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JSFest competition
Jury members
Chairperson Maria Tuturilova, harp
The young harpist Mag. Maria Tuturilova is one of the new leading harpists on the current concert scene. As further recognition of her excellent skills, she has been officially listed in the encyclopedia “Who is Who Austria” since 2009 and has been awarded Austrian citizenship since December 2010.
Born in Sofia/ Bulgaria, she began her musical education at the age of 7 with the piano and later at the age of 11 with the harp.
International award-winning Harpist and teacher Mag. Maria Tuturilova holds 4 master's degree with distinction from the State Music Academy "Prof. P. Vladigerov” (2000): harp in the class of Prof. Malina Christova (student of the legendary Prof. Vera Dulova in Moscow), conducting, music pedagogy, piano and organ. 1999-2001 postgraduate degree for harp at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna in the class of Univ. Prof. A. Blovsky-Miller (member of the Vienna State Opera). Completed numerous harp master classes in Europe (A. Fontaine, C. Popova, Prof. E. Witsenburg, A. Schinozaki, C. Michel, I. Moretti, I. I. Roncea, P. Tassini, J. Molnar, etc.).
As a concert harpist and harp teacher Mag. Maria Tuturilova has won prizes (Grand Prix and 1st prize) at over 55 international competitions and festivals for harp (Sofia, Beograd, Moscow, Munich, Italy, Argentina, Slovenia, Ireland, Spain, USA, Hong Kong, etc). Some of her students are also prize winners of various international competitions.
Mag. Tuturilova has received the following scholarships and other awards: International Foundation "Open Society Soros", Zonta International, Herbert von Karajan Center & Thyll-Dürr Foundation, Live Music Now “Yehudi Menuhin”, etc. Golden Badge for Achievements from the National Society “Mati Bolgaria”, Ministry of Culture of Republic Bulgaria, World Harp Congress Scholarship, etc.
Numerous CD recordings and film music (Ennio Morricone), TV and Radio live broadcasts, etc. Solo recitals, chamber music concerts. Regular soloist with "SOFIA SOLOISTS" Chamber Ensemble, chamber orchestra "EPOCH", chamber orchestra "TEMPI CONCERTATI", State Academic Symphonic Orchestra, Men's Choir "GUSLA", Sofia Women's Chamber Choir "Vassil Arnaoudov", etc. Orchestra concerts (Principal Harpist: 1st Private Orchestra for Film Music, New Symphonic Orchestra, Sofia Philharmonic, ELO Electric Light Orchestra, Keyo Wagner Society Orchestra Tokyo, etc.) in Europe & USA, World Harp Congress, etc. under Maestros R. Milanov, E. Tabakov, P. Djurov, E. Morricone, K, Jarvi, A. Previn, M. Jurowski, D. Russell Davies, P. Boulez, etc.
2002-2008 solo harpist of the Vienna city hall, 2008-2010 solo pianist & harpist Imperial Riding School. Since 2003 regular substitute for the Tonkünstler Orchestra Lower Austria, RSO, Vienna Chamber Orchestra, Vienna State Opera, Children's Opera and Philharmonie, Volksoper, Chamber Opera, etc.
Alexander Maistrenko, clarinet
Alexander Maistrenko was born in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg) in the family of a musician - bass clarinetist and saxophonist of the Leningrad Radio and TV Orchestra. His first clarinet teacher was his father. After studying at a music school with an associate professor of the Institute of Culture Ph.D. G.Kupisok, Alexander entered the music college in the class of the Mariinsky Theater clarinetist Associate Professor N. Kiryukhin. After graduating from college, he entered the St. Petersburg Conservatory in the class of Professor P. Sukhanov, who was his father's teacher.
During his studies, Alexander became a diploma and winner at International competitions and entered the St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra Klassika as a soloist, where he was the principal clarinetist for 15 years. Over the years, he has toured numerous countries in Europe, Japan, Korea, USA and Canada, taught master classes in Japan and Korea, and performed сhamber and solo concerts in Finland.
Alexander has repeatedly performed Mozart's Clarinet Concerto with the orchestra, and performed in chamber concerts of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic. In 1995 he performed clarinet solo in Cavaradossi's Aria from Puccini's Tosca at the Placido Domingo Gala Concert in Turku (Finland).
Alexander has also been a guest soloist at the Mariinsky and Mikhailovsky Theaters, the St. Petersburg Ballet Theater, and the Conservatory Music Theater.
Alexander Maistrenko is a regular participant of the St. Petersburg Autumn International Festival, where he performs solo, in an ensemble and with an orchestra, and is the first performer of many works by contemporary composers, some of which are dedicated to him.
Now Alexander Maistrenko is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Music at Herzen University, where he teaches clarinet and saxophone to students from various countries. He is the author of the monograph Clarinet and Saxophone in Russia and many articles on the history of musical art on wind instruments.
![Andrija Blagojevic [Belgrade, 2018]_edited.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/bdb976_5e504895da5444bda573323155150d8b~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_160,h_160,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Andrija%20Blagojevic%20%5BBelgrade%2C%202018%5D_edited.jpg)
Andrija Blagojević, clarinet
Serbian clarinettist Andrija Blagojević (b. 1981 in Kruševac, Serbia) is an associate professor of clarinet at the University of Priština in Kosovska Mitrovica and serves as the International Clarinet Association Country Chairperson for Serbia, European Clarinet Association Board member and the president of the Board of Directors of the National Serbian Clarinet Association.
Blagojević performed as a soloist and member of various ensembles and lectured throughout Serbia, as well as in Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Poland and Spain, and was a jury member in the clarinet and chamber music sections at the international competitions held in Serbia and Bulgaria.
Blagojević has published clarinet-related articles in various journals: The Clarinet (USA), Clarinet & Saxophone (UK), ‘rohrblatt (Germany) and Putevi kulture (Serbia).
Andrija Blagojević studied the clarinet with Mihajlo Avramović, Tomislav Nikolić and Milenko Stefanović. During his studies, Blagojević was awarded numerous awards, including the Distinguished Student Award by the Chancellor of the University of Priština, and a grant by the Kingdom of Norway, awarded to the selected best students of the Republic of Serbia. Following his postgraduate studies, Blagojević started his university career as an assistant to Professor Milenko Stefanović, the soloist and former longtime principal clarinettist of the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra.
In 2010 Blagojević became the first Serbian clarinettist accepted into the membership of the European Clarinet Association, having been previously the founder of the Serbian section of the International Clarinet Association. The ICA president, Dr. John Cipolla, remarked, “Through all my interactions with Mr. Blagojevic, he has displayed nothing but the highest professional standards. He has opened opportunities for students and professionals in this region of the world (…). I am very impressed by both the quality and volume of his work and contributions.”
Jiaqian Hu, percussion
Young Percussionist, Shanghai Chinese Orchestra
Board Member, IPEA International Percussion Education Association
Education Council Member, Shanghai Percussion Association
Master of Arts, Department of Modern Instruments & Percussion, Shanghai Conservatory of Music
A versatile performer proficient in a wide range of percussion instruments, Jiaqian Hu is celebrated for her dynamic yet refined stage presence and a style described as “spirited and free.” Media reviews have praised her “exceptional physical control and power” as well as her delicate and expressive artistry. She has also made notable contributions to percussion innovation and education.
Selected Artistic Highlights:
• Served as Percussion Designer for the original drama The World of Lu Yao, a National Art Fund-supported production co-produced by Shanghai Theatre Academy and Yan’an University.
• Performed in the CCTV arts program Scenic Symphony series, premiering A Xí Lǐ Xī for marimba and orchestra.
• Recorded Tan Dun’s 5G 3D version of Twelve Largo of Wuhan with artists from 15 countries, and participated in the Qingdao International Music & Health Week opening concert Ocean Electronic: Rhythm Wave and UNESCO Water Culture Base performance A Drop of Water on the Ceiling.
• Premiered and recorded works including the 2024 International Arts Festival electronic-fusion concert Through the Shan Hai Jing, the Yalong Cultural Tourism Festival opening The Great River Drum, and Zhejiang Provincial Museum’s guofeng music Li Ren Xing.
• Toured Europe in the “2018 Music Republic” concert series and performed alongside international percussion master Prof. Nebojša Jovan Živković in the IPEA “Master Night” concert, featuring his ensemble work Uneven Souls.
• Delivered a marimba solo in the 2020 Shanghai Spring International Music Festival concert Beautiful China: Drinking from the Same River, premiering Colorful Clouds for yueqin, marimba, and orchestra. The concert later received the “Best Production” award at the 6th National Minority Arts Festival.
• Composed and performed the percussion duet Contention & Fusion, which received the “Excellence Award” in the Shanghai Stage Art Works Selection (Small Works) by the Shanghai Culture and Tourism Administration.
Performed across Asia, Europe, and the Americas, and participated in major productions with Shanghai Chinese Orchestra, including:
• The Music of China: Born of the Sea
• Chinese Music Singing of China
• Immersive Jiangnan-style music series Above the Clouds: Listening from the East
• AI and Chinese music concert Zero | One: Colors of China
Awards & Recognitions:
• Rising Artist Award, Shanghai Stage Art Works Selection (Small Works), 2020
• Gold Prize, World Percussion (Youth Category), 1st Japan International Percussion Competition
• Gold Prize, Traditional Percussion (Adult Category), PAS 2nd International Percussion Art Festival
• First Prize, Ethnic Percussion Ensemble (Professional Youth Category), 13th National Youth Percussion Competition
• Gold Prize, Marching Percussion (University Category), 10th National Youth Percussion Competition
Vadim Grigoriev, percussion
Grigoriev Vadim Olegovich was born in 1971. After graduating from the ten-year school at the Conservatory in 1990, he entered the Conservatory of St. Petersburg. He studied there in the class of associate professor Mikhailov A. A. in the period 1990-1995. In 1992-1999 he worked in the Symphony Orchestra of the St. Petersburg Capella. In 1999-2001 he worked in the Mikhailovsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra. Since 2000, he has been a member of the "Four Quarters" percussion ensemble. Since 2005, he has been teaching percussion instruments at music schools in St. Petersburg. Since 2020, he has been teaching percussion instruments at the V. A. Gavrilin.
Xu Dongliang, percussion
Xu Dongliang: percussion music teacher of China Conservatory of music, director of International Percussion Education Association (IPEA), signed artist of Adams, freer percossion. He graduated from Shanghai Conservatory of music in 2010, and graduated from Peabody Conservatory of music of Johns Hopkins University in 2013 with a master's degree. He successively studied with Zhao Ji, Yang ruwen, Xue Baolun and Robert van sice.
As an active performer, he has performed and recorded with many percussion and chamber orchestras, and participated in many music festivals as a soloist, such as Beijing Modern Music Festival, Jianli percussion Art Festival, IPEA International Percussion Art Festival, etc.
He began to teach in China Conservatory of music in 2014. After teaching, he went to the Central Conservatory of music, Shanghai Conservatory of music, Xi'an Conservatory of music, Xinghai Conservatory of music and Zhejiang Conservatory of music for exchange and performance. In addition to teaching and performance, he also served as the judge of Jianli International Percussion Art Festival, IPEA International Percussion competition, Hummingbird Music Award and other competitions.
Lin Weidong, percussion
Lin Weidong Teacher of Western Percussion, School of Arts, Sun Yat-sen University Director of the Percussion Society in Chinese Musicians Association Adams®.
Lin Weidong was born in Fuzhou City, Fujian Province in 1997. He has studied piano for ten years since he was a child. He learned from Lai Chunli, an expert of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music Grading Examination Committee, and Huang Lu, from piano department of Fujian Vocational College of Art. After that, he engaged in percussion. Successively learned with: Li Liguang (deceased), percussionist of Fujian Symphony Orchestra; Lin Xinyuan, percussion teacher of Fujian Arts School; Yang Ruwen, percussion professor of Shanghai Conservatory of Music; Li Yajuan, percussion professor of Xinghai Conservatory of Music; Jin Jiguang, president of the Chinese Music Association Percussion Society; Liu Heng, Minister of Percussionin National Centre for the Performing Arts; Li Biao, professor of the Hans Eisler School of Music in Germany and Professor of the Central Conservatory of Music. In 2014, he was admitted to the Percussion major of the Orchestra Department of the Central Conservatory of Music with honors, and studied by Li Biao, the internationally renowned percussion soloist, conductor, percussion professor at the Hans Eisler Conservatory of Music in Germany, director of the Beijing Symphony Orchestra, and doctoral tutor of percussion at the Central Conservatory of Music. In 2016, he won the gold medal in the pentathlon professional group of the 11th China National Percussion Competition, the second place in multi percussion, the first place in vibraphone, the first place in marimba, and the first place in timpani.
From 2014 to 2021, he joined the Li Biao Youth Percussion Group as the main member; in school, he served as the principal of the percussion department of the China Youth Symphony Orchestra; in the same year, he performed percussion solo concerts in the Concert Hall of the Central Conservatory of Music and the Jiuritai Concert Hall. Later he appeared in "Music Weekly", "People's Music Magazine" and other publications. He has completed a number of excellent concerts with China Philharmonic Orchestra, National Centre for the Performing Arts Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra of Central Conservatory of Music, Suzhou Symphony Orchestra, Dunshan Symphonic Wind Orchestra, etc.. In 2017, he entered the Graduate School of the Central Conservatory of Music for further studies with the qualification to be exempted from examination. In November, he participated in the Chinese Chamber Opera Promotion Program, which was praised by many composers and directors. In December, he served as a percussion lecturer of the Art Education course of the National Centre for the Performing Arts. In 2018, with the invitation of Fujian Grand Theater, as a soloist, he performed Lin Weidong's percussion solo concert together with conductor Li Biao, Professor Liang Danan, violin doctoral tutor of the Central Conservatory of Music, and Fujian Symphony Orchestra, which was widely praised by the industry and reported by many media. In April 2019, he was invited to perform in the 3rd Art Season Percussion Concert of Capital Normal University. From 2019 to 2020, he won the Central Conservatory of Music Scholarship for Academic Excellence and Zhao Ji Percussion Scholarship —— the only scholarship set up for percussion in China.
Lin Weidong is committed to the development and promotion of new Chinese percussion works, has premiered and recorded many new works. Lin Weidong's new solo work "Shadow Puppet" and the large-scale mixed chamber music work Asian Copper in September were respectively selected for the Beijing Culture and Art Fund-funded project and the Moscow Art Talents Composition Collection; In China's "Yanhuang Cup" Percussion Composition Competition, the 2019 debut percussion quintet "Vector II" won the Composition Award, the solo work the Trace of Shadow won the Composition Award and the Best Performance Award; in 2021, he held two academic concerts "Minimalism in Percussion I&II" at the Central Conservatory of Music, which are well received by the industry. He published the paper "Percussion Works and Their Interpretation under Minimalism" in combination with practice, which was selected as an excellent paper of the Central Conservatory of Music. As a percussion soloist, Lin Weidong is active in major concerts and public welfare performances. He has played in the National Grand Theater, Beijing Zhongshan Concert Hall, Beijing Concert Hall, Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center, Central Conservatory of Music Concert Hall, Jiu Ri Tai Concert Hall, Shanghai Concert Hall, Fujian Grand Theater, Jinan Grand Theater, Guangzhou Grand Theater, Tianjin Grand Theater, etc. In the process of study and practice, he has participated in nearly 100 performances of solo, ensemble, modern new works, symphonic classical music, chamber music, etc.; in terms of teaching, influenced by Wang Yue, percussionist of the China Philharmonic Orchestra and associate professor of percussion at Capital Normal University, he followed to study percussion teaching and became a professional percussion teacher, with a lot of experience in playing and teaching. Lin Weidong is still striving to become a better musician and teacher, and will continue to learn more knowledge to enrich himself and leave more beautiful music moments.
Borislava Taneva, piano
Borislava Taneva is a pianist-performer, a composer, a pedagogue, a chamber musician, an organiser of musical events. Her active participation in the contemporary cultural life in Bulgaria and abroad defines her as a successful, multispectral musician.
She was born in Sofia in the family of distinguished musicians and started her musical education at a very early age. She completed her master’s degree in piano and composition at the National Music Academy “Pancho Vladigerov” in Sofia. There are some other world famous professors like Jacob Lateiner,Germaine Mounier, Vera Gornostaeva and Ludwig Hoffmann who also played a role in her development as a performer. Borislava Taneva has been a laureate of national and international piano, chamber music and composition competitions in Bulgaria, Italy, Japan, Greece, etc. She has performed multiple recitals in Bulgaria, Greece, Germany, Italy, Brasil, Switzerland, Lithuania, Israel, France, Norway, Macedonia, Spain, etc. After her graduation Borislava Taneva started work as an assistant professor in the Piano Department of the Performance Faculty of the National Music Academy /NMA/ in Sofia. Currently she is a piano and pedagogical practice professor at NMA in Sofia and vice rector of the Academy.
In 2012 a Doctor's degree (PHD) was conferred on Borislava Taneva. For several years she had great success, teaching Interpretation of Contemporary Music in Athens.She gives masterclasses and delivers seminars on various topics at music colleges and academies in Greece, Swiss, France, USA, Luxembourg, Brasil, Spain, USA, Singapore, Norway, Italy etc. Prof. Taneva has appeared as a jury member in many national and international piano competitions in Greece, France, Vienna, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Serbia etc. Her students have been awarded with numerous of prizes from national and international forums and competitions. She is the author of several opuses of piano pieces for beginners, edited by MUSICA FERRUM in London. She is the founder and a member of the Swiss-Bulgarian Association of Culture – SBAC, based in Geneva. B. Taneva was awarded with special prizes for her contribution to Bulgarian culture.
