JURY MEMBERS OF 2021

To be announced

PIANO

Benjamin Frith (Piano/UK)

“Prodigy of Prodigies” was how British artist Benjamin Frith was described by Dennis Matthews when, aged just 14, he won the British national Concerto Competition. Since then, he has been a first prizewinner in the Mozart Memorial Competition (London), and was awarded top prize in the Busoni International Piano Competition. Having achieved rave reviews from his American and Edinburgh Festival debuts, Frith Established himself as an international concert artist. He has appeared with many of the world’s finest orchestras including the Berlin Symphony, Israel Philharmonic, City of Birmingham Symphony, Polish National Radio, and the BBC Philharmonic. He has worked with many leading conductors such as Zubin Mehta, Antoni Wit, Vasary, Skrowaczewski, Bamert, Atzman and Barry Wordsworth. His exciting and diverse repertoire ranges from Bach to Tippett and includes over 50 concertos. He has recorded all the John Field Piano Concertos and during 2002 numbers 5 & 6 reached the top of the Classical charts and since then has recorded all Field’s Nocturnes for solo piano. His disc of Schumann’s Davidsbundlertänze was chosen as the top recommendation on the Radio 3 “Building a Library” programme. Five of his discs are represented in the Gramophone – Best CD Guide and in response to his recording of the Diabelli Variations, Gramophone critic Richard Osborne wrote “ he possesses a formidable talent both musically and technically. Indeed, I would go as far as to suggest that there has not been a finer Diabelli on record by a young pianist since the classic recording by the twenty-eight-year-old Stephen Kovacevich in 1968”. A recent recording of a selection of Scarlatti Sonatas was described in the BBC Music Magazine as follows “Benjamin Frith is an inspired choice for the fifth disc of the Naxos cycle, a compelling advocate of the piano he transports the music to the new medium, capitalising on the piano’s ability to pick out a strand, shape dynamics and bathe textures in subtle pedalling, without ever misrepresenting Scarlatti – a disc to convert the most die-hard authenticist”. His enjoyment of chamber music has led to many collaborations with artists such as The Lindsays, Peter Hill, The Sorrell and Vertava Quartets. He has also recently formed a piano quartet which is known by his name The Frith Piano Quartet the other players being Robert Heard, Louise Williams and Richard Jenkinson. He has been a lifetime pupil of the legendary Dame Fanny Waterman of Leeds.​

Lance Coburn (Piano/NewZealand)

​Since winning 1st prize at the Tomassoni International Piano Competition, Cologne in 2001, Lance Coburn has performed in Austria, Germany, Italy, Greece, Israel, Russia, United States, Ireland, South Africa, Australia and Korea as both concerto soloist and recitalist. Blessed with a dazzling technique, innate musicianship, and a charismatic performance flair, Lance also broadcasts frequently for radio Deutsche Welle, BBC Radio 3, RTE Lyric FM (Ireland) and ABC FM (Australia). In the Bonn International Beethoven Festival, critics described his 5-sonata recital as – “refreshing….uncompromising….unacademic….” In the Accademia Filharmonica Concert Series – Verona, Italy – the critics said - “Coburn’s piano playing is characterised by an undoubted technical mastery…[which]…allowed us to experience precious moments of tonal exploration”. With the WDR – Cologne Orchestra, one critic described Lance’s performance of Beethoven’s “Emperor” concerto thus: “Coburn approached the grandiose work….with the vigour of a classically-inspired artist”. He has performed as a concerto soloist with many international orchestras including the RTE National Symphony Orchestra, Central Florida Symphony Orchestra, Israel Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Hibernian Orchestras, Brisbane Symphony Orchestra and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Beginning his studies in his homeland of New Zealand, Lance furthered them in Australia, the Tchaikovsky Conservatoire – Moscow and finally with John O’Conor at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. During his studies, Lance was the recipient of many first prizes, including the Hephizibah Menuhin Scholarship, the inaugural Lev Vlassenko Piano Competition, and the Australian Young Performers’ Award (Keyboard Section), culminating in a performance of Liszt’s 1st Piano Concerto with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, in the Sydney Opera House, which was also broadcast live across Australia on ABC Television. He has given master classes for music festivals in Australia, in the Elder Conservatorium in Adelaide and in the Tyalgum Festival in Queensland. In 2006 he presented a lecture recital in Dublin’s Royal Irish Academy of Music on Carl Vine’s solo piano works, a composer whose works he has a close affinity with. Lance recently recorded an acclaimed CD collection of Esposito Sonatas with violinist Mia Cooper and cellist William Butt and has just finished recording a CD of Carl Vine’s solo piano works in Australia - due for release in 2014. Much in demand as a solo performer, chamber musician and accompanist, he is regularly invited to adjudicate at numerous festivals including the New Park Music Festival. He is also a full-time staff member of the keyboard faculty in the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Ireland.
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Samantha Ward
(Piano/UK)

One of the leading British pianists of her generation, Samantha Ward has performed extensively around the UK, China, Japan, Germany, Italy, France, Greece and Macau, appearing on national television and radio numerous times.  She made her solo London debut at the Wigmore Hall in 2007 and has performed in major venues such as St Martin-in-the-Fields, St John's Smith Square, Manchester's Bridgewater Hall, St David's Hall in Cardiff and Tokyo’s Toppan Hall.  She has won first prize in a number of competitions, starting in 2004 when she won the Making Music Philip and Dorothy Green Award for Young Concert Artists.  She has also won the Beethoven Society of Europe's Intercollegiate Piano Competition, The Hastings Concerto Competition as well as the Sir Philip Ledger Prize for the best Mozart or Beethoven Concerto and the Worshipful Company of Musicians' Maisie Lewis Young Concert Artists Fund Award. In August 2013, Samantha founded PIANO WEEK her international festival and summer school for pianists of all ages and abilities.  At PIANO WEEK 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, Samantha joined forces to close the festival with one of the most distinguished pianists in the world, Stephen Kovacevich, performing works for two pianos by Rachmaninoff and Debussy. In August 2019, she performed alongside internationally acclaimed Australian pianist Leslie Howard, as well as with her husband, fellow pianist and co-director of PIANO WEEK, Maciej Raginia, performing works for two pianos/six hands by Percy Grainger.  2021 sees the return of both Leslie Howard and Stephen Kovacevich to PIANO WEEK, at both the online edition and the summer residency in Weston Rhyn (UK).  The festival is supported by G. Henle Verlag and Schott Music publishers and 2020 marked the start of a media partnership with Pianist magazine.  As of 2017, PIANO WEEK began a collaboration with Steinway&Sons Asia Pacific, followed by Steinway&Sons UK from 2018 onwards.  In 2018 and 2019, the festival was invited to give showcase concerts and master classes at Steinway Hall in Beijing, Tokyo and London. In 2021, Samantha joins the prestigious jury of the Odin International Music Competition, alongside recording and performing recitals with Leslie Howard and Stephen Kovacevich. September/October 2018, Samantha gave a series of seminars for Schott Music publishers on a tour around Asia, which subsequently led on to master classes, workshops and performances in Macau, Malaysia, Indonesia, China and Singapore.  In November 2018, Samantha was invited back to Asia to be a jury member alongside Maciej at the Hong Kong Youth Piano Competition.  Aside from her performing career, Samantha is also a recording artist and author for Schott Music publishers, frequently recording both solo and duet albums for them and currently completing a series of six ‘Relax with’ anthologies for pianists.  2019 saw the release of her album with SOMM recordings, of two of Dora Bright’s works for piano and orchestra with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra under Charles Peebles to great critical acclaim. She has also recently recorded an album of the complete piano works of British composer, Rory Freckleton, which was released on Quartz Music in 2018.  In 2016, Samantha was commissioned to write a piece for Sir Andrew Parmley, for his inauguration as the Lord Mayor of London.  Her debut recital at St John's Smith Square was chosen to be recorded by 'Slow Down London', to be featured in their festival and she was also shortlisted for a 'Woman of the Future' Award in Arts and Culture in association with Shell, resulting in an interview for ‘Stylist’ Magazine. Samantha was awarded a fellowship from the Guildhall School of Music for the year 2007/8, where she studied under the Senior Professor Joan Havill. She previously studied with Leslie Riskowitz and at Chetham's School of Music with Alicja Fiderkiewicz.
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Ada Kuuseoks (Piano/Estonia)

Ada Kuuseoks graduated from the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory with Prof. Viktor Meržanov. Her career as a pianist began when she was still studying in high school and received the first prize at the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic's Youth Piano Competition (1957). She was also awarded first prizes from the USSR competition in Minsk (1960). During recent years, she has received the first prize on two occasions from the International Teacher's Competition in Warsaw (2013, 2016). Ada Kuuseoks has focused a big part of her career on teaching. She has been working at the piano department of the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre since 1966. During 51 years, 86 students have graduated from her piano class. On many occasions, Ada has written concert reviews in local newspapers and magazines. Her first CD was issued in 2001 which included recordings made at the Estonian National Concert Hall during years 1969-1982. She has been awarded the People's Artist of the ESSR in 1978 and an honorary diploma by the Estonian Education Ministry in 1991. 
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Martin Lysholm Jepsen (Piano/Denmark)

