During recent years, we have been fortunate to have many outstanding musicians and teachers join our activities. They have given master classes, concerts, seminars, and taken part of the ODIN International Youth Piano Festival.
Dearbhla Collins
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Dearbhla Collins is one of Ireland's finest and most versatile musicians. In addition to her accomplished career as a soloist, the prize winning pianist is a regular chamber music partner to many internationally renowned singers as well as Ireland’s leading artists. She is also the Executive Artistic Director of the prestigious Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition. Dearbhla was a member of the board of the National Concert Hall, Dublin from 2010 – 2015 having previously served two terms as a Director of Culture Ireland. Dearbhla was the moving force behind the 2003 Dublin Hugo Wolf Festival, when under her artistic direction the complete songs of the Austrian composer were performed for the first time in Ireland. Other notable projects under her direction include the acclaimed performances of the three operas known as the Irish Ring at the Royal Dublin Society for whom she was opera consultant 2006-2008. She curates Dublin Song Series with her brother Finghin in partnership with the National Concert Hall and the Hugh Lane Gallery. She received honorary doctorates from the NUI recently.
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Henrik Brendstrup
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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. In 1987 he made his first tour, and shortly after he became a member of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Henrik has worked closely with the orchestra ever since, now as an associate member. His numerous recordings include the complete works for cello and piano by Beethoven, 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. He has recently been appointed Professor at the Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus, Denmark.
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Ginevra Petrucci
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Born in 1989 in Rome, Ginevra Petrucci studied at Conservatorio ‘Santa Cecilia’ of Rome with her father, to continue her education at Ecole Normale ‘Alfred Cortot’ (Paris) and at the Yale University (USA). In 2012 she was named the recipient of the Thomas Daniel Nyfenger Prize for highest standard of excellence in woodwind playing by the Yale University. As principal flute of the Yale Philharmonia, the Yale Baroque Ensemble and the Chamber Orchestra of New York, she has played with world renowned conductors in many of the most important concert halls of the American East coast. Her recordings include Giulio Briccialdi’s four flute Concerti withI Virtuosi Italiani (first world recording, Bongiovanni 2009), the complete Quintets by Friedrich Kuhlau with the Kodály Quartet(Brilliant Classics 2013) the complete Flute Duets by Haydn (Brilliant Classics 2014), a recital CD with Bruno Canino (Dynamic 2015) and Dupuy and Büchner Concerti with I Pomeriggi Musicali (Brilliant Classics 2015). She has been visiting professor and has presented masterclasses and lecture-recitals at Accademia Flatus (Sion, Switzerland), the RIAM in Dublin (Ireland), the Conservatorio Suprior of Vigo and La Coruña (Spain), the Ionian University in Corfu (Greece), the Académie Musicale de Villecroze (France), and Accademia Musicale Sherazade (Rome). She is Professor at the Accademia Angelica Costantiniana of Rome and at the European Culture and Performing Arts Association of Tokyo. She is President of Associazione Musicale Leonardo De Lorenzoand Artistic Director of Fondazione Mercadante.
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Yi-Chih Lu
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Yi-Chih Lu, one of the most brilliant rising stars among the young generation of Taiwanese pianists, is the winner of Maria Canals, Sendai, Hummel and other ten piano competitions. Born in Taiwan, Mr. Lu started the piano at the age of five and during his formative years he studied with Klaus Hellwig at the University of the Arts Berlin (Konzertexamen). In 2006, he received his Master Degree from the University for Music and Performing Arts Vienna, and the Vienna Cziffra Foundation awarded him the "Cziffra Prize", in recognition of his outstanding performance of G. Cziffra's Compositions. He has been invited to give piano recitals in America, Europe and Asia, at such important venues as Musikverein in Vienna, Berlin Philharmoie, National Concert Hall in Taipei, and has appeared as soloist with important orchestras including Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna, Buxthehude Jugend Orchester, BerlinClassicPlayers, Sendai Philharmonic, Sendai City Symphony Orchestra, Taipei Metropolitan Orchestra, Taiwan Philharmonic (NSO), Taipei Century Symphony Orchestra, Taipei Symphony Orchestra, Sun Symphony Orchestra, Taipei Philharmonic Youth Symphony Orchestra, and Arad Philharmonic, among others. His CD “My Chopin; My Brahms” has been awarded the Gold Melody Award for the “Best Interpreter of Classical Music". 2016 summer, while LU is touring at the west coast of America, Washington State King County announced the 9th July 2016 as “Yi-Chih Lu Day”, to recognize his achievement in piano performance. He is now holding adjunct assistant professorships at National Taiwan University of Arts and Chinese Culture University.