Darinka Todorov, piano
I work as a pianist, professor, accompanist and chamber musician, performing mostly classical music. As a piano professor I work almost 37 years at music school "Stanislav Binički" - Belgrade.
During a long career, as chamber musician, I cooperated with musicians from Sweden, Finland, Serbia etc. On International piano competition in Novi Sad (Serbia), and other domestic competitions I was a jury member. In National theatre - Belgrade I was working on opera "Salome" and cooperating with German conductor Johanes Harneit. For about 15 years, Svetozar Vujic - double bass, and I perform and play together, as a chamber duo "DiS". Among other concerts, we had recitals in Belgrade -Serbia, on BASS CONGRES 2016. - PRAGUE, BASS CONGRES 2018. - LUCCA - ITALY, at ISB Convention 2019. - Bloomington - USA. Our most recent concert was at 10.03.2021. - Historical musem - Belgrade - online streaming.
Corina Mocanu, piano
I am a full senior teacher (Teaching Degree I) within the Main Piano Department of the “George Enescu” National College of Music in Bucharest, a prestigious institution dedicated to excellence in musical education. I completed my studies at the National University of Music in Bucharest, where I developed both my artistic and pedagogical path under the guidance of distinguished mentors.
Throughout my career, I have performed as a soloist and chamber musician in renowned concert venues, including the Romanian National Opera, the “Ion Dacian” National Operetta and Musical Theatre, the ACT Theatre, as well as within the prestigious “George Enescu” International Festival. My collaboration with the CaMMerata Orchestra has provided a valuable framework for cultivating musical expressivity and artistic dialogue.
As a teacher, I believe that excellence is built through dedication, vision, and an individualized pedagogical approach tailored to each student. Over the years, my students have obtained numerous national and international awards; yet beyond prizes, they have had the opportunity to perform on emblematic stages of the global musical landscape. Among the most notable achievements are invitations to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York, the Verbier Festival in Switzerland, Orbetello (Italy), the “Sergey Rachmaninov” Conservatory in Paris, as well as within the Rovere d’Oro Competition in Italy. Additionally, several young pianists trained under my guidance have been invited to perform with the Philharmonic Orchestras of Râmnicu Vâlcea, Brașov, Pitești, and Bacău.
Alongside my teaching and performing activity, I am actively involved in the Romanian musical community as a member of juries in major national competitions, thereby contributing to the promotion of excellence in music education and the support of emerging artistic talent.
Helena Aung, piano
In 2022, Helena earned a Doctoral of Musical Arts in Piano Performance from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her dissertation, titled "Martin Bresnick’s Piano Compositions: An Analysis and Performance Guide," showcases her commitment to both 21st-century music and performance practice.
Prior to her doctorate, Helena earned a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma in 2019, where she studied under the tutelage of Dr. Jeongwon Ham, Dr. Jane Magrath, and Dr. Barbara Fast. Her undergraduate journey led her to the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, where she obtained a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance under the mentorship of Jura Margulis in 2016.
During her formative years, Helena also participated in the Young Artist Music Program at the College of Music, Mahidol University, Thailand, in 2010, further enriching her musical prowess.
Violet Wong, piano
Violet Wong, the music creative, as a pianist, trumpet player and teacher. Violet started playing the classical piano at 6 and she has been teaching different aged groups of students, she has extensive experience in teaching for over ten years, specialising in children and teenagers. Her students were awarded different competitions such as Hong Kong Music Festivals and Hong Kong Youth International Youth Performance Art Festivals. and recently, her students won the Second place and awarded distinction in Bristol Festival of Music, Drama and Speech 2023.
Ten years ago, Violet started her music career after being awarded the Talent Development Scholarship by HKSAR. Over these years, she achieved herself both teaching and performing. She attained Trinity ATCL Piano in the same year. Since 2014, Violet has served as a trumpet player in the Hong Kong Civil Aid Service (Band Company) and is well-trained in marching music. She has performed at different official functions including Officer Mess Dinners, New Recruit Passing Out Ceremonies etc. She was awarded the "Best Progress Member of the Year" and Commander's Commendation twice respectively. In 2017 and 2019, she sought guidance from Alexandr Smutny, a renowned trumpet player from the Czech Republic, further enhancing her skills. Since 2017, Violet has engaged in performances and collaborations with local musicians in Hong Kong. One notable experience was her participation in the Annual Dinners of the Federation of Australian Alumni Association, leaving a lasting impression on her. Apart from music performance, she also experienced making her music in videos and recording as film production.
In 2020, Violet's music journey took her from Hong Kong to London and Bristol. She provided piano accompaniment for choirs at St. Martin in the Fields and St. Mary Woodford, respectively. She also contributed her talents to brass bands such as the South London Wind Ensemble, the University of Bristol Brass Band (2021/2022), and the Long Ashton Orchestra. Notably, she participated in Unibrass 2022 in Sheffield. In the same year, she achieved Merit in the exam by herself.
Last year, while continuing her teaching and performing career, Violet embarked on her MA in Music Performance at Bath Spa University. During this time, she participated in Sparkfest 2023, a funded project by the school which was titled “Impressions and Expression: La Cathedrale Engloutie”. This unique underwater filming project marked Violet's first professional music endeavour. Together with ideas of music visualisation and Debussy's music ideas, She rearranged the music with different percussion instruments , infusing it with her inspiration. It is possible that her musical creations will receive recognition at upcoming film festivals. In the coming days , she aims to continue her education career and perform her advanced standard of piano and trumpet together in different countries.
Gulzhamilya Kadyrbekova, piano
People’s Artist of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Professor of the Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory Gulzhamilya Kadyrbekova is First Prize winner of the 31st Viotti International Competition in Italy. Gulzhamilya Kadyrbekova became the first pianist of Kazakhstan awarded the highest international recognition that has established her as the foremost pianist in the modern piano art of Kazakhstan.
In their excited reviews in such magazines as Stampa Sera musical critics unanimously recognized the emergence of a new bright artistic name, called her a “great pianist”, “pianist of international class”, “tiger of a fingerboard”, compared her play with the distinguished artists of the XX century: Ciccolini, Berman, and Cziffra.
Kadyrbekova graduated from the Moscow State Conservatory under the direction of Honored Artist of the RSFSR, Professor Gleb Axelrod, who had a great influence on the formation of the pianist’s personality. Kadyrbekova has built encompassing a huge repertoire and over forty years’ experience as a pianist.
She has performed with numerous major orchestras including Russian Philharmonic Orchestra, Romanian Philharmonic, Georgian Philharmonic, Kazakh State Philharmonic. Conductors Kadyrbekova has enjoyed working with include Dmitri Kitayenko, Ovidiu Balan, Renat Salavatov, Timur Mynbayev, Tolepbergen Abdrashev.
Gulzhamilya Kadyrbekova gave a series of concerts in Italy and participated in the XX International Music Festival in Stresa with Mstislav Rostropovich, Vladimir Ashkenazy and Anne-Sophie Mutter, where she gave a solo concert, which the reviewers called “magic”. Kadyrbekova has appeared at many of the world’s most notable concert halls including Moscow Tchaikovsky Great Hall, Small Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, Grand Hall of the St. Petersburg Shostakovich Philharmonia, Rome and Turin Conservatory Halls, Debussy Hall in Salle Pleyel, Cortot Hall of the École Normale de Musique de Paris, Concert Hall of the Ankara University and Aya Irini Istanbul.
Gulzhamilya Kadyrbekova often joins the jury and was part of the esteemed panel for the 10th International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians, 45th International Palma d’Oro Piano Competition, French Piano Institute Competition in Paris, Astana Piano Passion. She has been regularly invited for teaching, masterclasses, and performing International Music Festival in Stresa, Interforum in Hungary, Beethoven Festival in Vienna.
Her first album on the label Melody (Moscow 1981) is a combination of Rachmaninov (The Second Piano Sonata) and Liszt (Scherzo and March, The Forgotten Waltz No. 1). Kadyrbekova’s second disc with Hofa records (Germany 2015) is a two-opus set of Complete Schubert Impromptus.
Gulzhamilya Kadyrbekova is Professor of Piano for over 50 years at the Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory (Almaty, Kazakhstan).
Igor Oleksenko, piano
Igor Oleksenko was born in 1973 in Belgorod (Russia). He received his first piano lessons at the Reinhold Glière music school in Almaty, Kazakhstan and graduated this school with honors in 1988. Since 1988 he has continued musical education at the Almaty Tchaikovsky Music College in the class of S. Ostrovskaya. The following years he participated in several republican piano competitions (Temirtau, Kazakhstan). 1992 he graduated Almaty Tchaikovsky Music College.
From 1992 to 1999 he studied at the Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory. He graduated from the Conservatory and postgraduate studies with the distinction under the direction of Professor S. Massover. In 1995 he received a Diploma at the International N. Khalmamedov Piano Competition in Ashgabat (Turkmenistan).
Since 2000 he was a piano teacher at the Department of Special Piano of Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory and an accompanist of the highest category in the class of Honored Artist of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Professor S. Kurmangalieva (soprano). From 2000 to 2009 he participated in department concerts, «Romansiade» international vocal competitions, masterclasses and International Rachmaninov Music festival. Igor Oleksenko regulary gives concerts with soloists such as Honored Worker of the Republic of Kazakhstan Zhamilya Baspakova (soprano), Honored Worker of the Republic of Kazakhstan Talgat Mussabayev (baritone), N. Usenbayeva, J. Tapin. He performed in Kazakhstan (Almaty, Astana), Russia (Saint-Petersburg, Novosibirsk), China (Hong Kong).
From 2008 to 2009 he was an accompanist in the class of Raissa Borshchevskaya (soprano) at the Saint-Petersburg Rimsky-Korsakov Music College. He confirmed his qualification of «accompanist of the highest category» (Russian certification). Since 2009 he is a piano teacher of the Department of General Piano at the Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory.
In 2011 he was the finalist of the XIV International Tchaikovsky Competition as an accompanist with a soloist of the Abay Kazakh National Opera and Ballet Theatre Oxana Davydenko (soprano) and received Diploma of the competition.
From 2019 to 2022 he was the Head of the Department of General Piano of the Faculty of Instrumental Performance of the Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory. Since 2022 he is the associate professor of the Department of General Piano of the Faculty of Instrumental Performance of the Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory. 2023 he received First Prize at the Scandinavian International Piano Competition. Since 2025 he is the associate professor of Piano of the Department of Vocal and Conducting.
Many of his students received the titles of the laureates of international piano competitions. Igor Oleksenko often joins the jury panel such as Eurasia Piano Forum in Astana (Kazakhstan), International Piano Competition named after E. Bliznyuk in Novosibirsk (Russia), Enisey−Klavier International Piano Competition in Krasnoyarsk (Russia).
He published 6 collections for students of the conservatory in the courses «General Piano» and «The Art of Vocal Accompanied». His recent collection called «55 vocal warm-ups on the piano».
Since 2018 Igor Oleksenko is the Holder of the State order «Kurmet».
Yihua Li, organ
Organist, chamber musician, PhD (Germany), Associate Professor of Organ at Zhejiang Conservatory of Music, Deputy Director of the Zhejiang Conservatory of Music Library. Principal Investigator for the 2024 National Arts Fund Small Stage Project, member of the National First-Class Undergraduate Course Programme. Studied under Professor Ludger Luman, a leading authority in organ performance and pedagogy. At the State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart, Germany, she attained the highest doctoral degrees in organ solo performance and chamber music available in Germany, recognised by China's Ministry of Education as a dual-specialisation doctorate. Prior to this, she earned dual master's degrees in organ performance and harpsichord from the Freiburg University of Music, studying under renowned organist Professor Martin Schmieding and harpsichordist Professor Robert Hill. Li Yihua has collaborated with ensembles including the Leipzig Gewandhaus Brass Quintet, the Mannheim Brass Ensemble, and Friedrich, Principal Trumpet of the Lucerne Festival Orchestra.
During her studies in Europe, following her first prize win at the International Organ Competition in Łódź, Poland, Li Yihua presented organ recitals and chamber music concerts in renowned concert halls and churches across Germany, Austria, and Poland.
She has frequently performed organ works with renowned conductors Zhang Yi and Zhang Guoyong, alongside orchestras including the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra, Zhejiang Symphony Orchestra, Qingdao Symphony Orchestra, and Wuhan Philharmonic Orchestra.
In recent years, she has comprehensively dedicated herself to promoting and popularising the development of organ art in China through organ education, solo concert tours, organ concertos, organ chamber music, and workshops. Her students have repeatedly won awards in international and domestic music competitions. Since 2021, Li Yihua has successfully toured major concert halls across China for three consecutive years with her organ recitals. Furthermore, her organ albums Blossom and Colours from China were published by People's Music Publishing House in late 2021, serving as tributes to the motherland and the centenary of the Communist Party of China. She participated in recording the latest instalment of the NCPA Classics ‘Stroll Through Classics’ series – a collection of organ masterpieces, officially released in May 2023. This marks the first formally recorded and released album from the National Centre for the Performing Arts organ since its inauguration in 2007. Li Yihua was invited to serve as a judge for the 7th Alexander Gordik International Organ Competition hosted by the Moscow Conservatory of Music in Russia. Participated in the National Centre for the Performing Arts Orchestra's 2025-2026 ‘Back to the Future’ concert season, making his NCPAO debut alongside young conductor Lai Jiajing. Together, they successfully performed works by Bach, Mozart and Handel under the theme ‘Resonant Echoes’.
Safak Eriskin, cello
Born in Istanbul in 1971, Safak Eriskin started her first music lessons at Turkish Radio and Television’s
Children Choir when she was only 7. After graduating from the Violoncello department of Mimar
Sinan University State Conservatoire Istanbul as a student of Prof. Resit Erzin at 1991, she attended to
the master-classes of M. Rostropovic, A. Rudin, D. Shafran, M. Maisky and N. Gutman. During her
master’s program at Mimar Sinan University, Istanbul in the fields of ‘Aesthetics, Philosophy, 19th
Century Art History, Cello, Pre-School Cello Education, in 1994 as a member of Istanbul Quartett, she
was accepted with full scholarship into four years of ‘Quartett Perfection’ programmes of Accademia
Musicale Chigiana and Scuola di Musica di Fiesole-Firenze by Maestro Piero Farulli (the founder of
famous Italian Quartett) and she was awarded to ‘Honorary Diploma’ from both of these instutitions
in 1997. She received various degrees with Istanbul Quartett by attending to the competitions in
Cremona Quartet, Florence V. GUI and Moscow Schostakovitch. During her education and after, she
attended to many concerts in whole Italy, Europe, United States, Russia and Middle East. She also had
the opportunity of working with famous cellist of Borodin Quartett, Valentin Berlinsky in Moscow and
with the Takacs Quartett in Denver, Colorado University in perfection programme . She released a Cd
in 1997 consisting works of J. Brahms for the occasion of Brahms Year. Performed Chamber Music
concerts with distinguished artists such as Idil Biret, Peter Jablonski, Steven Kovacevic, Huseyin
Sermet. She arranged Tchaikovsky’s Love Songs and recorded it with Bass Ayhan Baran and Pianist
Judith Ulug in 2006. Attended to various dance and music festivals in Netherlands, Germany and
Spain as guest artist. Having the Professional Coaching Certificate approved from International
Coaching Federation ‘ICF’, Eriskin worked with professional musicians in the fields of ; Stage, Artist,
Career, Performance, Stage Psychology and Artistic Development. She also coached young orchestra
musicians at the National Youth Orchestra of Turkey.
Besides her solo cello post at the State Opera and Ballet Orchestra now in Istanbul, Safak Eriskin was
the Principal Cellist of Akbank Chamber Orchestra for 12 years, also the principal cellist of Borusan
Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra until season 2017 which is the first Turkish Orchestra being invited to
BBC Prom’s in London. As well as her individual concerts and trainings, she is currently Cello teacher
in BAU Conservatuary in İstanbul and member of Cello Paradiso Quartet and BAU Trio.
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Alexandra Acatincai, violin
Alexandra Acatincai comes from a family of musicians. Consistent with the passion for the training of young violinists, inherited from the family, Teacher Alexandra Acatincai has a successful pedagogical career, recognized by the position of Methodist teacher and head of the Violin Department at the National College of Music "George Enescu" in Bucharest, Romania.
She studied violin at the "George Enescu" National Music College and continued at the National University of Music Bucharest. The professional training was particularly rigorous under the guidance of the great masters Modest Iftinchi, respectively Conf. Univ. Dr. Ioana Croitoru.
She participated in Masterclass events supported by international soloists, such as Remus Azoiței, Silvia Marcovici and others.
Distinctions obtained by Alexandra Acatincai
She was a laureate of numerous national and international competitions, including "George Georgescu" from Tulcea, "Orpheus" from Târgu Jiu, "Sigismund Toduță" from Deva, "Paul Constantinescu" from Ploiești, the National Instrumental Interpretation Olympiad and many others.
Artistic activity
Violinist Alexandra Acatincai gave recitals on the stages of Hungary, Austria and Romania - in Bucharest, Sinaia, Constanța, Bacău. Also, her artistic activity is highlighted by numerous charity recitals at the Fundeni Hospital in Bucharest, in nursing homes in Bucharest and Brașov, in foster care centers and the "Marie Curie" Pediatric Hospital.
Pedagogical activity
During her more than 18-year career, she guided numerous young violinists who obtained hundreds of Grand Prizes, Trophies, First Prizes of Excellence, Special Prizes and numerous First Prizes at dozens of international and national competitions.