​Martin Lysholm Jepsen graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus in 1992 after studies with professor Bengt Johnsson and Docent Aino Gliemann. He continued as an aspirant at the Lithuanian Academy of Music from 1992-1994 in the class of Professor Veronika Vitaite. Martin took part in several masterclasses and private lessons by Lazar Berman, Eugen Indjic and Günter Ludwig. Martin Lysholm Jepsen gave numerous concerts in Denmark and abroad as soloist and accompanist. In 2001 he founded the Gradus Piano School in Aarhus for young piano talents. At Gradus Martin educated some of the most promising Danish pianists - among them Emil Gryesten, Gustav Piekut and Rune Leicht Lund. His students were accepted for further professional studies at the esteemed academies in Berlin, Vienna, Düsseldorf, Helsinki, Vilnius and at the Lake Como Academy. The Gradus students appeared successfully in many concerts as soloists and with orchestras in Denmark and abroad. They won more than 100 top prizes in national and international competitions. Since the summer 2016, Martin Lysholm Jepsen has been appointed as a teacher at the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus, and he is director of the Junior College at the same Academy. Martin gave masterclasses and lectures on the theme "Basic principles for building a strong and healthy piano technique" in several countries, and he is regularly in the jury of competitions in Russia, Poland, Italy, Lithuania, Island and Denmark. Martin Lysholm Jepsen was in the board of EPTA-DK since 2000, and he is the founder and artistic director of the Gradus International Piano Festival in Musikhuset Aarhus, presenting young talents and master pianists annually since 2013.
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Cristina Marton-Argerich (Piano/Romania)

​"Cristina Marton is a magnificent pianist" Martha Argerich.
Born in Romania, pianist Cristina Marton-Argerich has won numerous important prizes at international competitions such as the Arthur Schnabel Competition in Berlin 1994 , Geza Anda Competition in Zürich 1994, Clara Schumann Competition in Düsseldorf 1997, Mozart Competition in Salzburg 1999 and the First "Martha Argerich" International Piano Competition in Buenos Aires 1999, the First Prize in the Murray Dranoff Two Piano Competition in Miami, USA and the First Prize in the Chamber Music Competition in Caltanissetta 1999 with her piano duo partner, Aglaia Bätzner. During the past seasons, Cristina Marton-Argerich was invited to several of the most renowned music centres worldwide such the Berliner Philharmonie, Warsaw National Philharmonic Hall, Auditorio Nacional de Madrid, Opernhaus Zürich, Herkulessaal München, Taipei National Hall, Teatro Colón de Buenos Aires, Mozarteum Salzburg, Atheneum Bucharest, Hong Kong City Hall, BAM Theater New York, Playhouse Theater Edinburgh, Frankfurt Alte Oper. Cristina Marton-Argerich has appeared as soloist with orchestras including Orchestre Della Svizzera-Italiana, Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, Orchester der Oper Zürich, Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Argentina, Würtembergisches Kammerorchester Heilbronn, Orquesta Sinfonica de Galicia, Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg, Polish Chamber Orchestra, Hong Kong Sinfonietta, Museumsorchester Frankfurt conducted by distinguished conductors such as Sandor Vegh, James Judd, Dennis Russel Davies, Jörg Faerber, Christoph Poppen, Alexandre Rabinovich. She performs for many years in a piano duo with Martha Argerich at international festivals in South America, Asia and Europe. The piano duo Martha Argerich & Cristina Marton recorded two live performances at the Progetto Martha Argerich in Lugano (2009 and 2011) for EMI Classics and one performance for Warner Classics (2013). Cristina Marton studied in Berlin with Prof. Georg Sava. She also received lessons from Christian Zacharias, Leon Fleischer, Martha Argerich, Dmitri Baskirov, Stephen Kovacevich, Fou Ts'ong, Andras Schiff, Radu Lupu and Alfred Brendel. Very active as a pedagogue, Cristina Marton-Argerich teaches since 2009 at the Jugendmusikschule Singen. Since 2014 at the Leopold Mozart Center of the University of Augsburg, She gives masterclasses in Romania, Belgium and Argentina. She is invited as a jury member at national and international piano competitions.​
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Wilfrid Humbert
(Piano/France)

​French pianist and conductor born in 1970. After graduating from Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique de Paris in 1988 and price winner of international competitions ( France, Italy, USA). Wilfrid Humbert attented master classes under renowned artists such as Aurele Nicolet ( European Mozart Academy, Warsaw), Alexis Golovin (Mozarteum of Salzburg) and Martha Argerich (Geneva). Mr Humbert has given concerts throughout Europe and in prestigious venues such as the National Concert Hall of Madrid, the Philharmonic Hall in Krakow and Warsaw, Salle Gaveau in Paris, Phiharmonic Hall in Erevan (Armenia), the Lincoln Center, where he conducted from the piano the W.A Mozart concertos No. 12 and 14 and more recently the famous Carnegie Hall in New-York. As a soloist with orchestra he also performed with the Oradea Philharmonic Orchestra (Rumania), the Bern Chamber Orchestra (Switzerland) and the Symphonics Russians Orchestras of Tambov, Minsk, Briansk and Voronej, under conductors such as Erwin Acel, Kaspar Zenhder, Edward Ambarzumian, Sheldon Morgenstern, Hugues Reiner. As a conductor Wilfrid Humbert was also invited by the National Taiwan Symphonic Orchestra to conduct Ravel's Bolero, piano concerto in G, and Tchaikowsky Romeo and Julietta. Recordings includes: (EMA, Classic Alternace, Nso production) F.Schubert : the late Piano Sonatas and complete works for violin and piano (Dan Dery, violin),
F. Liszt : Piano recital, B minor Sonata and late piano works, E. Koff : Piano concerto N.o3 (first world recording), W.A.Mozart : Piano concertos N.o 12 & 14. P.I.Tchaïkowsky : Piano concert n°1 (Voronej symphonic orchestra-Hugues Reiner), J.Brahms : Complete violin and piano sonatas ( Dan Dery violin) L.v.Beethoven: Complete cello and piano sonatas (Bakytgul Humbert-Iskakova Violoncello), Beethoven/Liszt : Symphonies 1&5 (recorded on Op 102 prototype piano by Stephen Paullelo). He created and conducts the New Europe Chamber Orchestra.
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Irene Veneziano (Piano/Italy)

​Irene Veneziano regularly plays all over the world. In 2011 she had her debut at the Alla Scala Theatre in Milan, having great success from public and critics. In Beijing she was appointed an honorary member of Beijing Bravoce Music Club and in Peru she received the honorific title "Visitante distinguida". She was awarded the "G. Sinopoli" Scholarship, receiving the award from the President of the Italian Republic. In 2017 she was awarded the National Prize for culture "Toyp" and she was also chosen for the exhibition "Donne. Mujeres italianas que han cambiado la historia" in Logroño (Rioja, Spain). She was a semifinalist in the prestigious 16th "International Piano Competition F. Chopin" in Warsaw and finalist at the "International German Piano Award" in Frankfurt. She was awarded in more than 30 national and international piano competitions, including Prix Jean Clostre in Genève, Premio "Casella" in Premio Venezia competition, First Prize and Grand Prix at Tim Competition in Paris. She played with important musicians, for example, the flutists A. Griminelli, W. Bennett, D. Formisano, S. Jacot, the violinists F. Dego, D. Pascoletti, the cellists M. Polidori, A. Favalessa; the clarinet players F. Meloni, M. Giani; the trumpet players P. Cobb, A. Giuffredi; the singers S. Pirgu, B. Frittoli, A. Stewart; the guitarist E. Segre; the pianist B. Canino. She worked with many conductors as Yuri Bashmet, O. Balan, R. Seehafer, E. Lahoz, M. Caldi, G. De Lorenzo, S. Pradoroux, J. Bignamini, K. Goodman, P. C. Orizio, V. Elner, S. Kochanovski and others. She published several Cds both as a soloist and in chamber groups, also for the musical magazine Amadeus, Suonare News, Edizioni Curci, for the label Velut Luna. Edizioni Vigormusic published two of her compositions. She is the artistic director of the International Piano Competition "Città di Arona". She is artistic consultant of the music festival in the oncologies "Music donors". She is the testimonial of Celviano Grand Hybrid by Casio. She was artistic director of the Festival "From the lesson to the concert hall" organized in collaboration with Fazioli Pianoforti in Showroom Fazioli in Milano. She held many annual and summer masterclasses and she was called to take part in the jury of many national and international competitions. She is a piano teacher at "G. Puccini" Conservatory in Gallarate and she has also taught in the Conservatories in Ravenna, Avellino and Trapani.
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​Joanna Li
(Piano/China/HK)