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Martin Lysholm Jepsen
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Martin Lysholm Jepsen, Born in Copenhagen in 1966. He graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus and continued as aspirant at the Lithuanian Academy of Music 1992-1994 by Professor Veronika Vitaite. Several masterclasses by Lazar Berman, Eugen Indjic and Günter Ludwig. Martin Lysholm Jepsen gave numerous concerts as soloist and accompanist, and 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, preparing them for further professional studies at aknowledged academies- in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Helsinki, Copenhagen, Vilnius and Lake Como. The Gradus students appeared succesfully in many concerts as soloists and with orhestras in Denmark and abroad. They won more than 100 topprizes in national and international competitions. Since the summer 2016 Martin Lysholm Jepsen has been appointed as teacher at the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus and the Junior College same place. Martin Lysholm Jepsen gave masterclasses and lectures on the theme ”Basic technique” in several countries and he is in the jury of competitions in Poland, Lithuania and Denmark.
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Andre Hinn
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Andre Hinn has studied the piano in Tallinn Music High School (instr. Maigi Pakri), acquired his BA from the Estonian Academy of Music (Ass. Prof. Ada Kuuseoks and Prof. Ivari Ilja), MA (Konzertexamen) from the Cologne University of Music (Hochschule für Musik Köln) (Prof. Dr.h.c. Arbo Valdma) and complimented his education at the IMEP Graduate School of Arts (Institut Supérieur de Musique et de Pédagogie) (Prof. Christian Beldi), in Belgium. Andre Hinn has also taken part in numerous masterclasses during his studies and achieved different awards at several piano-competitions. He has given concerts in Germany and Estonia, performed with Pärnu City Orchestra and Estonian National Symphony Orchestra under conductor Jüri Alperten. His chamber music partners include Tõnu Kalm, Kristof Dömötör, Linda-Anette Verte, Lisa Schumann, Kristina Kriit, Marike Kruup, Olja Raudonen, Annaliisa Pillak. As a harpsichord and piano player in Junge Philharmonie Köln, Andre Hinn has taken part in various tours (Germany, Spain, Great Britain, Scotland and Ireland). He has also recorded for the Estonian Radio Classic. In 2015, Estonian Record Productions released his CD „Von Salzburg bis Reval“, it is presumably the first recording of a Baltic-German composer Christoph August Gabler’s (1767-1839) piano music. Andre Hinn works as a piano teacher at Heino Eller Tartu Music School as well as the pianist at theater Vanemuine for ballet dancers and also in two different productions: at ballet-production „Man in the Movie“ (Kinolina kangelane) and at Moises Kaufman’s drama-production „33 variations“ (33 variatsiooni). He is a member of Association of Estonian Professional Musicians and Estonian Performers Association.
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Tham Horng Kent
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In 2012, He was awarded both, a full scholarship by the Malaysian Higher Education Ministry and a teaching assistantship at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin, where he graduated with a Doctorate in Music Performance (Piano), under Prof. Peter Tuite, Prof. Hugh Tinney and Dr. Denise Neary. He was invited to participate in the Dublin International Piano Festival and Summer Academy in 2013. In 2014, he was invited to participate in the 5th Katowice International Piano Masterclasses in Poland, chosen as Boyne Music Festival Young Associated Artists Programme 2014 (piano duo) as well as awarded a scholarship to participate in the 2014 British Isles Music Festival. In 2015, he has been chosen as an Erasmus Doctoral Student at the Sibelius Academy, Helsinki, Finland, in the class of Prof. Margit Rahkonen as well as Prof. Lauri Suurpää. Academically, he was selected to present a paper in the Ninth Annual Postgraduate Conference of the Society for Musicology in the Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, as well as the Second Doctors in Performance Music Conference at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin. Most recently, he was invited to be the adjudicator of Kota Kinabalu Music Festival 2018 and Kingsburg International Piano Competition 2018 in China.