Prof. Alexandra Acatincai was a member of the juries for numerous international (S.E Aphorite Voice- Cyprus, MusicArte – Italy, Scherzo, Magia Colindelor, Talente completite, 4ArtsFestival, etc.) and national (Ștefania și Dan Cumpătă, The National Violin Olympics, Sigismund Toduta Romanian Composers Music Competition, Yannis Xenakis Competition, Corneliu Cezar Competition, etc.) competitions.
Zaharia Doina Elena, violin
Zaharia Doina Elena, violin teacher with grade 1 and with a degree of merit. I started studying the violin at
the age of 6 and graduated from the University of Music in Bucharest, Department of Musical
Interpretation - Violin.
Violin teacher since 2002 at the National College of Music "George Enescu" and until now. During these
years I have participated with the students of my class in numerous national and international
competitions (International Appassionatto Competition, International Competition "Citta di Massa" Italy,
International Competition S.E Aphrodite, Cyprus, International Competition Musicarte - Italy, International
Competition Star Bridge - Poland, France, International Schetzo Competition, National Competition "Ion
Dumitrescu", National Competition "George Georgescu" Tulcea, Competitions in Braila, Galati, Cluj,
Bistrita, International Competition "Music Competition" - Finland, etc., taking 1st prize of excellence, 1st
special, 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes, as well as 2nd and 3rd prizes at the National Music Olympiad, National
phase and municipal phase. Member of numerous national and international competitions as well as at
the Olympiads (Iannis Xenakis- Braila, Ana Lupascu - Braila, Festival 4 Arts - Campina, Appassionatto -
Bucharest, Scherzo - Bucharest etc.)
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Mateusz Kasprzak-Łabudziński, violin
Mateusz Krzysztof Kasprzak-Łabudziński was born on 3rd June 1988 in Katowice, Poland.
He graduated master violin class of Prof. E.Zienkowski at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna in 2014 as well as an elite solo studies in the master class of Prof. M.Urbaniak-Lisik at the Hochschule der Künste Bern in 2018 (both with destinction).
He participated in master courses and worked with such excellent violinists as: Prof. Wolfgang Marschner, Prof. Marina Yashvili, Prof. Rainer Küchl, Prof. Roman Lasocki, Prof. Konstanty Andrzej Kulka, Prof. Benjamin Schmid as well as Apollon Musagete Quartet.
He graduated an additional studies in specialization of Polish music at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw in the class of Prof. Konstanty Andrzej Kulka and Prof. Roman Lasocki.
From 2016 Assistant of Violin at Hochschule der Künste in Bern and leads Webern Kammerphilharmonie at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna. In 2021 appointed on Doctorate research position at K.Penderecki’s Academy of Music in Cracow.
He is the concertmaster and soloist of Lutoslawski Chamber Orchestra (Lomza) as well as the Chamber Orchestra Camerata Polonia in Vienna. Founder and leader of the chamber ensemble Sinfonietta Viennoise in Vienna.
Mateusz Kasprzak-Łabudziński is the winner of prestigious awards at international competitions: IV International Music Competition in Rome- 1st Prize and Special Prize, 44 th Prof. Josef Dichler’s International Music Competition in Vienna- 1st Prize, Grand Prize Virtuoso International Music Competition in Vienna- 2nd Prize, 2. Grand Prix Rising Stars International Competition in Berlin- 3rd Prize, XV Osaka International Competition- Finalist, International Anton Rubinstein Violin Competition in Düsseldorf- Finalist, XXX J.S.Bach Competition in Zielona Góra- 2nd Prize, III G.Ph.Telemann Competition in Poznań- 4th Prize, III Prof. I. Dubiska Violin Competition in Musical Interpretation in Łódź- Finalist.
He has performed at the most renowned concert halls of Europe : Vienna's Musikverein and Konzerthaus, Berlin's Konzerthaus and Philharmony, Tonhalle Maag in Zürich, Marinnsky Petersburg, Tivoli Copenhagen, Musik Casino Konzerthaus Bern, Budapest Philharmony, Gilde Riga.
He took part in the famous international festivals: Murten Classics (CH), Donaueschingen Musik Tage (DE), EU European Opera Sound (IT), Musikfestival Glagolica (SLO), Kärntner Sommer (AT), Usedomer Musikfestival (DE), Goslar-Harz Musikfestival (DE), Internationalen Chopin Festival Gaming-Kartouse (AT), Sacrum et Musica Łomża (PL), Euro Arts (DE), Yehudi Menuhin Forum (CH/DE/PL), Kvarner (CRO), Boulez Integrale (AT), Wien Modern (AT), Muzyka w Starym Krakowie (PL), Muzyka na Zamku Warszawa (PL), Warszawskie Konfronatcje Muzyczne (PL), Międzynarodowy Festiwal Laureatów Konkursów Katowice (PL).
Kasprzak-Łabudziński has collaborated with such eminent artists as: Jerzy Kosek, Massimiliano Caldi, Kristian Järvi, Michael Rot, Czesław Grabowski, Mischa Santora, Jan Miłosz Zarzycki, Andres Estrada-Orozco, Kaspar Zehnder, HK Gruber, Claudio Cohen, Zoltan Kocsis, Neeme Järvi, Utku Usuroglu, Peter Fahey, Alexej Askhenazy , Sławomir Czarnecki, Dieter Schnebel, Helmut Lachenmann.
Mateusz Kasprzak-Łabudziński became artist’s scholarschip granted by Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna (2008), Hirschmann Foundation in Geneva (2015) , K.Bartkowiak Foundation in Lugano (2015/2016) , Rita Zimmerman-Stiftung (2017), Polish Ministry of Culture “Youth Poland” (2021) and a prize “Golden Owl” in category Music (2021).
He plays on violin made by Jean Baptiste Collin-Mezin from 1900.
Dimitrinka Tuturilova, violin
Dimitrinka Tuturilova is an accomplished violinist, educator, and orchestral musician whose career spans across Europe, North and South America. Renowned for her expressive artistry and dedication to teaching, she has performed and taught in Bulgaria, Germany, the United States, Austria, and Peru.
A native of Sofia, Bulgaria, Ms. Tuturilova graduated with distinction from the National Music Academy "Prof. Pancho Vladigerov", where she studied under Prof. Evelina Arabadjieva. She continued her studies in the United States, earning an Artist Diploma from Duquesne University under Christopher Wu, followed by a Master of Music in Violin Performance at Carnegie Mellon University, studying with Cyrus Forough. Both institutions awarded her full scholarships in recognition of her exceptional talent and academic excellence.
Her musical development was further enriched through masterclasses with distinguished artists such as Ilya Kaler, Ifrah Neaman, Axel Wilczok, Kevork Mardirossian, and Karl-Heinz Schultz. As a soloist and chamber musician, she has collaborated with ensembles including the Sofia Soloists, the Vidin Philharmonic, the Trio Franzke, and Rheinvirtuosi, and has participated in international recording projects, including releases with Naxos Records.
Ms. Tuturilova's orchestral experience includes engagements with major ensembles such as the Rheinische Philharmonie Koblenz, Düsseldorfer Symphoniker, Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden, Tonkünstler Orchester Wien, and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.
A passionate and experienced educator, Dimitrinka Tuturilova has taught violin and music at several renowned institutions, including the International Music school in Berlin, the Akademie for Music in Münster, and currently the Music school in Ahaus. Since 2016, she has been a dedicated music teacher at the Waldorf school in Münster, where she teaches music and leads the school orchestra. She has also conducted violin masterclasses at the Condorcunca Conservatory in Peru, sharing her international experience with young musicians.
In addition to her artistic qualifications, Ms. Tuturilova has completed advanced training in Waldorf education in Jena, Evinghausen, and Hamburg, deepening her pedagogical approach and commitment to holistic music education.
Her artistic achievements have been recognized with numerous awards, including international competition prizes and the Honorary Citizen Award of Sofia for outstanding musical accomplishments.
Combining artistic depth, educational vision, and international experience, Dimitrinka Tuturilova brings a rich and inspiring perspective to her work as a performer, teacher, and adjudicator.
Jovan Jakovljević, guitar
Born in the city of Šabac 28.07.1991. Started his musical education at the "Mihailo Vukdragović" Music School in Šabac. He improved at numerous master courses (Prof. Zoran Krajišnik, Prof. Darko Karajić and Guitar Art Eos Guitar Quartet). During his education, he distinguished himself by winning numerous awards at recognized competitions.He collaborates and performs in several orchestras playing various musical genres on the electric guitar.
Yu Wu, guitar
Yu Wu’s musical journey spans multiple continents and has captivated audiences across China, Japan, Singapore, Korea, and the United States. A versatile artist, he maintains an active career as a recitalist, chamber musician, and orchestral soloist.
Wu earned his Bachelor of Music degree with distinction from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He completed his undergraduate studies in just three years under the guidance of Brazilian guitar legend Sergio Assad. Upon Assad's recommendation, Wu continued his education at the University of Arizona, completing his Master’s degree under Professor Thomas Patterson and serving as a Teaching Assistant for the School of Music.
Wu is now a faculty member at the Zhejiang Conservatory of Music in China. As a young pedagogue, his passion and dedication have led his students to significant success across the globe. His students have secured top honors in prestigious international competitions in China and abroad, including first prize at the RUST 2025 Alirio Diaz International Competition (Austria), first prize at the Anna Amalia International Guitar Competition (Germany), first prize in the Collegiate Division of the 5th Annual Chicago Guitar Festival (USA), and third prize in the GFA International Youth Competition (USA).
Man-Bun Au, guitar
Man-Bun Au is currently teaching Guitar Performance and Guitar Ensemble at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and the Music Department of Hong Kong Baptist University. From 2016 to 2019, he has been the Operational Director of the Altamira Hong Kong International Guitar Symposium and Competition. Au has been invited as the adjudicator of the Altamira International Virtual Guitar Competition 2020, China National Guitar Competition in Shanghai, the Shen Yang International Guitar Competition in China, and Macao Young Musicians Competition.
Au has been heard both in Hong Kong, China, and North America. He has been the featured soloist of the program “Hong Kong Concert Hall” of the RTHK Radio 4. Au has collaborated with “Zephyr: voice unbound,” a Los Angeles based chamber choir, giving concerts throughout Southern California area. Au has given live performance in television station KLTA and radio channel KPFK of Los Angeles.
Born in Hong Kong, guitarist Man-Bun Au began his guitar training in his teenage. Mr. Au was admitted by the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts where he studied under Ms. Tina Karen Lo and became one of the first graduates major in Guitar Performance. Au continued his guitar study at the University of Southern California studying Professor James Smith, William Kanengiser, and Brian Head. Au has also been tutored by renowned guitarists, such as, Pepe Romero, Angel Romero, David Russell, Manual Barrueco, Oscar Ghiglia, Bruce Holzman and Elliot Fisk. He graduated at USC with his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Classical Guitar Performance. In addition, Au was the scholarship recipient to participate the festival “Musica en Compostela” where he studied with Jose Luis Rodrigo.
Zoraida Avila, harp
She graduated at Tchakovsky Moscow Conservatory, where she studied with the eminent harpist Vera Dulova, obtaining a "Master of Arts" (1983) and "Philosophical Doctor" (1985). She also has the title of "The Associated of Royal College of Music", London, UK (1989). She has received awards in international competitions and festivals such as the National Harp Competition of the USSR (1984) and the "Andrés Segovia" Spanish Music Award. She has performed in Venezuela, USSR, Russia, Bulgaria, England, Belgium, Denmark, Algeria, Portugal, Yugoslavia, Greece, Norway, India and China.
In some of these countries She performed for television and the recordings of her interpretations are often broadcast by different radio stations worldwide.
She has participated in several international festivals: First Latin American Harp Festival, San Jose, Costa Rica; XV Festival do Estoril, Portugal; II World Harp Festival in Cardiff, Wales; VII Festival of El Hatillo, Venezuela, 5th European Harp Symposium in Amsterdam, Netherlands among others.
She recorded a CD with the chamber music group " Isolda" (1989) Her Solo reccordings have earned her praise from international critics: "Between Two Worlds" (1986) with repertoire transcribed and dedicated to Nicanor Zabaleta; and "Paths" (1998) published by the University of Curaçao, which shows her work as a transcriber and arranger of Latin American music.
She has been a member of the Jury in several competitions: The "International Competition of Harpers", Moscow 1997 and 1999, The "International Festival Vera Dulova" (Moscow, 1997 and 2000) and The "Competition of Chamber Music with Harp," in Arles, France , 2001, The "First International Harp Contest" in Szeged, Hungary, 2007, and The First International Harp Competition "Ksenia Erdely" in St. Petersburg, Russia.
She chairs the Cultural Association Isolda, through which she organizes the international competition " The Iberian Chamber Music Competition with Harp", which reached its fourth edition in February 2014.
In 2008 She participated as a special guest at the Festival "The soul of the Harp" held at The Centre of Art Workers in Moscow, Russia, where she gave a lecture on" the Spanish music for harp". She has coordinated three editions of compact "Isolda sings Tales" (2018, 2010 and 2012) in which her students perform works of didactic repertoire for solo harp and in combination with other instruments.
She held in usufruct the Harp that belonged the harpist Nicanor Zabaleta, which is provided with an eighth damper pedal, a system designed by the same harpist.
With this instrument she touredd as a soloist and with the chamber music group Isolda.
She is currently working on a doctoral thesis in Musicology about" the Romantic Harp in Spain" for the Faculty of Geography and History of the Complutense University of Madrid.
Daniela Iolkicheva, harp
Michel Plasson - “Daniela is an extraordinary harpist with a highly consolidated technique and enchanting musicality.”Daniela was born in Sofia, Bulgaria. At the age of 9, she started to study the piano and five years later, commenced her harp studies in the L. Pipkov Musical Institute with Constance Karadjova.In 1980, she received the harp position in the Bulgarian PIONER Youth Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1984, Daniela commenced her studies in the Sofia National Conservatoire. A year later, she won a scholarship to study at the Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatoire in St. Petersburg, where, in 1990 and under the direction of the renowned harpist Tatiana Tauer, she obtained a PhD in Harp studies (as the first study instrument) and a further PhD in Piano studies (as a second study instrument), graduating with first-class honours (Summa Cum Laude).The following prizes Daniela has won are worth noting: Silver medal in the 7th Bulgarian National Harp Competition (1985), where she also received the Special Prize for the Youngest Participant; she was a prize winner in the International Festivals in Moscow and St. Petersburg (1988); the Andrés Segovia and José Miguel Ruiz Morales prize as the most distinguished student in the Música en Compostela competition, awarded by the prestigious harpist Nicanor Zabaleta; the Jakez François 1st prize in the 1st Iberian Chamber Music with Harp Competition in Madrid (2004), with violinist Sergei Teslia. In 1991, Daniela received the harp soloist position in the Royal Seville Symphony Orchestra. Since 2002, she has been the harp tutor at the Special School for Music at San Francisco de Paula School in Seville. She also gives master classes sponsored by grants awarded by the Junta de Andalucía (the Andalusian regional government) and the Asociación Amigos de la ROSS (the Royal Seville Symphony Orchestra Fellowship). In 2017, she was named as the tenured harp lecturer for the Master’s degree in Soloist Performance, speciality: Harp Studies at the KATARINA GURSKA Centre for Higher Musical Education, Madrid.Since 2002, Daniela has led an intensely active career as a soloist and also in chamber music duos with María Antonia Rodríguez, flute soloist in the RTVE Symphony Orchestra. In 2004, in conjunction with Don José Enrique Ayarra, Seville Cathedral’s principal organist, Daniela performed a concert of 19th and 20th century music with an electroacoustic harp in the aforementioned cathedral. This repertoire had never before been performed with this type of harp. For the occasion, the instrument was loaned by the Victor Salvi Foundation.Composers such as Antonio Noguera, Esteban Sanz Vélez, Julio Lozano, Martín Zalba, Luis Ignacio Marín and Gualberto García have dedicated works to her.Daniela has recorded with many different record labels for Bulgarian, Russian, Spanish and Italian national radio and television broadcasters. She frequently performs in recitals, chamber ensembles in Europe, the USA, Russia and Asia. Furthermore, she performs with highly prestigious orchestras such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (London), the Symphony Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre, the State Orchestra of St. Petersburg, the Symphony Orchestra of India, the Gürzenich Orchester Köln and the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Symphony Orchestra of Seville, working with conductors such as Maazel, Muti, Jansons, Lazarev, Rostropovich, Plasson, etc. In addition, Daniela frequently performs at festivals, for instance: the Santander International Festival, International Harp Festival “Northern Lyre”, Mariinsky Theatre, the Festival of Granada, Clásicos en Verano and the Festival Dei Due Mondi – Spoleto…
Hung Choi lee Charlie, harp / piano
Harp Royal Conservatory of Brussels, Belgium - M.A. in Music (Harp) - B.A. in Music (Harp) Academy of Performing Arts (HAMU), Prague, Czech Republic - Exchange Programme M.A. in Music (Harp) International Music Competition Brussels-Grand Prize Virtuoso- First Prize winner LRSM, DIP ABRSM
Piano Certificate and Diploma of Teaching (CT ABRSM) CUSCS, Professional Advanced Diploma LRSM, Dip.ABRSM, ATCL (Trinity College of Music)
Charlie Choi-Lee Hung has completed her studies in The Royal Conservatory of Brussels, earning a Bachelor's and Masters Degree in Music, majoring in the Harp under the tutelage of world-class harpists Jana Bouskova and Agnes Clement. In between the degrees, she won the Erasmus Scholarship Programme for an exchange student at the Academy for Performing Arts in Prague (HAMU). She has previously attained the Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music, Harp Performance (LRSM) and DipABRSM in Harp Performance. She has performed all over Hong Kong and Europe, including in Belgium, Tignes, France, Ittervoort, Netherlands, Prague, Czech, Tignes, France, Germany and with the Hong Kong Ensemble during the 12th World Harp Congress in Sydney. In 2019 she won the First Prize in the International Music Competition Brussels - Grand Prize Virtuoso and was invited to attend the award ceremony in the distinguished Bozer Concert Hall. She also performed harp solo and chamber music in Ath College Saint Julien Chepel, Chateau de Moulbaix and in Eglise Saint-Martin Church, Chievres, Nazareth in Belgium. In Prague, the Czech Republic, she performed Le Festin de l'Araignee by Roussel, Dny Bohuslava Martinu 2019 as the principal Harpist with the orchestra in Sal Martinu Hall, and recently in St Paul’s Church in the Antwerp Summer Music Festival 2024.