​Joanna Li was born into a family of musicians in China. Her parents are both vocal performers. Joanna started to play piano at four and gave her first performance on stage at five. She has won many prizes in piano competitions since her childhood. She studied piano playing in Russia for ten years, under the tutelage of Professor Merzhanov, embodying one of the four piano schools in Moscow Conservatory (namely Merzhanov, Gornostayeva, Voskresensky and Dorensky). Joanna Li was granted the title of “Solo Performer” by the Russian Government, which is only conferred on the most outstanding conservatory graduates in the country. She was awarded the Doctor’s degree in piano performance, with full marks, by one of the most prestigious conservatories in the world - the Moscow Conservatory. Joanna Li was the winner of two international piano competitions, namely the International Piano Competition Celebrating the 250th Anniversary of Mozart’s Birth and the International Slavonic Piano Competition in Russia. Joanna has been invited to perform in international music festivals and to adjudicate in international competitions in Poland, Hungary, Italy, Spain, China, Hong Kong, USA, Russia, Mexico and Argentina. She was also in duet with world-famous violinists such as Tatiana Samouil, Stéphane Tran Ngoc and Igor Yuzefovich. Her performances in the Hong Kong City Hall and Hong Kong Cultural Centre have enthralled the Hong Kong audience. Having initiated “Maestro Performances Hong Kong”, Joanna has brought winners of most important international competitions named after maestri such as Bach, Chopin, Liszt, Mozart, Tchaikovsky and Paganini to perform in Hong Kong. Joanna’s own piano school, namely Joanna Li Piano Arts Centre, commits to the vision of training future musicians. She was awarded the title of Professor in Russia in 2011. She is the author of the book Lectures on Piano Pieces of ABRSM Exams. She also regularly gives master classes and stages concerts with her students. Her students have already won more than 100 national and international prizes in piano competitions since 2008. She has sent students to further studies in Russia, Poland, Hungary, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, the UK and the USA. One of her students, an eight year old, who has been tutored by Dr. Li for only 1.5 years, has recently performed a recital programme of Chopin and Mozart in front of an 800-strong audience in Xiamen, China. Moreover, her solo debut in the Hong Kong City Hall is planned for May 2019, which is rather rare in Hong Kong. 
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​Ekaterina Paniukova
(Piano/Canada)

​Dr. Ekaterina Paniukova is a winner of national and international competitions and was invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York, Parco Della Musica auditorium in Rome, Italy, Philharmonic Hall and Performing Arts Theatre "Dom Aktera" in Voronezh, Russia, Beethoven's House-Museum "Haus der Neunten" in Baden, Austria, along with Rachmaninov's House-Museum "Ivanovka" in Tambov, Russia, Memorial Civic Center and Hemmle Recital Hall in Lubbock, Texas, and Wisial Recital Hall in Levelland, Texas. Ekaterina also has appeared as a soloist and pianist across North America and Europe. Her concerto engagements include Chopin's Piano Concerto Op. 11 and Shostakovich's Piano Concerto Op. 35 with Voronezh Symphony under the baton of Maestro Yiurii S. Androsov, in Voronezh, Russia. Additionally, Dr. Paniukova has performed Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20, K.466 under the baton of Maestro Philip Mann, in TX, USA. As an orchestral pianist, Ekaterina has performed numerous works, including David Lang's Increase, Camille Saint-Saëns' Symphony Op.78 for organ, piano, and orchestra, Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, and Benjamin Britten's The Turn of the Screw. Dr. Paniukova is the founder and director of the Rocky Mountain Music Competition and the CEO of PianoUP.com. Dr. Paniukova holds a DMA in Piano Performance and Graduate Certificate in Piano Pedagogy from Texas Tech University, and degrees in Piano Performance, Pedagogy, and Chamber Music from Voronezh State Academy of Arts, in Voronezh, Russia.

Kimberly Chen Afanasova (Piano/China/Taiwan)

Kimberly’s performance of Brahms was described by The New York Times as “fully polished and warm-blooded,” and the Barletta Post Italy called her “a girl (who) makes the piano speak…” Her repertoire ranges from Bach to Ligeti and includes many contemporary works. Kimberly has gained an enviable reputation as both soloist and recitalist, having won some major international competitions. These include the first prize in the 5th Mauro Paolo Monopoli International piano competition in Italy and the Frederic Chopin International competition in Taiwan. Beginning her musical studies in her native Taiwan, Kimberly was a child prodigy and was later accepted to the Juilliard School in New York under Martin Canin and Ruth Slenczynska. After receiving her Bachelor of Music degree, she decided to move to Russia. She got her Ph.D. from the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory under Alexander Mndoyants and Ekaterina Mechetina. Her studies have been supported by innumerable scholarships and awards, including Juilliard scholarships and the National Education Scholarship of Taiwan. Kimberly performs regularly in the United States, Europe, Russia, Japan, and Taiwan. As a soloist, she has collaborated with orchestras such as the National Symphony Orchestra of Taiwan, Boston Longwood Symphony Orchestra, and Bartella Chamber Orchestra in Italy. In 2016, she joined the piano faculty at the National Taiwan College of Performing Arts and has given masterclasses throughout Taiwan.
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​WINDS

Ginevra Petrucci (Flute/Italy)

​Hailed by the press as "one of the most interesting talents of her generation", Ginevra Petrucci has performed at Carnegie Hall (New York), Kennedy Center (Washington D.C.), Salle Cortot (Paris), Teatro La Fenice (Venice), Villa Medici (Rome), Ohji Hall (Tokyo), as well as throughout China, South America and the Middle East. As a soloist, she has appeared in concert with I Pomeriggi Musicali, I Virtuosi Italiani and the Chamber Orchestra of New York. She has released the first recordings of Edouard Dupuy and Ferdinand Buchner's Concertos. Her chamber music experience has brought her to appear alongside pianists Bruno Canino and Boris Berman, and to a long-standing collaboration with the Kodály Quartet, with whom she has released the highly acclaimed recording of the complete Flute Quintets by Friedrich Kuhlau. Her recording of Robert Muczynski's Sonata has been praised as "oozing with lifeblood and zest … enthralling and rousing". In 2017 she has rediscovered and recorded Wilhelm Kempff's Quartet for flute, strings and piano and toured Italy with its premiere performances. She has been heard on RAI3 Italian National Radio, and her recital with Jory Vinikour at Myra Hess Memorial Concert Series in Chicago has been broadcast on WFMT. Her feature interviews on the conditions of the migrating artist have been published on the Huffington Post and La Voce di New York. In 2018, she promoted the 200th anniversary of flute virtuoso Giulio Briccialdi through the release of the first recording of his four Concertos, where she was described as having "a beautiful phrasing, brilliant virtuosity and a legato worthy of a great singer". In the same occasion, she has founded the Giulio Briccialdi Online Catalogue, the only existing online platform with full downloadable catalogue dedicated to a flutist composer. Her lectures on Briccialdi and the Romantic Virtuoso Flute Concerto have been hosted by Columbia University, Eastman School, Stony Brook University, the Royal Academy in Dublin, the Chopin Academy in Warsaw, the Paderewsky Academy in Poznan, the Liszt Academy in Budapest, and the Hangzhou University in China. Ginevra devotes much of her artistic endeavours to contemporary music. At Yale University she has collaborated with George Crumb, Steve Reich, Betsy Jolas and Kaija Saariaho, performing the American premiere of Terrestre. She commissioned Jean-Michel Damase's last composition, 15 Rubayat d'Omar Khayyam for voice, flute and harp, and she has appeared at the Venice Biennale Contemporary Music Festival with a commissioning project dedicated to Witold Lutosławski. In 2018 she founded the Flauto d'Amore Project, a large-spanning commission endeavour aimed to the creation of a new music repertoire for the modern flauto d'amore. After the premiere concert in New York City in May 2019, over twenty composers have written, or are in the process of writing new works for the instrument. She has curated the edition of over twenty musical editions, including Briccialdi Concertos for Ricordi/Hal Leonard and first editions of works by Mercadante, Jommelli, Morlacchi, Busoni, De Lorenzo and Brescianello for Keiser/ Southern Music Company and other editors. Her book on the history and repertoire of the flute is adopted in several Italian Conservatories as a reference text for the Master's programs. Her scholarly articles appear in the Flutist Quarterly, as well as in the leading flute magazines in Italy and France. She holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts at Stony Brook University, and a Master of Music at Yale University. Her education includes a Master at Santa Cecilia Conservatory in her native Rome under the guidance of her father, and a Diplome Superieur at the École Normale in Paris. She is Principal Flute at Chamber Orchestra of New York.​
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Olivier Anthony Theurillat (Trumpet/Switzerland)

