Hip Hop dance to Italian language and flying lessons. |
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Maria quickly saw that sky was the limit, or maybe even that there is no limit at all, other than the one we place upon ourselves. It was around that time, on one beautiful summer evening in 2006, while observing a friend dj at a house party, Maria suddenly realized that she had to learn how to mix music.
EUREKA! With a great passion for music and dance, the only thing that didn't make sense to her, was why she had never thought of doing it before! |
Over the next several months Dr. Maria taught herself how to DJ, and DJ MASHA "was born". ("Masha" is an informal version of the name "Maria" in Russian.)
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While practicing medicine, Dr. Maria / DJ MASHA also spent countless hours discovering new music, exploring, learning, and creating.
Between the world travel and various life experiences, DJ MASHA's musical interests have expanded over time to encompass a variety of genres, from jazz and classical music, to reggae, Latin, world music, trance, house, dubstep, synthpop from around the world, international hip hop, reggaeton, afrobeats and more. The tunes might be different but ultimately people everywhere want love, connection and peace. Mixing tunes familiar to most, with music from far away places, cultures and even times, DJ MASHA transforms the space where she plays uniting her audience. |
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In recent years, DJ MASHA has been mixing music videos, creating unforgettable, mesmerizing audiovisual experiences.
DJ MASHA has also studied music production and has experimented with various production tools. Over the years DJ MASHA has performed at nightclubs and lounges, at fashion shows and unique industry events, as well as contributed music to San Diego Fashion week and has worked as a DJ with many non-profit organizations. |
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DJ MASHA's unique multi-genre international background is clearly and beautifully reflected in her mixing technique.
By sharing music from all corners of the world, music of all styles and dimensions, DJ MASHA creates an amazing atmosphere that allows you to let go, immerse yourself in the sound and just be happy and enjoy, reminding us, that we can be ONE after all! |
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As far as medicine, DJ MASHA/DR. MARIA is currently predominantly working on a volunteer research project compiling and sharing unbiased Coronavirus information. You can learn more on her medical website at www.DrDanilychev.com.
DJ MASHA has many other passions and pursuits, including travel, Reiki, Wu Style Tai Chi, Chinese calligraphy and painting, languages and cultures, and more.
DJ MASHA has many other passions and pursuits, including travel, Reiki, Wu Style Tai Chi, Chinese calligraphy and painting, languages and cultures, and more.
We live in a divided world. We are divided by our borders, by our cultures, by our religions, by our politicians, by the media, by financial interests, and more. It seems that everything divides everyone. And yet, all of us want the same thing. We want to be happy, we want to be loved, we don't want to die in a war or in a tragedy.
Music creates a vibration which can be very powerful and healing. As we heal ourselves with music, we also heal the world.
By sharing the vibration of peace, love, and compassion, DJ MASHA's mission is to unite humanity with music!
Humanity, let's unite!
Music creates a vibration which can be very powerful and healing. As we heal ourselves with music, we also heal the world.
By sharing the vibration of peace, love, and compassion, DJ MASHA's mission is to unite humanity with music!
Humanity, let's unite!