Güneş Hızlılar, harp
Graduating with distinction from the Mozarteum University Salzburg and performing with the Staatskapelle Berlin under the baton of Daniel Barenboim, Güneş Hızlılar is described by musical authorities as "possessing a deep musical intelligence and one of the great talents in today’s harp world.” Born in Istanbul in 1995, she began her musical education in 2006 at the Istanbul University State Conservatory under Assistant Professor Ümit Tunak. She continued her undergraduate studies at the Mozarteum University Salzburg with Professor Stephen Fitzpatrick.
Hızlılar gained recognition through her exceptional performances in international harp competitions, achieving distinctions in events such as the Marcel Tournier International Harp Competition, Assia Cunego IHC in Bremen, Josef-Reinl IHC in Vienna, and Martin Geliot IHC in Paris.
Her debut concert as a soloist with the Istanbul University Symphony Orchestra in 2015 marked the beginning of her international career. She then performed Debussy’s Danse Sacrée et Profane at the Pacific Philharmonic Orchestra’s concerto competition in Vancouver, Canada.
In 2018, Hızlılar was selected for the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV) “Women Stars of Tomorrow” project, performing at the 46th Istanbul Music Festival alongside guest of honor İdil Biret. That same year, she gave a solo recital in the Shining Stars series at İş-Sanat, earning the Meriç Soylu Honorable Mention Award.
In addition to her solo and chamber music endeavors, Hızlılar toured Europe and South America as a member of the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie orchestra, performing in venues such as the Berlin Philharmonic, Frankfurt Alte Oper, and Sala São Paulo. She also premiered works with the Austrian Ensemble for New Music.
Supported by the “Ceren Necipoğlu” scholarship from the Turkish Harp Society, Hızlılar attended the Harp Masters Academy in Switzerland, studying with harp virtuosos Isabelle Perrin, Irina Zingg, and Karen Vaughan. She further honed her craft with artists like Isabelle Moretti, Xavier de Maistre, Jana Bouskova, and Alice Giles, mastering a broad repertoire from early to modern music.
After graduating with highest honors from Mozarteum University Salzburg in 2019, Hızlılar began her master’s studies at the same institution. Accepted into the orchestra academy of the Staatskapelle Berlin, she performed under the direction of Daniel Barenboim with renowned conductors and soloists such as Zubin Mehta, Martha Argerich, and Pinchas Zukerman. Following her tenure with Staatskapelle Berlin, she served as deputy solo harpist at the Niedersächsische Staatsorchester Hannover, performing harp solos in major operas and symphony concerts.
Hızlılar's education was supported by the Rotary Club, Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts, Yehudi Menuhin Foundation, and the Contemporary Education Foundation’s Young Talents Project. In 2023, she graduated with the highest honors from Mozarteum University Salzburg with a master’s degree. Recently, she drew attention with her solo recital at the 51st Istanbul Music Festival. Hızlılar continues to perform across Turkey and Europe, bringing the enchanting world of the harp to wider audiences. June 2024
Dušan Đorđevic, accordion
Dušan Đorđevic was born in Zaječar (Serbia) in 1992. He began primary music education in his hometown in the class of prof. Jelena Srbinoska. Already at the beginning of his music school education, he showed great love for music, which resulted with his participation in many international and national competitions. After finishing primary school, he continued his music education in high music school "Dr. Miloje Milojević" in Kragujevac, the class of prof. Dušan Vučković. He completed his undergraduate and masters studies at the Faculty of Philology and Arts in Kragujevac, in the class of prof. Predrag Kostovic. He is currently studying a master's of chamber music at the Faculty of Philology and Arts in the class of prof. Borislav Čičovački.
He participated many festivals and competitions in the country and abroad, among which are:
Accordion art (Sarajevo) 2010 - First prize
Star Trek (Kragujevac) 2009 - First prize
Accordion Days (Smederevo) 2007,2009 - First prize
Meh fest (Belgrade) 2015 - First prize
Kligenthal (Germany) 2015 – 8th place
With the chamber ensemble, he was the laureate of the competition "Donne in musica" in Kragujevac, 2014.
He played in the accordion orchestra and in Kragujevac. He performed the world premiere of Fiver Haiku for accordion flute and cello, composed by Vladimir Trmcic with chamber ensembles at SANU gallery in 2014, Belgrade.
As a soloist and with the chamber ensemble Sagum Rubrum duo, he performed in many cities in Serbia and abroad, including performances in Linz, Vienna (Austria), Detmold, Lemgo (Germany), Turn Severin (Romania), Doboj (BiH).
He participated in the 59th March Days of Music Festival in Ruse (Bulgaria), and the concert was recorded by the National Radio of Bulgaria.
He has attended numerous seminars with eminent professors from abroad:
Krasimir Šterev (Munich), Yuri Šiškin (Rostov-on-Don),
Markus Kohler (Detmold), Raimondas Svickevičius and Eduardo Gabins (Lithuania).
Mgr. Dana Ščasná, DiS.art, accordion
Accordionist and accordion teacher, Mgr. Dana Ščasná, DiS.art, was born in Slovakia. At the age of seven, she started attending the Basic Art School. After her graduation, she entered the Conservatory in Košice, where she devoted herself to playing the button accordion. During her studies, she was a member of the prestigious accordion orchestra, with which they became famous in Cyprus, Finland, Poland, Castelfidardo and other countries. She later completed university studies in playing the accordion, majoring in Church music and music teaching.
He has been teaching keyboard and button accordion for 25 years at the Ján Melkovič Elementary School of Art in Stará Ľubovna and at the Jan Nepomucký church school. All the while, he regularly prepares pupils for Slovak and foreign concerts, shows, recitals. Her students regularly participate in online and live international competitions, where they win top prizes. As winners, they participated in gala concerts of international competitions in Trophea, New York - DiMenna center for Classic music and in the Berlin Philharmonic.
Together with their students, they participated in the following competitions/concerts:
- Australian International Accordion Championship,Sydney,2021 – Silver Award
- 7th International Accordion daysin Prague 2021 – Silver Awards
- XIX. International Festival Accordeon – EUROMESETTE & GOLDEN TANGO 2021,Slovakia – Gold Awards
5th year of the all-Slovak accordion competition show, Association of Accordionists of Slovakia 2021 – Silver awards
- Czech Accordion online competition – Ostrava 2021- Silver awards
- VI. Tokyo International Music Competition „ Melos APS“ 111.proze,2022
- Nouvelles Étoiles – Praris – Laureat 2 prix,2022
- Kyjev- New York Constellatione Power of Music – 1 Prize,2022
- Israel- International Virtul Music „ Gates of Hope“ - Laureate 1 degree ,2022
- British College of Accordionists- Bronze Award, 2022
- Geneva –VI.International Music Competition „ Melos APS“ III.Prize,2022
- Internationa of Participation Manahttan- Diploma, 2022
- London Classical Music Competition- -Second Prize, 2022
- YIMC- absolute winner in the accordion category, 2022
- Amadeus International Music awards Salzburg – Silver Prize, 2022
- Prague - Competition music festival - Silver in the 3rd category, 2022
- London Classical Music Competition- -Second Prize, 2023
- Nouvelles Étoiles – Praris – Laureat 2 Prize. 2023,2024
- Birmingham.International Competition – Second Prize, 2023
- Euterpe Music Awards – Berlin – Gold Prize, 2023
- 7th annual accordion show of art schools-ASPUS-Slovakia., Silver, 2023
- XXI.. International Festival Accordeon – EUROMESETTE & GOLDEN TANGO 2023,Slovakia, Silver
- As an absolute winer in his category, he took part in the winer concert in New York on September 3, 2023
- Musicarte Festival and Competition 2024 Italia – 1. absolut prize
- Virtuoso Intenational Music awards ( VIMA) 2024 Londyn – Silver prize
Her students as an absolute winers in his category, he took part in the winer concert in New York on September 3, 2023,2024.
There was also a report on local TV about her achievements as a teacher and her students.
Cheng-Yu Wu, flute
Cheng-Yu Wu was born in Taichung, Taiwan in 1981. He began his musical education at the National First Senior High School of Taichung under Ms. Li-Ming Chen’s guidance in 1996. He attended National Taiwan University and majored in Philosophy in 1999. Meanwhile, he continued to pursue music career and studied with Mr. Anders Norell and Ms. Yi-Hui Lin. Cheng-Yu was the First Chair flute in the Ministry of National Defense Symphony Orchestra between 2003 and 2004 during the military service. In 2005, Cheng-Yu went to Europe and studied music under Harrie Starreveld, Marten Root, Marieke Schneemann, and Ellen Vergunst at Conservatorium van Amsterdam. In 2011, Cheng-Yu earned his Master’s Degree in Music from Conservatorium van Amsterdam.
Cheng-Yu is known as a flutist and specialized in interpreting variety of music styles. He studied contemporary music with Mr. Harrie Starreveld, and Baroque flute with Mr. Marten Root. He formed his chamber music group, The CVA Trio, with Violist Mr. Victor Gil Gazapo and Harpist Ms. Anna Steinkogler in 2009 and performed in both the Netherlands and Austria. During this time, Cheng-Yu also collaborated with Pianist Harimada Kusuma as Goudsbloemduo in 2008. They have been performing in the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, and Taiwan till today.
In 2012, Cheng-Yu started an experimental solo flute recital project titled "Just Flute?!". The project was well received and soon he was invited to feature in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, and Taipei International New Music Festival. Cheng-Yu is well-known for his creativity of playing different types of flutes for various music styles. In additional to concert performance, Cheng-Yu is dedicated to flute and composition education. He formed a modern music ensemble, TimeArt Studio, in 2013. Cheng-Yu's first flute solo album Ten Poems was released in 2014 and was nominated for The Golden Melody Awards for Traditional Arts and Music in Taiwan. His second album Parallaxis was released in May 2018. Cheng-Yu is currently active as a flute soloist and a music educator in Shanghai and various cities in Taiwan.
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Olga Gerasimova, flute
Gerasimova Olga Vsevolodovna was born and received a musical education in the city of Leningrad, now the city of St. Petersburg.
She graduated from the music school at the Leningrad Conservatory. N.A. Rimsky - Korsakov in the flute class of teacher Yu.G. Levin and the Leningrad Conservatory in the class of Professor S.V. Poshekhov.
Over the years, she has prepared a large number of laureates of All-Russian and International competitions. Her students work in the best orchestras in the country and the world.
He is the head of the department of wind and percussion instruments of the art school. G.V. Sviridov, teacher of the Institute of Music, Theater and Choreography. A.I. Herzen.
Awarded government awards.
Katarzyna Zdybel-Nam, bassoon
Dr hab. Katarzyna Zdybel-Nam began her bassoon education in 1998 studying with Jerzy Lisak at the State Music School in Zamość. From 2002 to 2007 she studied at the Academy of Music (currently the Fryderyk
chopin University of Music) in Warsaw with prof. Zbigniew Płużek.
Three years later she completed her postgraduate studies (Solistenklasse) with honours degree in Hochschule für Musik in Stuttgart where she studied with prof. Marc Engelhardt. She continued studies at the Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław with prof. Czesław Klonowski, where she received the PhD degree in 2015 and leads bassoon clas. In 2019 she pursued a habilitation degree.
The artist has received numerous awards at international competitions. In the Summer 2012 she won three important prizes: First Prize in IDRS Fernand Gillet – Hugo Fox Bassoon Competition in Oxford, Ohio (USA), in September the Second Prize and the Special Prize during 6th Michał Spisak International Music Competition in Dąbrowa Górnicza. Two years earlier she triumphed in Italy winning the First Prizes at the following competitions: the Gioacchino Rossini International Bassoon Competition in Pesaro and the International Competition for Young Performers in Chieri. In 2009 she won Second Prize (first not awarded) and the prize for the best interpretation of a newly written piece during the International Competition of Moscow Conservatory for Winds and Percussion. In 2016 she was awarded with the Main Prize at the 1st
Matthew Ruggiero International Woodwind Competition in Boston. She performs as a soloist and chamber musician. As a soloist she has appeared with such eminent ensembles as: Stuttgarter Kammerorchester,
Orchestra Filarmonica di Torino, Orchestra Filarmonica Marchigiana, Polish Radio Orchestra, NFM Wrocław Philharmonic Orchestra, Sinfonia Varsovia, Leopoldinum Chamber Orchestra in Wrocław, Polisch Chamber Orchestra in Sopot, AUKSO Chamber Orchestra in Tychy, Karol Namysłowski Symphony Orchestra in Zamość, Moscow Conservatory Symphony Orchestra.
She cooperated with many leading orchestras as a principal bassoonist: Orchestre Chambre de Lausanne (Switzerland), Royal Danish Orchestra, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra (Sweden), Gothenburg's Opera Orchestra, Malmö Symphony Orchestra (Sweden), Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra (Norway). Since 2007 she is a principal bassoonist of NFM Wrocław Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2014 she released her debut album Portrait (CD Accord). In 2019 she released the new album Romantic works (Orphée Classics).
Sun Minghong, oboe
Sun Minghong, Professor of Oboe and Master's Supervisor in the Orchestral Department at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. Admitted to the Affiliated Secondary School of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music in 1973, he advanced to the undergraduate program in 1978, studying under renowned oboe pedagogue Chen Su'an. Beginning in 1980, he studied successively under Professors Zhou Songshan and Sha Jianlin. He graduated with honors in 1982 and remained at the conservatory as a faculty member. In 1986, he received a full scholarship from the French government to study at the Conservatoire de Rueil-Malmaison in Paris. He returned to China in 1989 to continue teaching at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. Promoted exceptionally to Associate Professor in 1992, he was again promoted exceptionally to Professor in 1996 and appointed Head of the Orchestra Department at Shanghai Conservatory of Music. In 2002, he was appointed as one of the first Discipline Leaders at Shanghai Conservatory of Music.
Teaching and Achievements: In 2016, he established the “Shanghai Oboetown” professional exchange platform and a new oboe teaching team at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, serving as its Chief Professor. Leveraging the advantages of a unified curriculum across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels, he developed and implemented multiple internationalized and scientifically grounded teaching concepts and procedures. His students have achieved outstanding results in numerous international and domestic competitions. In 2017, his course “Oboe Performance Art” was designated a Key Course by the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission. His students have consistently excelled in numerous Category A competitions worldwide in recent years, with dozens winning major awards including second prize at the International Oboe Society's Fox Oboe Competition. He himself has received multiple honors such as the Outstanding Instructor Award from the Ministry of Culture and China Musicians Association, the He Lutian Foundation Award from Shanghai Conservatory of Music, the Shanghai Literary and Artistic Talent Outstanding Teacher Award, as well as titles including Outstanding Party Member and Outstanding Party Affairs Worker.
Positions Held: Director of the Orchestra Teaching and Research Office, Department of Orchestral Studies; Conductor of the Shanghai Conservatory Symphony Orchestra; Head of the Department of Orchestral Studies; Secretary of the General Party Branch and Vice Principal of the Shanghai Conservatory Affiliated High School.
Social Appointments: Since 2007, Vice Chairman of the China Wind Music Association; Director of the Shanghai Music Association Wind Music Committee; Member of the International Double Reed Society; Vice President of the Asia-Pacific Double Reed Society; concurrently serves as President of the Shanghai Music Association Oboe Research Association; Adjunct Professor at East China Normal University and Tongji University; Visiting Professor at PLA Academy of Art and Shanghai University; Adjunct Professor at Jiaotong University and East China University of Political Science and Law; Member of the Music and Dance Committee of the Ministry of Education's Higher Music Education Guidance Committee.
Published Works: Compiled multiple oboe collections, examination piece anthologies, and translated editions of instructional etudes. Recorded and released solo oboe albums by China Record Corporation and Shanghai Music Publishing House: Roses and Ribbons, and Chinese and Foreign Oboe Works. In 2016, Shanghai Music Publishing House released the album The Joy of Daily Practice: Ferling's 48 Oboe Etudes, featuring him as soloist. In 2020, Shanghai Music Publishing House will also publish Chinese-Style Oboe Duets, edited by him.
JURY JSFest 2024
Zhanat Yermanov, clarinet
The Artistic Characterization
Yermanov Zhanat Rahmetulinovich was born in February 28, 1965, Bayan-Aul area of Pavlodar region, Alexander farm.
Education
1984, graduated with honors from Ust-Kamenogorsk School of Music.
1991, graduated from KNC named by Kurmangazy.