Olivier Anthony Theurillat is a Swiss trumpeter and conductor. His musical life passed by La Chaux-de-Fonds – his native town, Versailles, Paris, New York, Lausanne, Geneva, London, Berlin and Bern. His main trumpet teachers were Roger Delmotte, Antoine Curé and Raymond Mase, whilst Martyn Brabbins was his mentor for conducting. Olivier has been awarded prizes in international solo competitions in Munich and Geneva, among others, he won the Maurice André Competition in Albert and the National Trumpet Competition at George Mason University. An orchestra player, he has toured worldwide, as a member of the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra (Principal Trumpet 1996-2002) and the Bern Symphony Orchestra (Principal Trumpet 2005-2012), and as a guest with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra (on the side of Reinhold Friedrich, under Claudio Abbado), Tonhalle-Orchester Zurich, Zurich Opera, Basel Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre Natonal de France, Orchestre de Paris, Philharmonia Orchestra London, etc. As a soloist, he has appeared in Europe and in the United States, performing more than thirty different solo works with orchestra accompaniment, with orchestras such as the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Suisse Romande Orchestra, Virtuosi di Praga, Orchestre de Picardie, Orchestre Symphonique Français, and many others. Also, an active performer working with composers, Olivier has premiered new pieces written by Jean Balissat, Emile de Ceuninck, Arturo Corrales, Xavier Dayer, Richard Dubugnon, Vivian Fung, Jacques Henry, Horatiu Radulescu and Julien-François Zbinden. He has recorded as a soloist and orchestral player for numerous labels including Claves, Teldec, EuroArts, Deutsche Grammophon, Swiss Radio, Grammont, Cascavelle, Arte Nova, cpo, Dabringhaus & Grimm and Gallo-VDE. His solo album Nocturne has received wide acclaim, in particular for his interpretation of Quiet City and his newly orchestrated version of Enesco’s Legend. Recently, French label Indésens Records took care of Olivier’s early recordings and proposed nothing less than 28 tracks on the usual streaming platforms, with famous works by Honegger, Haydn, Arban, Tomasi, Clarke, Falla, Bitsch, Schnyder, Michel, Castérède, Blacher and Mozart. For thirteen years (2005-2018), Olivier was an active trumpet teacher and educator, and he was Head of Brass, Professor for trumpet and Founder/Conductor of Brass & Rhythm at the Haute Ecole de Musique (HEMU) of Lausanne. He also served for orchestral excerpts training at the Hochschule der Künste in Bern. He was regularly invited for masterclasses in Europe, Brazil and the USA (twice at Juilliard). In 2018, he initiated a new Brass Festival at the Lausanne University, with masterclasses, lectures, historical workshops and concerts. In recent years, Olivier started to play jazz, his first jazz album “1st Set” just came out on Indésens Jazz Records, and new releases for the future are already on the plan.
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Gleb Kanasevich (Clarinet/Belarus)

Gleb Kanasevich (b. 1989) was born in Minsk, Belarus and had been living in the United States since 2001. He has garnered international acclaim as a clarinet soloist, composer, chamber music collaborator, and contemporary music specialist. He has appeared as a soloist with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Belarus National Philharmonic, Ensemble Cantata Profana, soundSCAPE Ensemble, Peabody Symphony Orchestra, and more. His works have been interpreted by Ensemble Intercontemporain, International Contemporary Ensemble, Spoleto Festival Orchestra, The Lydian String Quartet, Orchestre Philarmonique de Radio France, Ensemble Cantata Profana, players of FLUX Quartet, Miranda Cuckson, and many more. He also appeared as a resident artist on stages of Spoleto Festival USA, SICPP Festival at New England Conservatory, soundSCAPE Festival for Contemporary Music (a guest artist faculty in 2013/14/15), Audeamus International Music Festival in Zagreb, MusicArte Panama. He was one of the headlining artists at Dark Music Days in Reykjavik, Iceland in January 2018. He has appeared as a visiting artist at various educational institutions, like the University of Oxford, Frost School at the University of Miami, Rice University, Brandeis University, University of Northern Arizona, University of Alaska Anchorage, Tulane University, and more. Kanasevich holds a PhD in Composition and Music Theory from Brandeis University in Boston, MA. He has also closely worked with Rebecca Saunders and Beat Furrer, and has participated in lessons and masterclasses with Steven Takasugi, Chaya Czernowin, Jason Eckardt, and Rand Steiger. He holds a Masters Degree (2013) in clarinet from the Yale School of Music (studied with David Shifrin), and a Bachelor of Music Degree (2011) in clarinet from the Peabody Conservatory of Music, where he studied under New York Philharmonic's principal clarinetist Anthony McGill. Since 2013, Kanasevich has been a core member of Ensemble Cantata Profana – a group based in New York City and the recipient of the 2016 ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming of Contemporary Music. In 2018, he was promoted to become the ensemble's Associate Artistic Director. The ensemble has since garnered significant critical acclaim from publications like the New York Times, New Yorker, Boston Globe, and has established a strong foundation with its sister project – Heartbeat Opera. He has also joined groups like Nunc Players, Callithumpian Consort, soundscape Faculty Ensemble, Lunar Ensemble, and the Lydian String Quartet for new music residencies, conferences, and festival concerts. Kanasevich is a Rovner ligatures ambassador and a Fratelli Patricola artist.

​STRINGS

Pavel Vernikov (Violin/Ukraine)

Pavel Vernikov, a student of David Oistrach and S. Snitkowsky, gained a reputation as virtuoso violinist more than twenty years ago. Among other prizes he won the International ARD Violin Competition in Munich and the Grand Prix at the International Violin Competition “Vittorio Gui” in Florence. He has appeared at such prestigious venues as the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Carnegie Hall and Kennedy Center in New York, Wigmore Hall in London, La Salle Gaveau in Paris, La Scala in Milan and Santa Cecilia in Rome. For the last 30 years, he has been a member of the Tchaikovsky Trio. His artistic partners have included Sviatoslav Richter, James Galway, Alain Meunier, Patrick Gallois, Maria Tipo, Natalia Gutman, Oleg Kagan, Yuri Bashmet, Elisso Virsaladze, Christian Zimmermann and Anthony Pay. He inaugurated the Russian Academy of Higher Learning in Portogruaro and was the Artistic Director of the Gubbio Music Festival, the Dubrovnik Chamber Music Festival and the Eilat Chamber Music Festival. He teaches and gives master classes around the world, in Italy, France, Finland, Spain (Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofia Madrid), Israel (Rubin Academy), Germany (Kronberg Academy), etc. and has been invited to be a member of the jury at international competitions (Szigeti, Kreisler, Gui, ARD-Competition in Munich, Sendai (Japan), Budapest, Sarasate, Wieniawski, etc.). Pavel Vernikov has recorded for RCA, Ondine and Dynamic. He was Professor at the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique de Lyon. At present, he’s Professor at the famous Konservatorium Wien University and at the Haute Ecole de Musique de Lausanne (Site de Sion). Among his many laureate students are people like Massimo Quarta (1. Prize Paganini International Violin Competition, Genua), Fumiaki Miura (1. Prize Hannover International Violin Competition), Lorenza Borrani (Leader of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe), Fanny Clamagirand (1. Prize Fritz Kreisler International Violin Competition, Vienna and 1. Prize International Monte Carlo Violin Competition) and Miki Kobayashi (2. Prize Wieniawski Competition). In 2013 he was appointed Artistic Director of the Sion Festival in Switzerland. He plays the beautiful Giovanni Battista Guadagnini violin, Milano 1751, owned by the family of Tibor Varga.
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Henrik Brendstrup (Cello/Denmark)

Born in Denmark, the cellist Henrik Brendstrup studied at the Royal Academy in Copenhagen with Erling Bløndal Bengtsson, and later in London with William Pleeth and Ralph Kirshbaum. He is among the few Nordic musicians, who has received both the French music award Diapasson D'or as well as the German Deutsche Schallplattenpreis. In 1987 he made his first tour, and shortly after he became a member of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. He has appeared as a soloist and chamber musician throughout Europe and is a regular guest at international chamber music festivals such as Risør, Stavanger, Oslo and Lockenhaus. His numerous recordings include the complete works for cello and piano by Beethoven, compiled recording of Hindemith's string quartets, solo works for cello by Sofia Gubaidulina, and cello works by Chopin and Lizst which won the French "Diapasson D'or" award. A very active chamber musician, Henrik Brendstrup has been the cellist of several leading ensembles in Denmark, such as The Danish String Quartet, the string sextet "Copenhagen Classic", and the Gefion Trio. Henrik Brendstrup is Professor of Cello at the Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus, and member of The Chamber Orchestra of Europe. He tours with this excellent ensemble throughout the world lead by conductors in the means of Nikolaus Harnocourt and Claudio Abbado. He is a returning guest at weighty international chamber music festivals, as Lockenhaus, Risør and Prussia Cove. He received the Musikanmelderringens Kunstnerpris (music reviewer's artist price) in 1996.
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Alice Neary
​(Cello/UK)