1993, finished graduate studies at the KNC named by Kurmangazy.
1997, graduated from the European Academy of Music named by Mozart, Poland.
2000, graduated from the International Summer Music Academy in Nice, France.
2001, graduated from the International Summer Academy of Music in the Prado, France.
2002, graduated from KNC named by Kurmangazy, specialty opera and symphony conducting.
Certificates, diplomas and medals
1. Diploma 1st degree. V National Competition for Young Performers. Ministry of Culture, Almaty 1983
2. Diploma 3rd degree. Competition for Wind and Percussion instruments of the republics of Central Asia and Kazakhstan. Almaty. April 1990 the State Culture Committee of Kazakhstan SSR.
3. Diploma 1st degree. I international contest of wind and percussion instruments from central Asia, Azerbaijan, Tatarstan and Bashkortostan. Ministry of Culture. Union of Musicians. State Conservatory named by Kurmangazy, Almaty, 1994
4. In accordance with the Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan on May 7, 2002 was awarded the anniversary medal "Kazakhstan Respublikasynyn Karula Kushterne 10 zhyl" Astana. 08/05/2002
5. Diploma. Education Foundation by President Nursultan Nazarbayev. For the great artistic achievements in art. Director of the Fund. D.Kulibaev. The city of Almaty. May 17, 2003
6. Certificate of Merit. For an excellent job in educating the young musicians, and due to Teachers' Day. RSSMSHI named by K. Baiseitova. 03.10.2003
7. Due to the 60th anniversary of the KNC named by Kurmangazy for outstanding achievements in the education of youth and concert activities Yermanov Z.R, was awarded the honorary title of "Madeniet қayratkerі."
8. For his great contribution to the development of performing arts and the creation of a state woodwind quintet by Presidential Decree of December 4, 2009, he was awarded the honorary title "Honored Artist of the Republic of Kazakhstan."
9. In accordance with the Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, dated December 7, 2011, was awarded the anniversary medal "20 years of independence, Republic of Kazakhstan".
He actively gives concerts, combining it with teaching being an associate professor at KNC named by Kurmangazy. His concerts were successfully held in Vienna, Riga, Moscow, Budapest, Warsaw, Krakow, Prague, Marseille, Seoul, Bangkok, London and Odessa. He improves his level of performance, playing music and communicating on joint concerts with such artists like Michelle Letek, Francois Leleu, Ana Casian, Jean Hyenas Keyras, Frederick Baron, John Thomson, Corrado Giuffredi, David Valter and others.
He has a number of scientific and methodological works. Many of his graduates are the laureates of international competitions and working in various musical groups within The Republic of Kazakhstan and beyond.
Currently he heads the department of wind and percussion instruments KNC named by Kurmangazy, the artistic director of the state woodwind quintet created by him.
Yuki Negishi, piano
Yuki Negishi has established herself as a pianist of rare poetry, passion and virtuosity, as well as an adjudicator, educator and researcher, captivating audiences wherever she performs around the world. Yuki has already performed in over 500 concerts in the UK alone, and regularly performs about 30 concerts a year as recitalist, concerto soloist and chamber musician in countries such as the Netherlands (Concertgebouw), France, Germany, Switzerland (Zurich Tonhalle), Italy (Festival di Londra, Blanc European Festival), Romania, Japan, China and the USA.
She has been broadcast on BBC Radio 3, ITV, Channel 4, Dutch, Polish, Romanian and French television and radio. She will be releasing her second CD through the Quartz label (www.quartzmusic.com) in 2022, including music by Chopin and Kapustin. During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, she performed for various online festivals, including the Absolute Classics Festival Live Rooms Online (which reached over 100K views and featured on ITV News). Her "Piano Music by Women" series in June/July 2020 was chosen in the TOP 5 online performances for the week of 29 June 2020 alongside the Wigmore recitals by Angela Hewitt and Mitsuko Uchida/Mark Padmore by PIANIST Magazine.
She also served as a jury member for the Sussex International Piano Competition consecutively four times since its inauguration in 2010 (including the recent 2018 edition), the Open Piano Competition (2012), the London Youth Piano Competition (2019, 2021), Music and Stars Awards (2020, 2021), the Artepiano International E-Competition (2020) and 10 online competitions during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the International Competition of Music and Arts (2021). She will be on the jury of the Indonesia International Youth Music Olympics in April 2022, and the Jean Sibelius International Instrumental Music Competition in Finland in Nov 2022 (online).
Michal Markuszewski, piano
Born in Warsaw in 1980. In 2004 he graduated with honours from the Frederic Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw in organ class Prof. Joachim Grubich and in 2005 in piano class Prof. Kazimierz Gierżod.
In 2007 he completed postgraduate studies at Universität der Künste in Berlin (organ improvisation class Prof. Wolfgang Seifen) and in 2008 Hochschule für Musik in Würzburg (organ master class Prof. Christoph Bossert).
His greatest achievements are: 2nd prize in Polish Contemporary XX Century Organ Music Competition in Legnica (1998), 1st prize in International Organ Music Competition in Rumia (2000), as well as an honourable mention for the best performance of pieces by J.S. Bach. He also received the prize founded by president of the city of Gdańsk and 3rd prize in International Organ Music Competition in Zürich-Wiedikon (2007).
In 2007 he received a scholarship from Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
He gave many concerts at international festivals in Poland, Lithuania, Czech Republic, Holland, Switzerland, Norway, Ukraine, Slovakia, Great Britain and in over 170 cities in Germany.
He took part in master classes taught by such famous artists as: Guy Bovet, Aleksander Fiseyski, Julian Gembalski, Lorenzo Ghielmi, Jean Guillou, Bernhard Haas, Naji Hakim, Rudolf Innig, Edgar Krapp, Olivier Latry, Heribert Metzger, Peter Planyawski, Martin Sander, Christopher Stembridge.
He cooperated with many renowned soloists, such as Polish Chamber Choir Schola Cantorum Gedanensis, Camerata Varsovia choir, Camerata Janáček orchestra, Collegium instrumentale Bochum orchestra, Jeunesses Musicales.
He made several CD recordings (Organum Classics, Label Harp, DUX). His recording made on historic organs in the Reformed Church in Warsaw (DUX 0707) received a nomination for Polish music industry award FRYDERYK in two categories. He also made several radio and TV-recordings.
He made first performances of contemporary Polish organ music as well as chamber organ music.
He is also interested in problems of restoration of historic Polish organs. He is a member of Association for Researches and Conservation of Silesian Organ (VEESO), german Society of Organ Enthusiasts GdO (since 2001). He cooperates with editors of Polish Internet Organ Inventory. He prepared the documentation of over 350 Polish historical organs.
On his initiative, restoration work was carried out on the historical organ (built by Schlag und Söhne) in the Reformed Church in Warsaw (2004-2008), where he has served as organist since 2004.
For several years he has been involved in events and cultural management. He is initiator and artistic director of an international cycle of organ concerts on historical organ built by Schlag und Söhne in 1900 in the Reformed Church in Warsaw.
From 2012 he teaches organ improvisation at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw.
Gulzhamilya Kadyrbekova, piano
Professor Gulzhamilya Kadyrbekova is an exceptional and outstanding authority in the modern piano art of Kazakhstan. Because of her international success and numerous awards she is regarded as one of the best piano players of Kazakhstan. Due to her outstanding performance she was awarded with the title “People’s Artist of the Republic of Kazakhstan”. Her name first became widely known in 1980 when the young musician won the First prize at the 31st Viotti International Competition in Italy. Gulzhamilya Kadyrbekova became the first pianist of Kazakhstan awarded the highest international recognition.
According to the contest conditions, the winner was entitled to ten solo concerts in various cities of Italy, and Gulzhamilya Kadyrbekova’s performances were a triumphant success everywhere. In their excited reviews musical critics unanimously recognized the emergence of a new bright artistic name, called her a “great pianist”, “pianist of international class”, “tiger of a fingerboard”, emphasized her extraordinary musicality coupled with the “dizzying technique”, noted her “perfect performance” of the works being part of a program of her performances, compared her play with the outstanding artists of the XX century: Ciccolini, Berman and Cziffra.
The time after the contest was marked for the pianist with continuous artistic perfection.
With her inherent persuasiveness of interpretations, she performs works by Scarlatti and Bach, Mozart and Schubert, Beethoven and Brahms, Chopin and Schumann, Rakhmaninov and Prokofiyev, Shostakovich and Gubaidulina. Her extensive repertoire covers all musical periods and styles. Gulzhamilya Kadyrbekova is also an active promoter of the works of Kazakh composers: G. Zhubanova, N. Mendygaliyev, T. Kazhgaliyev.
Gulzhamilya Kadyrbekova was born in Alma-Ata. She received her initial musical education in the Republican Special Music School named after K. Baiseitova, from which she graduated in the class of Associate Professor Lyudmila Ivanovna Oshkukova. She graduated from the Moscow State Conservatory named after P.I. Chaikovskiy and post-graduate school under the direction of Honored Artist of the RSFSR, Professor Gleb Borisovich Axelrod, who had a great influence on the formation of the pianist’s personality.
The high musical culture, honed skills, generosity of her performing style, extraordinary artistic charm and spirituality of the performance – all these qualities brought wide recognition to the pianist.
As a soloist of the Kazakh State Philharmonia named after Dzhambul, Gulzhamilya Kadyrbekova lifted a huge collection of complex works of the world’s piano literature both in the performances with orchestra and in solo and chamber music concerts. Her recent concerts include such works as Ravel’s Concerto for the Left Hand d-moll, Beethoven’s Fantasy for Piano, Orchestra and Chorus C-dur, Concerto No. 5 and Triple Concerto, Chopin’s Concertos No. 1 and No. 2, Brahms’s Concerto No. 1, Chaikovskiy’s Concertos No. 1 and No. 2, Rakhmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Gershwin’s Concerto in D Major, Poulenc’s Concerto for two pianos. Gulzhamilya Kadyrbekova constantly gives concerts both in her native country and abroad with well-known orchestras and conductors such as the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Dm. Kitayenko, Romanian Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by O. Balan, Georgian Philharmonic Orchestra, State Symphony Orchestra of the Republic of Kazakhstan, etc.
After her success at the contest, Gulzhamilya Kadyrbekova gave a series of concerts in Italy and participated in the XX International Music Festival in Stresa with M. Rostropovich, V. Ashkenazi and A.-S. Mutter, where she gave a solo concert, which the reviewers called “magic”. Kadyrbekova’s performance at the festival of young performers “Interforum” in Hungary left a “very good impression”, as it was noted in the press. Her concerts in the best halls of Moscow were a huge success (Hall named after Chaikovskiy, Conservatory Small Hall), St. Petersburg (Great Hall of Philharmonia named after Shostakovich), Rome and Turin (conservatory halls), Vienna, Paris (Debussy Hall in Pleyel, Cortot Hall in the Ecole Normale), Tunisia, Ankara (University Concert Hall), Istanbul (Ayia Irini Hall), the cities of the Baltic states and the Caucasus, etc.
In 1981, the pianist recorded a solo album with the Second Sonata b-moll of Rakhmaninov, “Scherzo and March” and “The Forgotten Waltz No. 1” of Liszt at the record company “Melody” in Moscow.
In 2015 Gulzhamilya Kadyrbekova recorded all Impromptus of Schubert at the record company “Hofa” in Germany.
Gulzhamilya Kadyrbekova is in the prime of her creative powers, at the stage, when a person combines gained experience, performing maturity and its usual idea of searching. This is reflected in her concert programs, which are always substantial, attracting with their wide range, as well as in the interpretation of the works performed – the ability to give them a live and direct feeling, to speak the language of music sincerely and with emotion. The harmonious relationship of the emotional and intellectual beginning is a characteristic feature of the pianist’s performing image. Her play attracts with its integrity and credibility of the interpretation coming from a deep comprehension of the author’s intention. A wide range of dynamic gradations also draws attention, in which the noble-sounding and very powerful forte stands out. One of the advantages of Gulzhamilya Kadyrbekova is her developed sense and skillful use of the timbre and coloristic capabilities of the instrument. Talent, intelligence, desire of grace communication with the public – this is a key to achieving new heights by the pianist.
Maia Sepp, piano
Maia Sepp was born in 1985 in Tallinn (Estonia). She received her first piano lessons at the music school for gifted children «K. Baisseitow» in Almaty, Kazakhstan in the class of T.Abilchairova. 2003 she graduated this school with the distinction under the direction of famous pianist Prof. Gulzhamilya Kadyrbekova, who had a great influence on the formation of pianist’s personality. At the age of eight, she gave her first public concert, the first concert of Ludwig van Beethoven, with the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In 1999 she was the youngest participant at the International Mozart Competition in Salzburg and the 3rd prizewinner at the International Piano Competition in Naples. The following year she reached the finals of the International Piano Competition in Jurmala (Latvia) and in 2002 attended the International Bach Piano Competition in Leipzig. She is also prizewinner of the annual Festival of the President Nursultan Nazarbaevs Education Foundation.
From 2003 to 2008 she studied at the Moscow State Conservatory named after Tchaikowsky, where she graduated with honors in the class of Prof. A.Mndoyants. Since 2010 she has continued her musical education at the master's degree with famous pianist Prof. Dr. h.c. Kalle Randalu at the Academy of Music in Karlsruhe (Germany). In 2012 she graduated her master degree with honors and in 2015 - her soloist studies with honors.
In 2009 Maia Sepp was the 1st Prizewinner at the 3rd International Piano Competition in Wien (Austria) and the semi-finalist of the 5th International Piano Competition in Lyon. In 2013 she was the 1st Prizewinner at the International Wolfgang-Rihm-Competition in Karlsruhe (Germany) and at the International Piano Competition Concours Musical de France in Paris. In 2017 she was the 2nd Prizewinner at the XVIII International Maria Yudina Piano Competition in Saint Petersburg (Russia). In 2018 she was 4th Prizewinner at the V Tatjana Gaydamovich Chamber Music Competition in Magnitogorsk (Russia).
Maia Sepp leads an active concert career and performed in Moskau (Rubinstein Museum, P. Slobodkin’s concert hall, Rachmaninov Hall), in Tallinn (Estland), in Kasachstan (Almaty, Astana, Ust-Kamenogorsk, Karaganda), in France (Paris, Wissembourg), in Germany (Karlsruhe, Baden-Baden, Stuttgart, Ettlingen), in Italy (Finale Ligure). She performed with such orchestras as the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Astana Symphony Orchestra, Latvian Chamber Orchestra, Karlsruhe Chamber Orchestra, Baden-Baden Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra.
In 2015 Maia Sepp won a prestigious scholarship from the Cultural Foundation of Baden-Württemberg (Germany). The grant supports promising young artists. In 2015 Maia Sepp recorded her first solo CD with Sonate B-Dur D960 of Schubert and “Davidsbündlertänze” of Schumann at the record company “Hofa” in Germany. Since 2016 she is a soloist at the Kazakh State Zhambyl Philharmonic and piano teacher at the Piano department of Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory.
Gulzhan Uzenbayeva, piano
G. Uzenbayeva - Honored Worker of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Professor of the piano department of the Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory, member of Kazakhstan Union of Composers, soloist of the Zhambyl Kazakh State Philharmonic, the winner of a number of international competitions.
G. Uzenbayeva is a multifaceted musician who has shown herself in various activities - as a pianist, composer and teacher. She actively participates in international and national music forums, such as the Chamber Music Festival Pablo Casals in Prades (France), L. Beethoven festival in Wien (Austria), Festival "Martha Argerich projetto" in Lugano (Switzerland), "Semana Piano Festival" in Spain, a solo concert and master classes at Mobile University (USA), the Festival of new music "Nauryz XXI" in Almaty (Kazakhstan) and others.
The compositions of Gulzhan Uzenbayeva were included in the repertoire of the world's leading musicians and performed in Kazakhstan and abroad, in countries such as Great Britain, Italy, Sweden, USA, China, Austria, Switzerland, Turkey. Among them are the Concertos for piano and orchestra, Sonata for violin and piano, Fantasia for piano, Piano Trio Gasesa and etc.
As a soloist of the Zhambyl Kazakh State Philharmonic Gulzhan Uzenbayeva performs concerts (solo, chamber music, piano duo) and plays with orchestra under the direction of famous conductors, such as D. Wilson, N. Krause, V. Papyan and others.
G. Uzenbayeva undertakes active pedagogical activity. She is a regular member of the Jury of republican and international competitions and conducts master classes in Kazakhstan and abroad. Many of her students became laureates of international competitions. For her teaching activity G. Uzenbayeva has been awarded the diplomas "For pedagogical excellence".
Igor Oleksenko, piano
Igor Oleksenko was born in 1973 in Belgorod (Russia). He received his first piano lessons at the music school named after Reinhold Glière in Almaty, Kazakhstan and graduated this school with honors in 1988.
Since 1988 he has continued his musical education at the Almaty Tchaikovsky Musical College in the class of S. Ostrovskaya. The following years he participated in several republican piano competitions (Temirtau, Kazakhstan). 1992 he graduated this Almaty Tchaikovsky Musical College.
From 1992 to 1999 he studied at the Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory. He graduated from the Conservatory and postgraduate studies with the distinction under the direction of Professor S. Massover.
In 1995 he participated in the International Nury Khalmamedov Piano Competition in Ashgabat (Turkmenistan) and received Diploma.
Since 2000 he is a piano teacher at the Department of Special Piano and an accompanist of the highest category in the class of Honored Artist of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Professor S. Kurmangalieva (operatic soprano). From 2000 to 2009 he participated in department concerts, «Romansiade» international vocal competitions, masterclasses and International Rachmaninov Music festival. Igor Oleksenko constantly gives concerts with soloists such as Honored Worker of the Republic of Kazakhstan Zhamilya Baspakova (soprano), Honored Worker of the Republic of Kazakhstan Talgat Mussabayev (baritone), N. Usenbayeva, J. Tapin. He performed in Kazakhstan (Almaty, Astana), Russia (Saint-Petersburg, Novosibirsk), China (Hong Kong).
From 2008 to 2009 he was an accompanist in the class of Raissa Borshchevskaya (soprano) at the Saint-Petersburg Rimsky-Korsakov Music College, where he confirmed his qualification of «accompanist of the highest category» (Russian certification).
Since 2009 he is a piano teacher of the Department of General Piano at the Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory.
In 2011 he was the finalist of the XIV International Tchaikovsky Competition as an accompanist with a soloist of the Kazakh National Opera and Ballet Theatre after Abai Oxana Davydenko (soprano) and received Diploma of the competition.
From 2019 to 2022 he has been the Head of the Department of General Piano of the Faculty of Instrumental Performance of the Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory. Since 2022 he is the associate professor of the Department of General Piano of the Faculty of Instrumental Performance of the Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory.
Many of his students received the titles of the laureates of international piano competitions. Igor Oleksenko often joins the jury (Eurasia Piano Forum in Astana (Kazakhstan), International Piano Competition named after E. Bliznyuk in Novosibirsk (Russia).
He published 6 collections for students of the conservatory in the courses «General Piano» and «The Art of Vocal Accompanied». His recent collection called «55 vocal warm-ups on the piano».
Since 2018 Igor Oleksenko is the Holder of the order «Kurmet».
Rintaro Akamatsu, piano
He has studied with France Clidat, Jean Micault in Paris and Kocsis
Zoltán in Budapest. He won third prize in the Clara Schumann
International Piano Competition at Düsseldorf 2000. Since then, has
given concerts as soloist and chamber musician in Japan, USA, Russia,
Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Hungary, Poland, Taiwan and
Columbia, and collaborated with orchestras such as the Tokyo Symphony
Orchestra, etc. In addition to many CDs for King International and
others, his writing has appeared in newspapers, magazines and books.
Professor of Osaka College of Music, Senzoku Gakuen Music College,
Utsunomiya Junior College, Budapest International Piano Masterclass.
Dinara Aidarkhanova, piano
Associate Professor of the Kazakh National Conservatory named after Kurmangazy
A graduate of the Alma-Ata State Conservatory named after Kurmangazy (now the Kazakh National Conservatory named after Kurmangazy) in special piano. In the same place she completed an assistantship-internship in the specialty "piano" in the class of Professor Anna Lvovna Sapozhnikova. After graduating from the conservatory, to this day she works within the walls of her native educational institution.
For many years of work within the walls of the conservatory, she was engaged in performing, pedagogical, and administrative activities.
Among the favorite authors performed in the concert programs were the works of the Viennese classics, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, modern and Kazakh composers and other authors.
Today, she is fully focused on teaching. Among the graduates of the class there are Laureates of Republican and International competitions. Graduates of the class work in Germany, Mongolia, China, Russia, France and, of course, in Kazakhstan.
In her work at a music school, she combines the skills of a professional and an administrative manager.
She tries to instill in students a creative orientation in work, a reverent attitude to the profession and a great love for music.
Tatiana Chistyakova, piano
Tatiana Chistyakova was born in Moscow in a family of musicians. She began to study piano at the age of six at the Children’s Art School named after S. T. Richter (class teacher E. Chistyakova). Throughout her studies at the school, she regularly participated in concerts and competitions. The winners in the youth competitions “Hope” (1996), “Young Talents of Muscovy” (1998), the performance with the orchestra of a concert by I. S. Bach d-moll in the Great Hall of the Kaluga Philharmonic Hall, the first solo concert in two parts in Reutov became significant and participation in the Advendikontsert International Festival in Estonia. Since 2001, she studied at college, and then at the GMPI them. Ippolitova-Ivanova, who graduated with honors in 2011. All the years she studied in the class of professor, member of the Union of Composers of Moscow, laureate of international competitions Aida Petrovna Isakova. She continued her further education at the Incontri col maestro International Piano Academy (Imola, Italy), classes of professors V. Ashkenazi, A. Kravchenko, B.V. Petrushansky. Tatyana took part in master classes by such famous professors as V.K. Merzhanov, M.V. Filippov, V. Chuchkov, A. Kurtev, V.V. Mishchuk, R. Rizaliti, K. Pari, A. A. Pisarev, I. Glinka, D. Masleev. In the summer of 2004 she participated in master classes and concerts at the Margess International creative school in Switzerland. Tatiana Chistyakova is a laureate and diploma winner of more than twenty international competitions in Russia, Ukraine, Italy, Spain, Bulgaria, Serbia, and the USA. Among them: International Competition in Odessa (Grand Prix), «Musica classica» in Ruza, «Great Teachers» in Bulgaria, named after S. V. Rachmaninov in St. Petersburg, «Premio Pianistico Euterpe», «Pietro Argento», « Citta di Pesaro «,» Citta di Fasano «,» Anemos «,» Don Vincenzo Vitti «,» Paolo Serrao «,» Lia Tortora «,» Citta di Barletta «,» Citta di Caraglio «in Italy, Ibiza International Piano Competition , «Contemporary Art and Education», «Talents of the New Century» in Moscow, etc. Tatiana regularly gives solo concerts and in various compositions in the halls of Russia, Italy (including at the MiTo festival), Holland, Kazakhstan, Greece, and Bulgaria. She collaborated with orchestras under the direction of A. Vorontsov, I. Kazhdan, G. Aravidis, A. Khurgin, A. Istomin. Since 2011 - a participant in the programs of the St. Petersburg House of Music under the leadership of S.P. Roldugin. Since 2014, collaborates with the concert agency Classics Concert. Since 2015, regularly takes part in the jury of various competitions, such as the European competition «Don Matteo Colucci», (Fasano, Italy)., International Piano Competition. Aida Isakova (Aiz Almaty, Kazakhstan), the Internet contest «Music Prospect», «Mediterraneo competition» (Bari, Italy), the Art Academy (Kyrgyzstan), the 1st All-Russian Piano Competition «MariaFest» and others. Conducts master classes in Russia and Italy. Since 2017, she is the art director of the Artist creative association. Since 2018 - Member of the World Piano Teachers Association. In November 2018, she performed at Carnegie Hall (New York, USA) Has recordings on the radio «Orpheus», «Russian World». In 2015, a CD was released recording the popular works of P.I. Tchaikovsky in transcription for piano by A. Isakova.
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Elena Saveleva, piano
Elena Saveleva – Honored Artist of Russia (2005). Professor of the Piano Accompaniment Department and the Head of the Postgraduate Department of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory (1998 – present), Elena is a graduate of the Piano Department and Postgraduate assistant traineeship program where she studied in the class of Professor L.N. Naumov. In 2002–2021, she acted as the Deputy Artistic Director for Education of Galina Vishnevskaya Opera Center. Elena is a visiting Professor at Kurashiki Sakuyo University (Japan). Elena has appeared as a jury member of various international piano and vocal competitions: International Piano Competition in Taiwan (2002); Jan Norvil Competition (Latvia, 2015, 2016, 2017); International Competition Voci Verdiane (Bussetto, Italy, 2006), Glinka International Vocal Contest (Moscow, 2014), Sviridov International Chamber Singing Competition (Kursk, Russia 2012, 2015, 2017, 2021). Advocating continuous promotion of young artists in classical music, she is the Artistic Director of the 1st International Competition for Young Musicians dedicated to the 100th anniversary of postgraduate and assistant traineeship programs of Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory (2023).
Elena Saveleva's recording credits include multiple live and studio performances on radio and television. Among hallmark releases are two CDs with Rubinstein-Trio (2002) and a 2CD set with music of Georgy Sviridov (2014). Her latest albums with soprano Lyubov Petrova – “Sergei Rachmaninoff. Romances” and “S. Prokofiev. Chamber-vocal and Piano Works: “Hello!” – were released in 2019–2020. The Rachmaninoff album was recognized with the 1st prize at II International “Pure Sound” Award for the best audio recording of works of Russian academic music in the nomination Chamber-vocal Music (2021).
On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the Moscow Conservatory, she received the Silver Badge of Honors award (2016). Elena is a winner of the City of Moscow Awards in the field of Literature and Arts (2017).
She actively tours in Russia and abroad performing in collaboration with leading soloists of Moscow and St. Petersburg opera theaters, Moscow State Academic Philharmonic Society, the Russian Verdi Society, the National Foundation for Cultural Development and Intellectual Property Protection ('New Peredvizhnichestvo'), the International Charity Foundation "New Names" and the Charitable Foundation of Support for the Music Art "Elena Obraztsova Foundation". Elena is a Member of the European Piano Teachers Association (EPTA Russia) and the International Federation of Musicians.
Elena authored and designed educational music projects "There, beyond the Milky Hills …" All chamber-vocal works of Georgy Sviridov," "In Memory of Outstanding Singers" (Galina Vishnevskaya, Irina Arkhipova, Elena Obraztsova), “Moscow of the Opera” (2020–2021) – of which she is the Artistic Director and a permanent participant. Elena is the founding creator and author of unique artistic initiatives celebrating the 150th anniversary of Sergei Rachmanonoff’s birth. “Operas by S.V.” is among her latest projects that take place in the Museum-manor S.V. Rachmaninoff in Ivanovka, Russia (2023).
Maria Romanova, conductor of orchestra
Moscow-Genoa
Citizenship: Russia-Italy
Qualification:
- in music theory at the Gnesin State College of Music (2000)
2000 - 2006: Moscow State Tchaikovskiy Conservatory, Master Degree in composition, teachers:
professor Tchaikovskiy Alexander Vladimirovich (composition), Voronzov Yuriy Vasilievich
(composition), Buzkо Yuriy Markovich (Instrumentation), professor Shtegman Igor Pavlovich
(orchestra conducting).
2010-2012: Classical Music Institute of Claudio Abbado (Scuola Civica), orchestra conducting,
teacher: professor Renato Rivolta.
2016 – 2018: Moscow State Institute of Culture, Master Degree in orchestra conducting, teacher:
professor Tkachenko Yuriy Mihailovich, specialization in plectrum orchestra (honors degree).
2018-2020 Moscow State Institute of Culture, Master Degree in orchestra conducting, teacher:
professor Tkachenko Yuriy Mihailovich, specialization in symphony orchestra and lyric opera
conducting (honors degree)
Thesis:
”The development of the performing arts of the orchestra conducting at the University"
"The improving of the performing skills of the students of the lyric opera and the symphony
orchestra conducting".
Articles at the shientific journals:
"Humanity space"
"The world of science, culture and education"
”Aeterna”
The Memberships:
She is actually the member of the Russian Union of the musicians, the Center of the Contemporary
Music in Milan (Centro di musica contemporanea di Milano). She was the guest jury member of
many international music competitions in Italy, such as: ”Città di Fasano”, “Città di Crispiano”,
“Città di Ostuni”, “M. Ravel composers contest ”. She was the member of the jury of the
international competition of R. Glier in Moscow. From 2021 she is the member of the Uninion of
the composers of the Russian Federation. From 2021 she is the member of Artistic Council of the
"International Youth Philharmonic of the Future" (Moscow, Russia)
Awards: She was awarded by the University of the Free Time of Fasano (Italy) "with the deep
gratitude and friendship."
Collaborations with the orchestras as a conductor:
- Orchestra of G. Verdi (Milan, Italy), 2010-2012
- “Streicher ensemble” from the orchestra "Berliner Symphoniker" (Berlin, Germany)
- 2013 - orchestra “I pomeriggi musicali” (Milan, Italy), 2011-2012
- Philharmonic Orchestra of City of Piacenza (Italy), 2010
- “Study of New Music” (Moscow, Russia), 2006
- Orchestra of the Conservatory of G. Verdi (Turin, Italy), 2007-2009
- Orchestra of Conservatory of N. Paganini (Genoa, Italy), 2016
- lyric opera choir “Cycnus opera festival”, Genova, Italy, 2010-2011
- lyric opera and symphohy orchestra studio of the Moscow Institute of the Culture, 2019.
- “Edles ensemble”, baroque music (Moscow, Russia), 2015-2023
- Chamber string orchestra (artistic director - O. G. Svistunov (Moscow, 2021)
- From 2021 conductor of the "International Youth Philharmonic of the Future" (Moscow, Russia)
- conducted an orchestra of 20 oboes and an orchestra of double basses (2022)
- chief conductor of the opera "Norma" by Bellini at the "Opera Bellissima" theater, Moscow,
(2023)
Collaboration with music agencies:
2019-2021: Vida Art management (Switzerland)
Conducting competitions:
Winner of the R. Glier international competition, Moscow, 2018, I prize
Winner of the international "Caspi Art" competition, Turkey, 2018, II prize.
International “Avis” competition, I prize, Moscow, Russia, 2021.
Masterclasses:
2010 - choral conducting masterclass with Maestro Alexandro Caesar Carillo (Caracas,
Venezuela).
2007-2013: She studied the symphonic, opera and choral conducting at the Conservatory of
G. Verdi of Turin, Conservatory of G. Verdi of Milan, the Institute of Classical Music of
C. Abbado, European Conducting Academy of Berlin with R. Gessi and L. Shambadal.
2018 - Masterclass with Vasily Petrenko, Moscow
2018 - Masterclass with Simone Fermani, Moscow
2019 - “Cumbre mundial de directores de orchestra” with maestro Fransisco Navarro Lara, Huelva,
Spain, 2019.
From May 1 to May 8, 2021 she held the 1st Russian masterclass of lyric opera and symphony
orchestra conducting for women in Shepsi (Sochi, Russia)
Scholarships:
She won the scholarship from the Ministry of the Culture of Rome for studying the composition in
Genoa (2004).
Composition competitions:
She is winner of national and international competitions such as:
- “The Art's Forum” (former USSR),
- ”The World of Pushkin”,
- "The International meetings of young musicians in Moscow",
- "Orpheus. The mystery of the 21st Century ”,
- international competition of the composers for organ (the international organ festival of
M. Tariverdiev),
- international competiton "The choral laboratory of the XXI Century” (St. Petersburg, 2012),
- international competition "Donne in musica”, (Serbia, 2015),
- international competition "Tactus forum" for young composers (Brussels / Mons, Belgium, 2015),
- finalist of ”Keuris Composers Contest ” (2016, the Netherlands),
“World Music Competition” (Perrenoud foundation), semifinalist, Vienna (Austria)
– la Vilavella, Castellon (Spain), 2019,
- special prize of the international competition for composers and arrangers of I. Dunayevsky
"Challenge of Time" for the creation of the collective opera "Journalist" (Moscow, 2021).
CD's:
- In the collaboration with Center of the Contemporary Music of Milan as the project "Archives of
music of the XXI century" the CD's was realised with the pieces "Bela" for orchestra and
"The dream inspired by the flight of the bumblebee the second before awakening up” for violin and
piano inspired by painting of S. Dali (2013/2015).
- In collaboration with the Arsonic (Mons, Belgium) the CD was realised with the composition
"The Seasons. The Symphony of the singing Trees" (Les sons d'Arsonic 2015-2016).
music publishers:
- cooperation with the publishing house ”Musician Classic”, 2016
- book about the composer: ”The Young Russian Composers”, 2010
outstanding premieres:
Her orchestral work "Bela" was performed by united orchestras of Bolshoi and Maly
theaters in Moscow (2013).
Adam Diesner, conductor of orchestra
Adam Diesner ¬– composer, conductor.
Born on 2nd September 1991 in Puck. Started his musical education in 2004, under the guidance of the composer Zbigniew Pniewski.
A graduate of the Music Academy in Gdańsk, specialization: Composition in the class of prof. Andrzej Dziadek, Choir conducting in the class of prof. Sławomir Bronk and Church Music. Since 2016, a board member of the Youth Circle of the Polish Composers' Union. Scholarship holder of the Polish Minister of Culture and National Heritage (2017/2018 and 2018/2019).
Laureate of several composition competitions, including:
- GRAND PRIZE in Franz Schubert International Music Competition (2023);
- 3rd prize in World Music Championship 2022 (Vienna 2023);
- 2nd prize in World Music Championship 2022 (Vienna 2023);
- 3rd prize in the 5th World Championship in Composition (Vienna 2022);
- 3rd prize in the 5th European Composer Competition (Vienna 2022);
- 3rd prize in the 3rd International Composition Competition NEW VISION (New York 2020);
- 2nd prize in the Composers' Competition Stanisław Moniuszko (Gdańsk 2018);
- Laureate of the 8th Composers' Competition Zygmunt Mycielski (Warsaw 2017);
- 3rd prize in the 5th Competition for Composers Feliks Nowowiejski (Olsztyn 2015);
- Finalist of the 57th Tadeusz Baird Competition for Young Composers (Warsaw 2016);
- 1st prize in the Composers' Competition Henryk Hubertus Jabłoński (Gdańsk 2015);
A. Diesner's compositions were performed, among others, by at the Warsaw Autumn International Festival of Contemporary Music, at the Polish Baltic Philharmonic in Gdańsk, at the Polish Theater in Warsaw, at Piwnica pod Baranami in Cracow, at Radio Gdańsk Concert Studio, at the New Waves Festival of Contemporary Music in Gdańsk, at the International Festival of Choral Music in Rumia, Music Everywhere National Festival of Contemporary Choral Music in Gdańsk.