British cellist Alice Neary plays a Gagliano cello of 1720. She won the 1998 Pierre Fournier Award and major prizes in the 2001 Leonard Rose International Cello Competition in the USA and the 1997 Adam International Cello Competition in New Zealand. She won the string section of the 1996 Royal Overseas League Competition and the silver medal in the 1994 Shell/LSO Competition resulting in a performance of the Haydn C major Concerto with the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican. Her appearances include concertos with the English Chamber Orchestra, City of London Sinfonia, the Israel Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony, Orchestra of St Johns, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, European Union Chamber Orchestra and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. She frequently broadcasts on BBC Radio 3 and has given recitals at the Bridgewater Hall, Wigmore Hall, Purcell Room and at the Manchester International Cello Festival. Her wide repertoire includes music by many contemporary composers. In 1995 she was the soloist in a Sony Classical recording of Innocence by John Tavener, and she appeared in The South Bank Show's Tavener documentary. She has been artist-in-residence several times at the Presteigne Festival, performing works by Michael Berkeley, Robin Holloway and John McCabe. In 2005 she participated in the BBC's MacMillan weekend at London's Barbican Centre, as part of the Gould Trio, with whom she has been a cellist since 2002, and gave a live broadcast on BBC Radio 3 as part of a Beethoven weekend in 2005. The Trio has toured the USA and New Zealand, as well as giving many recitals in Europe. Neary is a founder member of the Ovid Ensemble, taking part in the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival in New Mexico.
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Fabio Rizza
(Harp/Italy)

Following his parents footsteps, Fabio Rizza devoted himself to the music since an early age, with studies in
piano and violin. At the age of eleven he met the harp for the first time and some years later he focused his
studies completely on this instrument. Even as a child he also had a strong passion for composition. He attended the “Giuseppe Verdi” Conservatory in Como but it is in the “Arrigo Boito” Conservatory of Parma, under the guidance of M° Emanuela Degli Esposti that he graduated in Harp with full marks. He did numerous performances, both as a soloist and in ensemble, in theaters and concert halls, together with a passionate teaching activity and composer. In December 2017 he was invited to Tokyo by the soprano Masami Okumura, with whom he performed in concert at the Yamaha Hall, in the Ginza district, both as a soloist, performing two pieces of own composition (Tarantella and Akiko), and in ensemble together with the pianist Nagisa Okazaki and a choir of forty elements. In January 2020 he plays in Latvia with the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra under the direction of the director of the national opera of Riga. In the same year he founded the Academy of Music and Art & "Carlos Salzedo" of which he is president.In 2016 he published the scores of the two compositions & "Estrella" and "Luminescence" with Stella Mattutina Editions in Florence, and records the first CD "Luminescenc" with eight unpublished pieces of his composition. In the same year he is among the winners of the Celtic Harp Soloist category of the International Harp Sound Festival in Saluzzo, performing three of his compositions. He also performs as a soloist at the “Celtica” International Festival in Courmayeur, in Valle d’Aosta (Italy), and at the Sala Corelli of the Dante Alighieri Theater in Ravenna. In 2019, again with Stella Mattutina Edizioni, he publishes the music sheets of “Romance” and “Big Ben Song” for Celtic harp and pedal harp. In October 2020, he was called in the Jury of the International Competition “Arpademia” (Italy); in August of the same year he attended the Festival “Bardonecchiarp” as teacher in a masterclass for harpists; in December 2020 he also composed the piece “Reiwa no uta”, with lyrics from the ancient poem Manyoshu, for a concert dedicated to the new coming emperor in Japan and the linked “new age” of the Japanese Calendar: he  should have attend the concert but due to the Covid-19 and the enclosure of countries it was performed by the soprano Masami Okumura and the harpist Naoko Mizuno.
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​Niels Pfeffer (Guitar/Germany)

At the age of five, Niels Pfeffer began to play the classical guitar and was soon being taught by Prof. Johannes Monno at the Music University of Stuttgart. Prof. Carsten Lorenz, with whom he took additional harpsichord lessons, also taught him continuo playing and introduced him to the art of historical performances. In 2017 he finished his harpsichord studies at the Stuttgart University of Music under Prof. Jörg Halubek and his guitar studies with Prof. Johannes Monno. Afterwards he studied in master with Prof. Robert Hill in Freiburg (harpsichord) as well as with Prof. Zoran Dukić in The Hague (guitar) and finished both studies with distinction. Since 2019 he is studying in a specialized master continuo with Prof. Jörg-Andreas Bötticher in the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. With the guitar Niels Pfeffer won numerous prizes at renowned international competitions (1st prize Anna-Amalia competition in Weimar, 2013, 2nd prize guitar competition Nürtingen 2014, five prizes at the Andres-Segovia competition in Velbert, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015, third prize in Kutná Hora 2015, fourth prize in Bratislava 2016, finalist and special prize at Forum Gitarre Wien 2016). Besides his guitar activities Niels Pfeffer is passionate about playing the continuo on the theorbo and especially on the harpsichord. With both instruments he was taking part in various opera performances – including Händel’s Rodrigo (Stuttgart) and Reinhold Keisers' Octavia (Innsbruck). Antonio de Literes’ opera Los Elementos led him to the Kassel state theatre, where he was engaged as a musical assistant for the stage rehearsals. In summer 2018 he was playing continuo in the operá- ballet production Solen och Nordstjärnen in Vadstena, Sweden. As a member of the ensembles La Serenité, Le Tic-Toc-Choc and Bryggan he has been regularly successful in early music competitions: Carl Wendling competition 2014, Händel competition in Karlsruhe 2015 and 2016, competition for Early Music of the Saarländischer Rundfunk 2017 and Premio Selifa in San Ginesio 2018. In 2019 he won the third prize at the International Basso Continuo and Partimento Competition in Katowice, Poland. He took part in masterclasses with Konrad Junghänel, Skip Sempé, Frederic Haas, Beatrice Martin, Christophe Rousset and many more. In the winter term 2017/18, he was teaching as harpsichord accompanist at the University of Music Stuttgart. Since summer term 2018 he is teaching continuo and theorbo at the same University. From 2020 he is working as a teacher for harpsichord and harpsichord accompaniment at the Musikakademie Kassel. Recordings for public television and radio stations led Niels Pfeffer multiple times to Estonia, the Lebanon and Armenia. During his studies in Stuttgart he received a scholarship of Live Music Now. Furthermore, he was granted in 2014 the well-known Deutschlandstipendium scholarship and in 2017 as well as 2018 the Excellence Scholarship of the Royal Conservatory Den Haag.​​
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​VOICE

Kathy Cammett (Soprano/USA)

Kathy Cammett, operates Golden Voice Studio and is Director of Applied Voice and Pedagogy at the Musical Arts Center. She has been a Voice Teacher, Vocologist, and Acting Coach for over 25 years and has worked with hundreds of voices, from rock to musical theatre and opera. Her students have won State and National competitions, been on popular voice shows and record labels, and are accepted into top music and theatre schools in the country, including NYU, Berklee, Indiana, CCM, Boston, Westminster, and more. Current students and alumni are everything from leads in community shows and Broadway tours to leads in international bands. Working mainly online with clients, she centres on singing, performing, and acting as one unified discipline. She filters traditional and current methods from Bel Canto to Speech Level through the lens of modern voice and performance science. She holds a BA (Summa Cum Laude) in Theatre, a BBA, a Masters (With Distinction) in Solo Voice Performance with an emphasis on Vocal Pedagogy, and a Certificate in Vocology via the National Centre of Voice and Speech. She has received additional training in voice habilitation and the use of technology for voice analysis and correction and is the recipient of the Joan Frey Boytim Award via the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS). She is a member of NATS, The Voice Foundation, NYSTA and PAVA. For more information, please visit: www.goldenvoicestudio.com 

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Monika Medek
(Soprano/Austria)