Youngzun Kim, violin and viola
Artistic Director / Young Zun Kim
Violinist and Conductor YoungZun Kim studied Seoul National University, Vienna Music Hochschule (Prof. F. Samohyl) with honor.
Later, he studied conducting at Russian Gnesin’s Academy with Prof. V. Zinovev.
His professional career has started by winning the first prize at the Dong-A Music Competition, the greatest Music Competition in Korea.
His energetic artistic activity both as a soloist and as a leader of chamber orchestra has been acknowledged by numerous awards such as "Nanpa Award"(1987), "Musician of the year Award"(1990), "Musician of the Month" , "Korean Musicians Prize"(1991), "New Renaissance Award" at the 17th World Peace Youth Culture Festival in Osaka, Japan from Italian ISG (1997).
He was awarded "The Greatest Music Award of Korea"(2007) and “Korea Economic Culture Preis”(2020) for his contribution to korean Music and Society by giving numerous Chamber Music Concerts.
He published many recordings, such as "Apres un Reve", Beethoven Sonatas "Spring & Kreuzer", "Violin in Sweet Dream", Wieniawsky - Violin Concerto No.2.
Tchaikovsky&Mendelssohn concertos.
He has appeared as a soloist with Frankfurt Chamber Orchestra, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra, Donetsk Philharmonic Orchestra, Kiev Chamber Orchestra, Kiev Philharmonic Orchestra, Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, etc. He has given various concerts all over the world, including Hungary, Ukraina, Japan, France, Philippine, Uzbekistan, Bulgaria, Russia, and were criticized positively by greatest admirations. He receives many invitations for various international Music Festivals and periodic concerts with orchestras as a soloist and conductor, and presently he establishes his firm status as the first class musician.
After serving as a Concertmaster at the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra for 15 years, Now he is Soloist and Director of Seoul Sinfonietta and Emeritus professor, Dept. of music college of arts & Physical Education in University of Seoul.
An Vedi, violin and viola
An Vedi is a Professional composer, violinist, singer-songwriter, conductor, guitar and keyboard player, music educator and conductor
Soloist at the Philharmonic
Voting Member at the Recording Academy (Grammys®)
Member at the International Conductors Guild
Grammy U® Mentor
Jury Member at the World Online Music Competitions Federation
Jury Member at the Fanny Mendelssohn International Online Competition
Member of The Boston New Music Initiative
Jury Member at the Charleston International Music Competition
Member of Sisters in Music
Member of International Society of Jazz Arrangers & Composers
Member of Moscow Musical Society
Member of the International Singer-Songwriters Association
Member of The Indie Collaborative
Registered Member of The Musical Explorers Program 2020-2021, 2021-2022, 2022-2023 (Carnegie Hall)
Registered Member of the Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI)
Member of the National Union of Composers
Member of the International Association for Music and Medicine
Member of LIT Awards Panel of Judges
Jury Member of the International Young Solousts Competition
Jury Member at the Western Canadian Music Awards
Jury Member at the Red Carpet Music Awards (Holland)
Sungsic Yang, violin and viola
Sungsic Yang - violin
The first grand prize winner of the 1988 Carl Flesch International Violin Competition in London, Sungsic Yang has established himself as one of the leading violinists of his generation.
Mr. Yang’s international career includes performances with: the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under Sir Yehudi Menuhin, the Scottish National Symphony, the London Mozart Players, the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ireland, the Leningrad Chamber Orchestra, the Warsaw Chamber Orchestra, the Gavleborgs Symphony Orchestra in Sweden, the Stavanger Philharmonic in Norway, the Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra under Lawrence Foster, the Orchestra Symphonique Français under Laurent Petitgirard, the London BBC Symphony Orchestra under Andrew Davis, and the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra under Dmitri Kitayenko, with whom a live recording of the Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky concertos have subsequently been released under the label CBS Korea. Following the success of this first collaboration, he was invited back to perform and record the Brahms and Sibelius violin concertos for Sony Classical Korea in Moscow.
At the request of Lorin Maazel, Sungsic Yang made his Paris concerto debut in 1988 with the Orchestre National de France at the occasion of the conductor’s first subscription concert as the music director of the orchestra. In addition to several studio recordings with the BBC Concert Orchestra and for Radio France, Mr. Yang’s European tour with the Seoul Philharmonic, the Scottish National Youth Orchestra, and the Gulbenkian Philharmony of Portugal has taken him to Barcelona, Frankfurt, Amsterdam (Concertgebow Hall), Rotterdam, Glasgow, Dublin, Budapest and throughout England. His recitals in prestigious Halls such as Salle Gaveau in Paris, Wigmore Hall in London, Merkin Hall in New York were unanimously acclaimed both by the critics and the audiences.
Sungsic Yang was born in Seoul, Korea and started playing the violin at the age of four. While still only eleven he performed in recital and made his concerto debut performing the Mendelssohn concerto with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. Upon his graduation from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, he was awarded a full scholarship to study with Yfrah Neaman at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, England until graduation in 1987.
At the age of seventeen, he was awarded the third prize at the Paganini International Competition, and other international prizes were awarded from the Long-Thibaud, Lipizer, and Indianapolis Competitions. In recent years, he was invited to represent Korea as a member of jury at the prestigious Long-Thibaud violin competition in Paris, the Paganini competition in Genoa, Jeunesse International Music competition in Belgrade as well as Munetsugu competition in Nagoya, Japan. His recording "The streghe", works by Paganini for violin and guitar, is a record setting big success in Korea and is now becoming very popular in abroad as well.
From September 2009, he was appointed Professor of Violin in Daegu Catholic University, and has launched a new string chamber group the "Erato Ensemble" as the Music Director.
In recent years He's been giving concerts and Masterclasses in Switzerland, Italy, USA(Eastman, Indiana, Rutgers, Rowan), Japan, Korea, Russia as well as China and his collegues among others were Professors Zhakar Bron, Shlomo Mintz, David Cerone, Kevork Mardirossian, Takashi Shimizu, Kazuki Sawa and Lenuta Ciulei.
From April 2017 till February 2019 he joined the prestigious Tokyo University of the Arts as visiting professor, and from September 2020 he was appointed as the new Dean of Seoul Central Conservatory in Korea. He’s currently playing on a Guarnerius del Gesu 1732, a generous loan from Nippon Violin of Tokyo.
"The 26-year-old Korean had complete command of his instrument, and produced an unusually tense, pure tone...The host of young virtuoso descending on the concert world has increased by one." - The New York Times
"A sensitive player with a strong vibrant tone" - The Strad
"His wistful, even plaintive tone, produced a perfectly suited Poème" - Indianapolis Star
"We enjoyed his clean, elegant and charming playing" - Le Figaro
"His precise and flexible technique enables him to produce real fireworks... This young violinist has a brilliant future." - Mainzer Allgemeine Zeitung
"Superbe poignancy and controle revealed an impressive range of expression... the audience was left breathless" - The Salisbury Journal
"The brilliant Korean violinist firmly staked a claim on his audience’s attention with commanding intensity with unhurried grandeur and varied tonal character." - The Times
"Yang’s performance ... was immensely assured, pure in tone, flawless in intonation, a delight to the ear." - The Guardian
Ekaterina Pushkarenko, guitar
Ekaterina Pushkarenko, a famous Russian guitar player, the prize-winner of many International Music Contests, was born in 1984. She graduated from Chaikovsky Music College by Music University of Chelyabinsk where she studied at the class of professor and composer V.V. Kozlov; the Gnesins College, where she studied at the class of A.I. Vinizkii; Maimomid State Classical Academy, where she studied at the class of professor E.U. Finkelschtein.
Ekaterina Pushkarenko has taken part in master-classes of world-famous musicians, such as Fabio Zanon, K.Markione, Andreas von Wangelheim, Yoram Zerbib. At present Ekaterina Pushkarenko is giving concerts and master-classes in Russia, Thailand, South Korea and China, takes part in International Guitar Contests and is a member of a jury board at International Music Contest and Festivals.
Since 2004 Ekaterina Pushkarenko has been teaching in the Sviridov Children’s Music School. Some of her students are among prize-winners of Russian and International Music Contests of Guitar Players.
In 2012 Ekaterina Pushkarenko earned a diploma of the contest “The best teacher and performer of Children Music Schools in the year 2012”.
While playing solo, Ekaterina Pushkarenko also takes part in the group “Duet-Impromptu” together with a famous virtuous balalaika-player Andrew Subbotin. The group has been performing for over 8 years and has 6 different concert programs.She also performs in a guitar-duet with her brother Evgenii Pushkarenko, also a prize-winner of many international music contests.
In Ekaterina Pushkarenko concert programs we can see a big variety in epochs and styles - from Baroque to modern music, for example, the compositions in jazz-rock, or concerts for guitar with an orchestra.
At the moment Ekaterina plays on the music instrument by Kim Xi Xong, a guitar master from South Korea.
A solo DVD of Ekaterina Pushkarenko’s performance, which was filmed in Seoul, South Korea, was released in January, 2013.
Ekaterina Pushkarenko often gives solo performances at International Music Classical Guitar Contests, and has often been a member of the jury in such contests as:
2009-2010 - International contest in the name of |. Kuznetsov, Magnitogorsk;
2010 - a tour in South Korea
2011 - a tour around China (Changdu, Shan to, Zan Dao). While
touring China, Ekaterina gave several successful master-classes.
2011 — International Contest “Guitar in Russia”, Chelyabinsk;
2012 - Russian Contest and Festival “Silver Overtone’”, Cheboksary;
2012 - International Guitar Festival, Thailand, Bangkok.
2012 —Concert in South Korea, Seoul, where her DVD was recorded.
Vladimir Mityakov, guitar
In 1991 he graduated from the Nizhniy Novgorod Conservatory named after M.I.Glinka and completed an assistant internship at the Nizhniy Novgorod Conservatory in 2000.
Vladimir’s the winner of international competitions in Krakow (Poland), Tokyo (Japan). He’s also a diploma winner of the Maria Luisa Anido International Competition, and the All-Russian competition of performers on folk instruments (Nizhniy Novgorod).
Since 2006 - associate professor, and since 2014 - professor of the department of folk instruments of the Glinka National Research University.
Vladimir actively tours with solo concerts in Russia and abroad. He has given Philharmonic concerts in more than 30 cities of Russia and also performed on such prestigious stages as the Moscow International House of Music (MMDM), Suntory Hall in Tokyo (Japan) and others. The assets of the musician - five solo CD’s and four CD’s in a duet with guitarist Irina Chernogorova.
Vladimir Mitaykov is known as a brilliant arranger and creator of the new transcriptions for guitar. Recently he completed a major work on arranging piano cycle ‘Pictures of the Exhibition’ for two guitars.
V. Mitaykov is the initiator and the main organizer of international competitions and festivals in Nizhniy Novgorod. He is the art director of the competition-festival ‘Russian and Classical Guitar’. This is a new format of competition in Russia and it is held on the basis of the Nizhniy Novgorod Conservatory named after M.I.Glinka. The main idea of this competition is to develop traditions that came from the Russian seven-string guitar school and transfer them onto the classical guitar.
He also conducts a series of programs called ‘The Russian Guitar’. It contains works of Russian seven-string guitarists adopted for classical guitar by Sergei Rudnev, and also modern guitar music in Russian style.
V. Mitaykov is involved in a truthful pedagogical activity and has his own original method of teaching guitar playing. His best students such as K.Filimonov, S.Nesterov, V.Danilina are the representation of leading concert guitarists in Russia.
Elena Shpakovskaia, flute
Shpakovskaia Elena was born in Saint-Petersburg, Russia where she started her musical education.
She graduated with honors from the Petrozavodsk State Glazunov Conservatory in 2002.
After graduation Elena had been working for a long time in the Admiralty Orchestra of the Leningrad Naval Base conducted by Alexey Karabanov (Honored Artist of Russia) and Valentin Lyashenko (Captain 2nd rank). Many times Elena Shpakovskaia performed solo on the stages of the leading concert halls in Saint-Petersburg, other Russian cities and also in Europe.
Elena is a laureate of various all-Russian and international musical competitions.
Elena Shpakovskaia had been working for several years in string and flute quartet «Petersburg’s Salon».
At the same time she also started her pedagogical career. From 2012 until the present moment Elena has been working as a flute teacher at the Sviridov Children’s School of Arts.
Elena Shpakovskaia’s students constantly participate in concerts, international festivals and competitions. Elena was awarded with multiple diplomas, letters of gratitude from Saint-Petersburg government.
This year her students took part in the eve of the International Festival The Virtuosi of the Flute and Northern Lyre in the Mariinsky Theatre.
Some of the main competitions in which her students gained the best results are the Young Talent (Saint-Petersburg government award), the Grand Prix of the International Competition «Malenkiy Mozart», the Gran Prix of the International Competition «Polifonika», winners of the Stockholm International Music Competition and many others.
Ella Dolzhikova, flute
President of the Y.N. Dolzhikov Charitable Foundation for the Development of Culture
Laureate of international competitions.
Organizer of the International Competition-Festival of young performers on wooden, brass and percussion instruments named after Yu.N.Dolzhikov, creative school "Dolzhikov Academy".
Soloist of the Moscow Symphony Orchestra "Russian Philharmonic"
Teacher of the College of Theatrical and Musical Art named after G.P.Vishnevskaya.
1994 - Graduated from the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory
2000 – Postgraduate studies at the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Technical University, class of Professor Yu.N.Dolzhikov
Over the years of her pedagogical activity, she has conducted master classes and solo concerts both in Russia (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazakhstan Almaty,Astana, Arkhangelsk, Noyabrsk, Stary Oskol, Perm, Khanty-Mansiysk, Voronezh, Nizhny Novgorod, Cheboksary, Izhevsk, Essentuki, Kislovodsk) and abroad (France, USA, Mexico, Bulgaria, Germany, Latvia, South Korea).
Ella Dolzhikova's students are laureates of international competitions, Russian national competitions
Zhaorong Chen, flute
Zhaorong Chen currently serves as Professor of flute at the China Conservatory of Music. He is the first mainland Chinese flutist to receive a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in the USA. After he graduated from the University of Bridgeport, he continued his study and achieved a Master of Music degree from the Yale University. Doctor of Music Arts from University of Washington. He is a Guest Flute Professor at Yunnan Arts University and serves as Secretary General of the China Flute Association.
As a flutiest, Chen has performed in the world's most prestigious concert halls, such as Carnegie Hall in New York, Woolsey Hall and Sprague Memorial Hall at Yale University, Musical Hall at the National Center for the Performing Arts.
While pursuing his dream as a flutist in the USA, Chen studied with Yale University's renowned Ransom Wilson, American flute soloist Robert Stallman, the Hartt School flute professor John Wion, the Juilliard School's flute professor Bradley Garner, the University of Washington's flute professor Donna Shin and Zart Dombourian-Ebay, University of Bridgeport flute professor Barbara Siesel, and others.
Elena Isaeva, flute
Elena Isaeva: flutist, singer, teacher, music psychotherapist. Born in 1982 in Voronezh, Russia. Graduated from the 9th grade of the Voronezh Specialized Music School (class of the teacher Pivovarov A. A.), then graduated from the Moscow Regional Musical College named after S.S. Prokofiev in two specializations (flute class of Sizov A. S., vocal class of Surma L. N.), After graduation she entered the State Musical
Pedagogical Institute named after M. M. Ippolitov-Ivanov (flute class of Professor Korneev A.V.), as well as the Maimonides State Classical Academy (vocal class of Sarkisyan L. A.). After finishing from both
institutes, Elena Isaeva entered the graduate school of the Maimonides State Classical Academy majored in Musicology. Then she studied as a trainee assistant at the Moscow State Conservatory in the class of
Professor Golyshev A.M. In 2023, Elena completed a refresher course in the specialty Musical Psychology with a thesis on Teacher’s Psychological Competence Methods Development in Working with Gifted Children. She also improved her qualification at the Sirius Educational Center for talented children. Elena's additional education can also be considered permanent individual lessons in baroque flute performance
with Prof. Benedek Chalog (Hungary). Elena Isaeva has been working as a flute teacher at the M. M. Ippolitov-Ivanov Music School for 20 years, her students are laureates of the most prestigious music competitions. It was due to the unique Technique of Resonant Flute Playing, which Elena Isaeva developped during her pedagogical practice. Elena herself also conducts an active concert activity, performing solo as a flautist and vocalist at numerous concert venues in Moscow and other Russian
cities. She has repeatedly participated as a jury in International competitions, being also the artistic director of the International Singing Flute Competition.
Nadezhda Sergeeva, harp
The best graduate of the Moscow P.I. Tchaikovsky Conservatory Chords Orchestra Faculty of 2013.
Nadezhda Sergeeva – the modern Russian harpist – had won international renown with her Vatican Radio records and the First Prize at the Forte International Music Competition 2015 in Carnegie Hall in New York. She has been taught by the Russian honored artists Irina Pashinskaya and Yelena Ilyinskaya, heiresses of the great 20th century harpist Vera Dulova.
Nadezhda's repertoire includes masterpieces of more than fifty composers: M.Glinka, P. Tchaikovsky, R.Glier, S. Prokofiev, A. Shaposhnikov, J.S. Bach, G. Handel, D. Scarlatti, C. Dittersdorf, W. Posse, W.A. Mozart, J. Tomas, A. Boieldieu, L. Spohr, J. Dussek, G. Donizetti, J. Krumpholz, N. Paganini, H. Berlioz, C.Ciardi, C. Oberthur, C. Reinecke, A. Zamara, B. Smetana, C. Saint-Saëns, A. Zabel, A. Doppler, G. Fauré, W. Posse, I. Albeniz, E. Granados, G. Mahler, C. Debussy, M. Ravel, B. Hils, A. Bax, M. Tounier, A. Piazzolla, J. M. Damase, G. Rabboni, M.M. Buendia, C. Tedesco, J. André, G. Connesson.
Nadezhda's solo style is remarked by the First Prize, the Golden Medal and the Most Charming Lady Award at the Forte International Music Competition 2015 (New York City, USA), the First Prize at the VI Concorso Internazionale di Esecusione Musicale "Giovani Musiciste 2014 (Trevizo, Italy), Grand-Prix and Special Jury Prize at the Мusic of Europe: Featuring the Paolo Serrao Speсial Award Competition 2013 (Filadelfia, Italy).
Since 2013 Nadezhda is performing in Rome, Vatican Turin, Milan, Latina, Madrid, Toledo, New York. Her constant partners in chamber music Italian flautists Maurizio Bignardelli and Enrico Sartori, and Russian violinists Nadezhda Ostapenko and David Ardukhanyan are performing with Nadezhda all over the world.
The first CD (Sonatas of L. Spohr, N. Rota and J.-M. Damase) was recorded with Italian flautist Enrico Sartori in Turin (Italy, 2014). This duet had been awarded with the Second Prize at the International Copetition Concorso Internazionale "Suoni d'Arpa" 2014 (Monza, Italy).
As well Nadezhda is working with Roman music studio "Discoteca di Stato" and Vatican Radio that had her compositions of M.Glinka, R.Glier, G. Connesson, J. Krumpholz, C.Ciardi, A. Zamara, A. Doppler, G.Fauré, J. M. Damase (several in partnership with Maurizio Bignardelli) recorded.
In 2015, Nadezhda Sergeeva and Nadezhda Ostapenko duet was awarded with the First Prize at the Music of Europe: Featuring the Paolo Serrao Speсial Award Competiton (Filadelfia, Italy).
As well Nadezhda is teaching at the S.I. Taneev Children Music School in Moscow, Moscow State Institute named after A.G. Schnittke, High School of Music "Sirius".
In 2014 she was awarded with the Moscow Government Award for the Best Young Professional for her teaching activity and promoting of young talented musical students abroad. Her students (6-20 years old) were awarded with the first prizes at international competitions in Italy, Sweden, Spain, Czech, USA, Russia.
Aidana Karasheva, harp
Aidana Karasheva is the soloist and leader of the
«Velvia music» ensemble and an artist of the cultural charity funds
«Heavenly Bridge» and «Belcanto».
She is an honorable jury member of the international Moscow young musicians competition «Magical Lyre».
Aidana is an active concert artist with additional educational activity.
She performs in prominent venues such as the Moscow State Philharmonic, the Russian National Museum of Music, Perm Philharmonic, Samara Philharmonic and Almaty Philharmonic.
Aidana was born in Almaty into a musical family.
She is a graduate of the secondary special music school for gifted children of the Republic of Kazakhstan named after A. Dzubanov.
She graduated with distinction Moscow State P.I Tchaikovsky Conservatory (class of prof. I.P. Pashinskaya).
She is a laureate of international competitions and a member of the Russian Harp Society.
Aidana teaches harp in the Music School of Fine Arts in Moscow.
In 2013, she participated in the International Music Festival in Telavi, Georgia.
In 2014, she performed as soloist in South Korea together with the Kazakh National Conservatory Orchestra.
In 2023, Aidana got an invitation to perform the solo part in Requiem by K. Jenkins with the National Symphony Orchestra of India. The performance took place at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Mumbai.
She has shared the stage with notable artists such as E. Virsaladze, N. Gutman, M. Bisengaliev and singer Valeria etc.
Aidana is a delicate and lyrical performer. The outstanding features of her performance are individuality and a rich sound palette. She is both flexible, sensitive and has brilliant technique.
Sergei Osokin, accordion, bayan
Sergey Osokin – extraordinar Russian accordion player and the winner of all major International
competitions, such as Dubna (Russia), in Moscow (Russia), in Tula (Russia) as well as Klingental (Germany), the “Cup of the North” (Russia, Cherepovets), “Big award of Don” (Russia, Rostov-on-Don), “Spring voices” in a variety category (Russia, Moscow), in Surgut (Russia), the X International competition in Arrasate-Mondragon (Spain), the International competition in Castelfidardo (Italy and a special prize from “Excelsior”), Grand-Prix at the 5th International competition “Cup of the North” in Cherepovets, Grand-Prix at the International competition “Shabyt” in Astana (Kazakhstan), The International competition “Trophee
Mondial” (Bourboule, France), The international competition “Moro D’ Oro” (Italy, categories: Jazz, variety, classic), Golden prize at the festival “April Spring” (North Korea, Pyongyang)
Sergey is participating at international festivals in Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Austria, Spain, Slovakia, Serbia, Lithuania, Latvia, Kazakhstan, China, North Korea, the United States, France, Italy, regularly tooks part in the music festivals “Bayan and Bayanists”.
Sergey became the soloist of the Moscow Philharmonic society in 2006. He is currently an active concert artist, frequently serves as an adjudicator at international competitions. Since 2006 he has been a
teacher at the Schnittke’s Moscow State Institute of Music.
Mr. Osokin was born in Kolomna, Russia. He started playing the accordion at the age of six and began to study music with O. A. Makarova in Kolomna. Since 1995 he continued his education in Moscow with professor Andrey Ledenev. After finishing the musical school in 1997 he entered the Schnittke’s State Music College in Moscow where he was taught by professor Andrey Ledenev. Since 1997 until 2001 Sergey was a student of Schnittke’s State Music College in Moscow. He was trained by Proffessor Yuri Shishkin at the “New Names” master class in Suzdal, Russia. After completing his studies in Schnittke’s State Music
College in Moscow, Sergey continued his education at the Schnittke’s State Music Institute in Moscow with professor Andrey Ledenev. Later he was a student of Schnittke’s State Music Institute in Moscow. After
finishing the Institute in 2004 Sergey entered the Gnessin Academy of Music in Moscow in the class of distinguished Russian concert artist and
professor, Friedrich Lips.
Mikhail Totskii, accordion, bayan
Mikhail Totskii (button accordion, accordion, accordina) - soloist of the Karelian State Philharmonic, conductor of the Russian Folk Instruments Orchestra Onego of the Karelian State Philharmonic. Honoured Artist of the Republic of Karelia, laureate of international contests and all-Russian festivals, laureate of the State Prize of the Republic of Karelia (2006), laureate of the Prize of the Head of the Republic of Karelia (2011). In 2008 he won the European prize Eisernen Eversteiner of the international festival FOLKHERBST (for achievements in the genre of world music) as a member of the Exprompt quartet of Russian folk instruments.
He was Born in 1972 in Severodvinsk in the Arkhangelsk region, graduated from Glazunov Petrozavodsk State Conservatoire (class of accordion of Kalaberda, conducting class of Mironov). In 1993 he joined the Russian Folk Instruments Orchestra Onego of the Karelian State Philharmonic. Since 1997 he has been a soloist and head of the orchestra of the National Song and Dance Ensemble Kantele. In 2011 he became the second conductor of the Orchestra of Russian Folk Instruments Onego. He is the head of the tango ensemble Companeros.
Mikhail tours with solo and chamber programmes, collaborates with many philharmonics and orchestras in Russia and abroad: he has performed at venues such as the Moscow International House of Music, the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, the Small Hall of the St Petersburg Philharmonic, the Berlin Philharmonic Hall, the Metropolia Hall in Helsinki as well as concert halls in Germany, France, the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland and Italy.
His programmes Music of the Blazing Heart, One-man Band and Tango Formula have been performed with Russian orchestras in numerous Russian philharmonics (Petrozavodsk, Vologda, Cherepovets, Velikii Novgorod, Kostroma, Ivanovo, Volgograd, Tolyatti, Ulyanovsk, Astrakhan, Sochi, Krasnodar, Khabarovsk, Krasnoyarsk, Archangelsk, St Petersburg and Moscow).
Mikhail Totskii cooperates with many famous performers-instrumentalists and singers (in particular he played with guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and Blackmore`s Night on their tour around Germany in 2006).
Mikhail is the composer of arrangements for the orchestra of Russian folk instruments and various instrumental ensembles and the creator of musical programmes and season tickets for children and young people (the cycles Tales with the Onego Orchestra, Music of Beloved Books). He is an organiser of a number of musical projects in the Republic of Karelia and beyond its borders.
Alexey Alexeev, accordion, bayan
Alexey Alekseev is a graduate of Moscow Alfred State Institute of Music Schnittke 2016 in the class of Professor Honored Worker of Culture of the Russian Federation Andrey Ledenev. In 2021 year graduated from the Moscow Assistant internship Alfred State Institute of Music Schnittke in the class of the world-famous accordionist, associate professor Sergei Osokin.
Laureate of All-Russian and international competitions, soloist of the song and dance ensemble of the VKS Of Russia. Fellow of the Governor of the Ivanovo region. Participant of International festivals.
He has toured Russia, Germany, France, Turkey and China.
Since 2018, he has been working at the Alfred Schnittke Moscow State Institute of Music at the Department of Folk Performing Arts.
He is active in concert activities.
He has performed as a soloist and concertmaster in such halls as: the Small Hall of the Moscow The State Conservatory named after Petra Tchaikovsky; The Great Hall of the Conservatory named after Pyotr Tchaikovsky; Bolshoy Svetlanovsky,
Theater and Chamber halls of Moscow International House of Music; Ivanovskaya and Rostov Philharmonic Society; Cité de la musique in Paris; Harbin Grand Theatre, China.
Among the achievements are such contests and festivals as:
1) All-Russian competition "Gems of Russia" - 1st prize (Ivanovo, 2009, 2010);
2) International Olympiad of Arts - 1st Prize(Moscow),
3) 69th International Competition "Coupe Mondiale"
(World Cup) - DIPLOMA HOLDER (Rostov-on-Don, 2016);
4) International Classical Music Forum - 1st Prize (Moscow, 2016);
5) VIII INTERNATIONAL MUSIC COMPETITION - 1st Prize (Belgrade, Serbia. 2017);
6) III International Competition "GRAND MUSIC ART" - Zya Award (Moscow, 2017);
7) II Russian-Chinese Festival of Culture and Art (Harbin, China, 2018);
8) XVI Moscow International Festival "Harmonica - the Soul of Russia" - laureate (Moscow, 2018);
9) III International Competition of Bayanists and accordionists "Assorgemiyim" - 1st prize in the ensemble category (Rechitsa, Belarus, 2019);
10) International talent contest "Wiener Träume" - 1st award in the solo and ensemble category, (Vienna, Austria, 2020)
Denis Penyugin, balalaika
Teacher of balalaika and ensemble of St. Petersburg Musical Lyceum and N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov St. Petersburg Musical College. Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Music, Theater and Choreography, A. I. Herzen Russian State Pedagogical University. Teacher at the Yuri Bashmet Educational Center.
Graduates work in the ensembles "Esse Quintet", "Quintet of Four"; in the V. V. Andreev orchestra, the Academic Song and Dance Ensemble of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation, the Metelitsa Orchestra, the Terema Orchestra of National Instruments; at the St. Petersburg State Institute of Culture.
Guest artist of the Mariinsky Theater Orchestra. Actor of the theater "Russian entreprise them. Andrei Mironov" and the theater company "Open Space".
Laureate of international competitions.
Laureate of the Prize of the Government of St. Petersburg "Pedagogical Hopes" (2008, 2009).
Awarded with the badge "For the humanization of the school of St. Petersburg" (2014).
Artistic director of the festival of baroque music "Bird Call"
Vicente Moronta, oboe
Vicente Moronta (1985), born in Venezuela, is a performer and researcher with a long career and international projection. He studied oboe with Ricardo Riveiro (Caracas), Diethelm Jonas (Lübeck) and Emanuel Abbühl (Basel); Musicology at the Universidad Central de Venezuela and
specialized in Contemporary Music at the Musik Akademie Basel, Switzerland and at the Internationale Ensemble Modern Akademie (IEMA) in Frankfurt, Germany.
For more than twelve years he was a member of the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, with which he performed in the main concert halls of Asia, South America, North America and Europe. He has participated in several prestigious international festivals (such as the Salzburg Festival, the Lucerne Festival, the Beethovenfest in Bonn, BBC Proms, the Edinburgh Festival, among others). He has recorded for Deutsche Grammophon, Radio National de France, Swiss Radio and Television (SRF), Westdeutschen Rundfunks (WDR), Südwestrundfunk (SWR), Institut de recherche et coordination acoustique/musique (IRCAM) and Art Music.
He has had the opportunity to collaborate with conductors Claudio Abbado, Simon Rattle, Heinz Holliger, Krzysztof Penderecki, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Gustavo Dudamel, Bruno Mantovani, Rafael Payare, among others.
Several composers such as Stefano Gervasoni, Michel Roth, Hinako Takagi, Pedro García-Velasquez, Joan Magrané-Figuera, Alex Nante, Juan Francisco Sans, Adrián Suárez, Ángel Hernández-Lovera, Tobias Krebs, Anna Sowa, Gitbi Kwon, Isandro Ojeda-García, Luis Ernesto Torres, David Hernández-Ramos, Norman Gómez-Ballester, Rodrigo Lima, Carlos Arce, among others, have written and dedicated pieces to Vicente Moronta.
He has been soloist and ensemble musician in contemporary music festivals such as ManiFeste (Paris), Milano Musica, Lucerne Festival, Wittener Tage für Neue Kammermusik (Witten, Germany), Impuls (Graz),
Ensems (Valencia), Klangspuren (Innsbruck), Centro de Experimentación y Producción de Música Contemporánea-CEPROMUSIC (Mexico City), Círculo Colombiano de Música Contemporánea-CCMC (Bogotá), Daegu International Contemporary Music Festival (South Korea), Time of Music (Vitaasaari,
Finland), Labo de musique contemporaine de Montreal (Canada), Sonemus (Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina), Alte Schmiede (Wien), Unehörte Musik (Berlin), Gaudeamus Muziekweek (Utrecht), Zeit Räume (Basel), FºLab (Frankfurt), Klangzeit_Begegnung (Münster) and Attacca Festival (Basel).
He has collaborated with the Oper Frankfurt, the Ensemble Modern, the Ensemble Recherche, the Hamburger Camerata, the Ensemble Phoenix, the Ensemble Proton, the Ensemble Tempux Konnex, the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de México, the Orquesta Filarmónica de Jalisco, among many
other ensembles.
Vicente Moronta is also a member of the Organizing Committee of "El Oboe y sus Laberintos" in Venezuela, a pedagogical, artistic and social project that supports young talents in his native country and brings music to the diverse audiences of the main Venezuelan cities.
Yi-Ping YANG, percussion instruments
Yi-Ping Yang improved her skills in such institutes as Conservatoire National de Region of Boulogne-Billancourt in Paris (Premier Prix l’unanimité ), CNSDML - Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et
Danse de Lyon (DNESM with mention très bien) and Troisième Cycle (Certificat de Perfectionnement), HEM - le Haute Ecole de Musique de Geneva (PostGrade with félicitation de jury) and Hochschule fur Musik und theatre Munchen.
She has acquired orchestral experience firstly with the UBS Verbier Festival Orchestra, then with the Auditorium Orchestre National de Lyon and Lyon Opera House where she has played regularly since 2000.
Solo timpanist in Orchestre de Pays de Savoie and Orchestre Symphonique Confluence, she also has taken part in numerous premieres with the Ensemble Orchestral Contemporain since 2001 and
be a soloist in collaboration with Grame (Centre National de Creation Musicale) since 2004.
Yi-Ping gives regular recital in France as well as abroad: Bulgaria, China, Canada, Columbia, Croatie, Germany, Greece, Holland, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and USA.
She participates also in the theatre creations as a composer/musician/actor with La Compagnie des Lumas, Theatre des Ateliers, Compagnie Lea, Compagnie Monika Neun, Compagnie Athra, Compagnie Là Hors De and Centre Dramatiqhe National Montluçon.
The winner of many international competitions: Scholarship of Yamaha Music Foundation of Europe, Finalist at ARD International Music Competition Munich; Third Prize at the International Clermont-Ferrand
Vibraphone Competition; Third Prize at Geneva International Music Competition; First Prize, Audience Prize and the Prize of the best Interpretation of Luxembourg’s Composer with Trio YARN at International
Percussion Competition (IPCL) in Luxembourg; First Prize, Audience Prize and Prize of the best interpretation for creation command at the International Timpani Competition in Lyon; First Prize, Audience Prize and Prize of the young juries at the TROMP International Music Competition in Eindhoven.
Artistic director of “Rendez-vous Internationaux de la Timbale” (RIT-Infinity), she was also the Jury member of PAS Greece, TROMP Percussion Eindhoven, and Nutcracker International Television Contest for Young Musicians.
To promote the percussion in the other cultural field, she was the speaker (executive board) at the World Public Forum Dialogue of Civilization - Rhodes 2012 and the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2020.
Guest professor of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and the lecturer in Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional de Lyon since 2012, her artistic highlights include solo performance in Concertgebouw of
Amsterdam, Kammerphilharmonie of Berlin, Bâtiment des Forces Mortrices and Studio Ernest Ansermet in Geneva, Tonhall of Zurich, Lincoln Center
and Carnegie Hall in New York.
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