Monika Medek studied singing at the University of Music and Performing Arts in the city of music itself, Vienna. A soprano, Monika continued to follow her passion by attending Vienna’ Music Conservatory. Upon successful graduation, she was admitted to the Conservatory’ Opera School where she studied under Lucia Meschwitz and Michael Pinkerton. She studied with KS Michael Pabst, KS Grace Bumbry, KS Kurt Equiluz and others. Continually working towards her dream of being on stage, Monika developed her acting skills concurrently with her singing; her natural talent was refined during a multi-year education at acting school. Monika Medek most recently sung the part of Agathe in Weber’s „Der Freischütz“ and mastered numberous roles, such as First Lady in Mozart’ "Magic Flute" at various theaters and
also Pamina, again in Magic Flute. Monika has inspired her audience in various countries as the Mother in Humperdinck’s "Hänsel und Gretel", Lady Billows in Britten’ "Albert Herring", Giulietta in Offenbach’ "The Tales of Hoffmann", Cherubino in „Le Nozze di Figaro“, Dorabella in „Cosí fan tutte“, Senta in Flying Dutchman, Wellgunde in Richard Wagne’ "Das Rheingold" and Leonore in Fidelio. Monika Medek is a frequent concert artist, her solo performances have led her across Europe and further abroad. These large-scale productions included Soprano-solo-parts like Symphony No.8 by Gustav Mahler (Soprano II, Una poenitentium), A German Requiem by Johannes Brahms, Gabriel Fauré's Requiem, Te Deum by Georges Bizet, The Bells by Sergej Rachmaninoff, Stabat Mater by Antonín Dvorák, as well as both soprano solos from the Lobgesang (Hymn of Praise), Beethovens Missa Solemnis, Verdi Requiem, Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy’ Second Symphony and from Beethoven 9th Symphony at the Golden  Hall of Vienna Musikverein. It was in the Great Hall of the Wiener Konzerthaus when she mastered the soprano part in Johannes Brahms’ A German Requiem in May 2014. Seven months later she sang the world premier of Vijay Upadhyaya’ Prayer Flags at the same location, where a CD was recorded. Monika could be heard and seen in the Great Hall with Gustav Mahler’ Symphony No. 8, where another CD was recorded. In September 2016 she sang with China National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Darrell Ang at the Beijing Concert Hall the soprano part in the Symphony Prayer Flags by Vijay Upadhyaya, the concert was broadcast live on CCTV and reached an audience of approximately 300 million people. The freelance opera singer has enjoyed concert tours in Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Croatia, Germany, Luxembourg, China and Thailand. Since 2015 Monika Medek also successfully coaches classical singers and is specialised in
solving technical issues as well as problems with breath and logopaedic issues.
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Anna Pardo Canedo
(Soprano/ Bolivia-Belgium)

Participating in various concerts, operas and projects in Europe, Asia and South America, Anna Pardo Canedo has won the hearts of the audience with her voice, her charisma and spontaneity, her attitude and musicality. Singing in important theatres and concert halls in Belgium, Holland, Germany, Spain, France, Vietnam, Mexico, Chile and Bolivia, she has performed some opera roles such as Olimpia, Despina, Monica, Poppea, Euridice, Adina, Adèle, Christel von der Post, Thérèse... she has created some opera/musical roles and works by several Belgian composers such as Willy Soenen, Sandra Lammens, Evert Bogaert, Bert De Rycke, some composed especially for her. She has sung different recitals, especially with German, French, Dutch and Spanish repertoire; as a soloist in many oratories, passions and masses. And from time to time, she goes out of her comfort zone and interprets modern and contemporary works. That is why she toured Europe and performed in Mexico with Pierrot Lunaire by A. Schönberg, together with the Warped Time Ensemble. She worked with and under the direction of Dirk Brossé, Michel Tilkin, Ralf Gothóni, James Halliday, Yannis Pouspourikas, Andrew Wise, Marc M. De Smet, Guy Penson, Eric Lederhandler, Henk Soenen, Dick van der Harst, Sandra Lammens, Giovanni Silva, Augusto Guzmán andElizabeth Schwimmer among others. Anna began her musical studies as a pianist at the age of 9 at the Eduardo Laredo Institute in her hometown of Cochabamba (Bolivia), with Prof. Bethi Matienzo, who also initiated her as a solo singer. She graduated with distinction as Master of Music at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent (Belgium). There she studied with Gidon Saks, Mireille Capelle, Marcos Pujol and Evelyne Bohen.Later she was awarded a scholarship at the renowned Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía in Madrid (Spain), where she specialized with Tom Krause. After with Lena Lootens and Dimitri Kavrakos among others vocal coaches. Anna Pardo Canedo won several prizes and awards: - First prize at the National Singing Competition “Das Lied” (2004, La Paz, Bolivia) - “Alfred Aerens Award” as the most meritorious singing student at the Conservatory of Ghent (2011) - “Most outstanding singing student”at the ESMRS, awarded by the Queen Sofia (2013, Madrid, Spain). - Finalist of the VIII International Singing Competition “Villa de Colmenar Viejo”(2013, Spain). - Semifinalist in the “Queen Elisabeth Competition”(2014, Brussels, Belgium).

Jehanne Amzal (Soprano/France)

​At the age of 16, Jehanne began her training at the Maitrise of Paris, directed by Patrick Marco. In this context, she performed with Bryn Terfel, Matthias Goerne, Delphine Haidan, John Nelson and Christophe Eschenbach. In 2013, she joined the Royal Northern College of Music and studied with Thomas Schulze. She completes her training specializing in early music at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis and the Conservatoire of Paris, with Prof. Isabelle Poulenard, Stéphane Fuget and Ulrich Masstahler. She participated in a number of Mastercourses given by Edda Moser, Regina Werner, Veronique Gens, Lynne Dawson, Julius Drake, Sir John Tomlinson, Chantal Santon, and Léontina Vaduva. Jehanne has won the 3rd prize in the International Singing Competition Leopold Bélan (2018), and was a semifinalist at the International Competition of early music Corneille in Rouen (2019). She also is a recipient of the Abbaye de Royaumont Foundation awards and the Franco-Suisse Rippas Foundation scholarship. For the current and upcoming seasons, Jehanne will perform as a soloist in various ensembles, such as Les Ambassadeurs (directed by Alexis Kossenko), Les Surprises (Directed by L.N. Bestion de Camboulas), The Purcell Choir and Orfeo Orchestra ( directed by György Vashegyi), La Fenice (directed by Jean Tubéry), or Les Paladins (directed by Jerome Correas). In 2020 she will make her debut in theatres such as the Champs Élysées Theatre, Radio France, Lille Opera House or the Müpa in Budapest.  She will also participate in three CD recordings as a soloist under the labels Glossa, Warner Classics and Ambronay Éditions.
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Andrejs Krutojs (Baritone/Latvia)

“Powerful baritone Andrejs Krutojs” (“Südkurier”) is internationally active opera and concert singer based in Zurich, Switzerland. In the season 2020/21 Andrejs Krutojs makes his debut in Strauss’ Capriccio at the Zurich Opera House and continues teaching at the Conservatory of Lausanne. Born in Riga, Latvia, Andrejs Krutojs has studied singing at the Zurich University of Arts with prof. Dr. h.c. mult Scot Weir (Master of Music Pedagogy) and at Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre with prof. Mati Palm (Bachelor of Music). Andrejs Krutojs received a scholarship to further his development at Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland (class of dots. Annika Ollinkari) and Conservatorio di musica “Santa Cecilia” in Rome, Italy (class of prof. Anna Maria Ferrante). He has participated in masterclasses of some of the world’s greatest professionals like Montserrat Caballé, Dr. Emilio Pons, KS Karan Armstrong, Jorma Hynninen, Bruno Pola, Gianni Maffeo, Prof. Rebecca Berg, Prof. Franz Lukasovsky, Prof. Andreas Reibenspies and director Peter Konwitschny. Andrejs Krutojs made his operatic debut at the age of 22 at Estonian National Opera (count Robinson in Cimarosa’s “Il matrimonio segreto”), returning to the same stage to make an appearance as Belcore in Donizetti’s “L’elisir d’amore” in 2015 with a great success. In 2018, Andrejs Krutojs made his debut as Don Giovanni at Bergisch Gladbach City Theatre, takes part in recording Wagner’s “Götterdämmerung” in Hong Kong for Naxos (conductor Jaap van Zweden) and Verdi’s scenes with Landesjugendorchester NRW (conductor Sebastian Tewinkel) for the West German Radio. In 2017 Andrejs Krutojs received the stipend from the famous swiss LYRA-Foundation for extraordinary talented musicians. In 2019, at the age of 28, he took over the professeur de chant position at the Conservatory of Lausanne. His repertoire includes the roles of Tchaikovsky’s Onegin (“Evgeny Onegin”) and Prince Yeletsky (“The Queen of Spades”), Leoncavallo’s Silvio (“I pagliacci”), Dr. Marianus in Schumann’s “Szenen aus Goethes Faust”, bass solo in Beethoven’s 9th symphony, baritone solos in Orff’s “Carmina Burana” and Fauré’s “Requiem”, Bach cantata “Ich habe genug” and art song repertoire, performed successfully in Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Germany and Italy.

Niamh O’Sullivan (Mezzo-soprano/Ireland)

Irish mezzo-soprano Niamh O’Sullivan, praised for her “bewitchingly beautiful, dark vibrant voice” (Süddeutsche Zeitung), studied at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin under Veronica Dunne. She was a member of the Opera Studio at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich from 2016 to 2018. She made her Irish National Opera debut as Kate Pinkerton in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly last March and sang Tisbe in La Cenerentola with INO last November and Mercedes in Carmen this past March. Other stage appearances include Dritte Dame in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Hänsel in Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel, Secretary in Menotti’s The Consul, Flora in La Traviata, Prostitute in Janáček’s From the House of the Dead and Barena in Janáček’s Jenůfa. She has also appeared in concert in Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier at Carnegie Hall, New York, conducted by Kirill Petrenko, and in Cousser’s The Applause of Mount Parnassus at the Wigmore Hall, London, with Ensemble Marsyas under the musical direction of Peter Whelan. Her engagements for the 2018-19 season included Prostitute in Aus einem Totenhaus under Simone Young, Kate Pinkerton in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly and Flora in La Traviata at the Bavarian State Opera, and Maddalena in Verdi’s Rigoletto with Cork Operatic Society. Niamh also debuted Elgar’s Sea Pictures at the Prinzregententheater as part of the Munich Festspiele last July 2019. Niamh will make her debut at the prestigious Kissinger Sommer Festival in Bad Kissingen this July singing the alto solo in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony conducted by Jeremie Rhorer.

​​KEYBOARDS

Anna Maria McElwain (Clavichord/Finland)

"McElwain's imaginative, disciplined, and expressive playing make for undeniably engaging listening." Clavichord International, May 2014. Finnish-born Anna Maria McElwain studied at Turku Conservatory under the guidance of the Polish pianist, Elzbieta Guzek, after which she continued her studies in the United States at State University of New York at Buffalo with Dr Stephen Manes. At the age of 21, she had already completed a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance as well as a Master of Arts degree in Music Theory, become a winner of Baird Concerto Competition in 1993 and played as a soloist of Buffalo Civic Symphony Orchestra. Anna Maria is not known only as a pianist but as a player of harpsichord and fortepiano as well. She has specialized in playing the clavichord, which she studied with Dr Pekka Vapaavuori. She is the only person so far to have completed a Master's Degree in clavichord performance from Sibelius Academy. Anna Maria taught at the Sibelius Academy Kuopio department until 2010 and currently focuses on performing, mainly as a clavichordist. She has performed in Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Denmark, The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy and the U.S., also giving master classes in many of those countries. Anna Maria's repertoire consists of music from the Renaissance to the early Romantic period and has also premiered several pieces composed and dedicated to her. She has explored the limits of the clavichord with the Beethoven Sonatas. She has played Chopin on the clavichord mainly as a curiosity, which resulted in a study on the topic, "The Clavichordist's View on the Chopin Preludes". Anna Maria's solo recording on an 1808 Lindholm clavichord at Nydahl Collection in Stockholm came out in November 2013 (Robert Holmin Ljud&Bild). "Hours Well Spent" takes the listener through a magical trip through centuries of music starting from Andrea Gabrieli and concluding with György Ligeti, and is the first-ever recording of Beethoven on the clavichord. Another recording was released in May 2015 including the music of Fux, Johnsen, Lithander and Beethoven. In 2019 her article" Nordic and Baltic Harpsichord Composers" was published in "The Cambridge Companion to the Harpsichord" by Cambridge University Press. Anna Maria has received grants for artistic work from the Finnish National Council of Arts, the Northern Savonia Council of Arts, the Northern Savonia Culture Fund, as well as a Kuopio Stipend in November 2013 from the City of Kuopio for her artistic achievements. In 2018 she was chosen as Savonian Woman of the Year by Zonta II of Kuopio. Anna Maria is the co-founder and artistic director of Nordic Historical Keyboard Festival, which celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2021. It has taken place eight times offering each time 20 concerts given by artists from three continents, several world premieres, and courses in historical keyboards. Anna Maria is also the founder of the First International Clavichord Competition (2014), the first known competition in the 700-year history of the instrument, and International Clavichord Composition Competition (2018).
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Tomasz Goliński
(Percussion/Poland)

Tomasz Goliński is a Polish composer, marimbist and percussionist. He is one of the leading composers and performers of his generation on the international marimba and percussion scene. He performs regularly with Lucid Duo at international festivals and holds masterclasses worldwide. The duo made an appearance on festivals in Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Spain, Poland, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, Mexico and gave lectures in renowned music universities such as the University of Sciences and Arts Chiapas, Mexico; Osaka College of Music, Toho Gakuen School of Music and Kunitachi College of Music in Tokyo, Japan. Some of his commissioned compositions include: Double Percussion Concerto No.1 premiered in 2015 by Tuopali Duo, the Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife and Maestro Eckart Preu (USA) during the International Festival de Música Contemporánea de Tenerife at the Auditorio de Tenerife in Spain; Double Marimba Concerto No.2 premiered in 2017 by Lucid Duo, Koszalin Philharmonic and Maestro Simone Zuccatti in Koszalin, Poland; Marimba Concertino Luminosity premiered in 2018 by Mark Ford and Opole Philharmonic in Opole, Poland, commissioned by Mark Ford/University of North Texas; Italian Premiere of Luminosity Concertino performed in 2019 by Filippo Lattanzi, Orchestra della Fondazione Petruzzelli and Maestro Luigi Piovano in Teatro Petruzzelli di Bari; The Principal Delusion;Double Marimba Concerto for marimba orchestra premiered in 2019 by Lucid Duo, Phonix Marimba Orchestra and Shiniti Ueno in Tokyo, Japan and by Lucid Duo &Filarmonica de Marimbas de la UNICACH in Chiapas, Mexico 2019. Tomasz is a laureate of several marimba and composition international competitions including the First prize of the Universal Marimba Composition Competition in Belgium (2011&2012) with his marimba solo pieces Luminosity and Purity; Second prize at the 39th Percussive Arts Society Percussion Composition Contest in the USA with his marimba solo piece The Absurd World (2011); Second prize in the marimba solo category of the 8th Percussive Arts Society Italy International Percussion Competition in Fermo (2010) etc. For his artistic and academic achievements Tomasz received a scholarship from the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage in 2010 and in 2012 a scholarship from the Ministry of the Flemish Community in Brussels, Belgium. It is worth to mention that in 2011 Tomasz's first marimba solo piece Luminosity was used as a set-piece of the Universal Marimba Competition Belgium in 2013. Since than Luminosity is becoming a standard piece in the marimba solo repertoire, being regularly performed in the USA, Asia, Europe, South America and Australia. His compositions Purity II and Luminosity have been published by the Danish publishing house Edition Svitzer and The Absurd World, by Keyboard Percussion Music in the USA. Tomasz obtained with the greatest distinction his Master Degrees in Percussion, Marimba, Chamber Music and Postgraduate Marimba Solo in the class of Ludwig Albert at the Royal Conservatoire of Antwerp, the Leuven College of Arts in Belgium and at the Music Academy in Gdansk. He graduated his Bachelor in Composition in the class of Luc van Hoove at the Leuven College of Arts, as well as a specialization of Electroacoustic Composition with Joris de Laet at the Royal Conservatoire of Antwerp. In 2016 he completed his marimba specialization with the Japanese composer and marimba legend Keiko Abe at the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo, Japan. The composer receives commissions from Austria, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, Germany, USA, Poland, Spain, and Denmark such as marimba solo/duo works with electronics, marimba and organ, marimba and violin, marimba and saxophone, marimba and flute, solo and duo percussion/marimba concertos with Philharmonic Orchestras etc. In 2016 Tomasz held his composition masterclass at the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna. His Marimba Quartet No.1 was commissioned and premiered by ensemble Schlagwerk Wien (led by the internationally renowned composer and multi-percussion soloist Nebojsa Zivkovic) at the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna. He is Yamaha artist and an Innovative Percussion Endorser.
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Margherita Berlanda ​(Accordion/Italy)

Italian accordionist Margherita Berlanda developed her skills as an accordionist under the guidance of Corrado Rojac (Conservatorio Statale Giuseppe Tartini Trieste), Friedemann Gisinger and Hans Maier (Staatliche Hochschule für Musik Trossingen). She was also a student in Stefan Hussong’s class at Musikhochschule Würzburg in 2011-2012. She graduated in a Master of solo performance, Chamber Music Master, Musikvermittlung Master, Konzertexamen Studiengang (post-máster interpretative specialisation). Investigation through different aesthetics and artistic expressions played a central role in her personal research and led her to approach the performance field. Of particular interest are her activities with Alambic Duo, the contemporary music ensemble Azione_Improvvisa (winners of OPEN contemporary creation call 2018 Pergine Festival, ensemble in residence for TheWorkRoom, Fattoria Vittadini Milan 2019), the Dúo Pérez–Berlanda, and the performance-instrumental theatre group KalaKara (Supernova Open Call Winners, Pergine Festival 2019). Her focus on contemporary arts brings her to collaborate actively with various composers, such as Samir Odeh-Tamimi, Giorgio Colombo Taccani, Anna Sowa, Gianluca Castelli, Roberto Zanata, and Nikolsus Brass. She has performed for internationally known festivals such as the International Koper Biennial, Bel Circolo Bellunese, Donaueschingen Musiktagen, PactaSOUNDZone Milan, Pergine Festival, SpazioMusica Festival, Musica Insieme Panicale Festival, Cembalo und anderen Tasteninstrumente – Akademie der Künste Berlin, and cooperates with Fondazione Haydn Stiftung – OPER. A 20.21 Festival of Haydn Orchester von Bozen und Trient and Kammerphilharmonie Mannheim. Shanghai International Culture & Arts Institute recently promoted Alambic Duo’s chinese tournée. Some of her interpretations have been broadcast by Radio Vaticana, Bayerische Rundfunk, RAI Slovenia, and recorded for the labels GiutArt and Stradivarius. Margherita Berlanda is co-founder and coordinator of the contemporary arts space Anomalia (Trento) together with the painter Andrea Fonanari (Boccanera Gallery, Trento-Milan). Of notable interest in her teaching experience was the opportunity to be the assistant for the pre-academic accordion courses at the Conservatorio Statale di Musica “G. Tartini” of Trieste and the work at the Conservatorio Statale di Musica Lucio Campiani of Mantova. She is currently developing her research about contemporary music and children’s education and teaching at the Musikschule Überetsch-Eppan (Bozen-Italy).​
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Zsombor Tóth-Vajna (Organ/Hungary)

Zsombor Tóth-Vajna, a keyboard specialist and conductor, is one of the leading figures of the young musician generation in Hungary. He studied playing the harpsichord and the organ at the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest with Borbala Dobozy and Miklós Spányi as his mentors, where he graduated with the highest honours, and where he is a guest teacher now. He continued his studies at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. He was taught by Menno van Delft (harpsichord, clavichord) and Richard Egarr (harpsichord, fortepiano), and on the organ by the legendary Jacques van Oortmerssen. He also holds a degree in medicine from Semmelweis University, Budapest. He is a research fellow at the Royal College of Music in London where he is currently doing a PhD. He has given recitals in many European countries and in the United States of America as a soloist (harpsichord, organ, clavichord, fortepiano), conductor and as continuo in various orchestras. Zsombor has participated with András Batta in the production of television and radio programmes by request of the Hungarian Television and Radio, aimed at the promotion of traditional keyboard music. He is the founder and artistic director of Hungarian baroque orchestra Harmonia Caelestis (founded in 2015) in Budapest, and he is a passionate piano four hands player with his partner and twin brother, Gergely under the name Piano e Forte Duo. He attended keyboard masterclasses with Pierre Hantai, Skip Sempé, Ton Koopman, Masaaki Suzuki, Malcolm Bilson, Lorenzo Ghielmi, Christine Schornsheim, Luigi Ferdinando Tagliavini, Rita Papp and Hans Fagius, sources of inspiration and encouragement up until his most recent accomplishments. As an organ player, he is an expert of historical instruments: he played concerts on several important organs such as the famous Christian Müller organ in St. Bavo Haarlem and Waalse Kerk Amsterdam, the Schnitger organs in Hamburg and Alkmaar, and the „Bach Organ” in the Thomaskirche, Leipzig, only a few meters away from the esteemed master’s resting place. As a harpsichordist, he played under the guidance of Sigiswald Kuijken, Richard Egarr. His field of study is the 17th and 18th century English keyboard music. He recorded 7 solo recordings until today for different labels. Zsombor Tóth-Vajna was awarded Semmelweis University’s most prestigious Kerpel Prize in 2013 and was elected among the 50 most talented young Hungarians by the magazine La Femme in 2015. Zsombor also received the grant for the talented youth in Hungary (Nemzet Tehetségeiért Ösztöndíj) and is a member of the first Hungarian Templeton Program as a junior fellow. In 2019 he received the prestigious Hungarian Bach Prize.
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​ADMINISTRATION

Richard Dubugnon Associate Artistic Director

​Richard Dubugnon was born in Lausanne in 1968. He started music at 20 and was accepted at the Paris Conservatoire where he graduated in Double Bass, Counterpoint and Fugue. He studied Composition at the Royal Academy of Music in London, graduating with an MMus before becoming a Composition Fellow and an Alumni (ARAM). Described as "driven by a playful modern sensibility" by the New York Times, Dubugnon's music has been championed by conductors such as Esa-Pekka Salonen, Semyon Bychkov, Kent Nagano, Antonio Pappano, Paavo Järvi, Alain Altinoglu, Lionel Bringuier, Daniel Blendulf, Fabien Gabel and Ludovic Morlot, as well as performers such as Janine Jansen, Katia and Marielle Labèque, Renaud and Gautier Capuçon, Roberto Gonzáles-Monjas, Julian Rachlin, Xavier de Maistre, Max Rysanov, Louis Schwizgebel and Jean-Yves Thibaudet. In 2018, he composed Eros athanatos op.69, a fantaisie concertante for cello and piano especially written for Gautier Capuçon and Jean-Yves Thibaudet, a quintuple commission from West Australian Symphony Orchestra (Perth), Antwerp Symphony, Radio France, Klavier-Festival Ruhr and the Beijing Arts Foundation. The work is still touring the world and received great reviews. In January 2017, Naxos released a second monographic recording of his music, with a selection of Arcanes Symphoniques' tarot cards for orchestra' one of Dubugnon's most globally successful works, leading The Guardian newspaper to write that the 'joy in the orchestra's swooning sonic possibilities is everywhere evident'. Orchestras which have commissioned and performed his music include the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Orchestra dell'Accademia di Santa Cecilia de Rome, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Orchestre de Paris, Orchestre National de France, Tonhalle Orchester Zürich, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Proms Festival 2012, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Gewandhaus zu Leipzig, WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln, NHK Symphony in Tokyo, Saint Petersburg Philharmonic, Concergebouw Amsterdam, Philharmonia in London, Dallas Symphony, Musikkollegium, Winterthur and the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne. Richard has been involved with many educational projects in the UK, the France and the U.S. including the famous Young Person's Concerts created by Bernstein, and he has several years experience of teaching composition in places such as the Royal Academy of Music and the Purcell School in London. He has also created projects for children from underrepresented groups with no access to musical education. He also plays the double bass as a soloist and chamber musician. He was a freelance musician with contemporary ensembles and orchestras such as the Opéra National de Paris. He currently performs Basso Continuum with the Béjart Ballet Lausanne, a ballet that he created jointly with their artistic director and choreographer Gil Roman.​​
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Kevin Zhao
Artistic Director

​Pianist Dr. Kevin Zhao is both an active performer and music event organizer. During past years, he has served as the Head of Asian Culture Exchange Department at the Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus/Aalborg, the executive director of Dragon Culture Exchange NGO - a non-profit organization for arranging cultural events between Europe and Asia, during years 2015-2020 numerous concerts were organized Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Singapore, Estonia, Poland, China, etc. After receiving a Piano Performance BA degree from China, he also developed an interest in business and entered a Global Business Management MA course. A wide range of interests and passion for broadening activities then brought Kevin to Europe, where he obtained two MA degrees (piano and accompaniment) from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, as well as PhD in chamber music/accompaniment. During his PhD studies, he further developed himself at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin with Dearbhla Collins. With a fondness for Irish music, he then released a CD “Beloved Irish Tunes.” Dr. Kevin Zhao has participated in the jury work of many piano competitions in Europe and Asia. He is the founder and artistic director of the Odin International Music Festival, which was established in 2013. Currently, he holds several grants from the Chinese government for music research on both Western and Asian topics. Dr. Kevin Zhao has been appointed visiting professor in China Shaunliu Arts Music College in 2018. Most recently, he has been invited to be the guest professor in China HN Education College. Some examples of Dr. Kevin Zhao’s activities include the following: a concert with Estonian pianist Peep Lassmann (former rector of the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre) in China, a concert tour in China-North Europe with Danish cellist Henrik Brendstrup, a concert in Tallinn with Japanese pianist Aya Tominaga, a concert in collaboration with the Embassy of Ireland, Estonia to celebrate Saint Patric’s Day with Irish soprano Sarah Brady, a concert with Estonian pianist Marko Martin in Shanghai, academic activities with Danish saxophonist Claus Olesen in Jiangsu China, master classes with Danish pianist Soren Rastogi in Shandong, an academic visit with Danish singer Robert Vinther in Chongqing China, master classes with Latvian pianist Andrejs Osokins in Zhengzhou China, a performance in a Chinese New Year Concert with Swedish dancer Liisa Veiderma in Sichuan China, a concert performance with Latvian flautist Veronika Gzirišvili in China, a performance in Vienna with Thai pianist Jutiseth Chinavicharana. Also being active in music management, he has arranged masterclasses and performance for Polish choreographer Karol Urbanski in Henan, China taking place during the upcoming year. Kevin has organized summer camps and educational visits to Poland, Denmark, Italy, UK, China, Germany. He had academic visits in Academy of Music in Kraków; Academy of Music, University of Zagreb; Academy of Music in Pula, Croatia; and Conservatorio di Musica “Luigi Canepa” di Sassari; Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music; Vilnius Academy of Arts, Academy of Music of University in Macedonia, Department of Musical of the University of Pristina; the Central Conservatory of Music, China; the Shanghai Conservatory of Music; the Sichuan Conservatory of Music. Dr. Kevin Zhao is a member of numerous associations such as the European Piano Teachers Association Ireland, the European Chamber Music Teachers’ Association, the European Association for Music in Schools, the China Music Education Association, the coordinator for “Sino Culture Exchange Program,” and the artistic director of the China-Europe Music Center in Shanghai.