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Alina Sorjonen
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Alina Sorjonen was born in St.Petersburg in March 1984. She started her first piano studies at an early age, first with the guidance of her mother, later as a practiser student of St. Petersburg's state Conservatory. One year after the Soviet Union fell apart in 1991, she moved to Finland together with her family and continued studies up to professional level. Graduating from Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences in 2009, Alina has studied as well in Sibelius Academy, Graz University for Music and Performing Arts in Austria and Estonian Academy of Music and Theater. Her collaboration with other musicians has been taking her to perform as a soloist and chamber musician across the Europe. In Autumn 2014 she was a soloist of Kirkkonummi Chamber Orchestra playing L.v.Beethoven's 3 piano concerto. In summer 2017 Alina has founded together with conductor Sasha Mäkilä a Symphony Orchestra and has performed as a soloist of the orchestra playing S. Rachmaninoff's 2. piano concerto.
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Ada Kuuseoks
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Ada Kuuseoks graduated from the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory with Prof. Viktor Meržanov. Her career as a pianist begun 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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Marko Martin
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Martin began his piano studies at the age of 8. In 1993 he graduated from the Tallinn Music High School’s piano class as a student of Lembit Orgse. In 1993-96 he studied piano at the Estonian Academy of Music with Peep Lassmann and in 1996-2000 at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London with Professor Joan Havill receiving both bachelors and master’s degree. In 2000-2001 he worked at the Guildhall School by Performance Fellowship, since 2002 Martin is teaching piano at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre. Marko Martin has received acknowledgements at more than 20 competitions for pianists. He won several prizes at international contests already during his school years (1990 in Czechoslovakia, 1992 in Kharkov and 1993 in Riga). Laureate of the 2000 Honens International Piano Competition and prize winner at the 1998 Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition. Since his concert debut in Tallinn 1992, Martin has held recitals as well as performed with orchestra in both Europe and North America. Martin has recorded performances at BBC, CBC, Estonian Radio and 2 CD albums with the works of Franz Schubert (Abbas Records, 1998) and Ferenc Liszt (Arktos, 2002).
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Jun Zhao
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Pianist Jun Zhao is both an active performer and music event organiser. He was the Head of Asian Culture Exchange Department at the Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus/Aalborg. Jun Zhao is the executive director of Dragon Culture Exchange NGO - a non profit organisation for arranging cultural events between Europe and Asia - having already organised numerous concerts in Estonia, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Poland, China, etc. Jun Zhao has a Piano Performance BA degree and a Global Business Management MA degree (courses) from China, he has also obtained two MA degrees (piano and accompaniment) from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, as well as PhD in chamber music/accompaniment. He also studied at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin. He has worked as a piano teacher at the Guangxi University in China and at the Li Jiang College. Jun Zhao is the founder of the Guilin Piano Festival in China, a member of European Piano Teachers Association of Ireland, a member of European Chamber Music Teachers´ Association, a member of European Association for Music in Schools, a member of the China Sichuan Musicians Union Board, the coordinator for “Sichuan China Culture Exchange Program”, and the artistic director of the China-Europe Music Center in Shanghai. He has participating in the jury of several piano competition in Europe and Asia, and acting as one of the artistic directors of the Chinese New Year Gala Festival in Sichuan. Jun Zhao is the founder and artistic director of the Dragon International Music Festival which was established in August 2016. He has been appointed guest professor in China Shaunliu Arts Music College in 2018.
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Kristi Kapten
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Kristi Kapten began music studies at the age of seven at the Tallinn Music High School, where she studied piano under the guidance of Anu and Toivo Nahkur. In 2006–2010, she continued studies at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre with professor Peep Lassmann and since 2010, at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS), where she is studied with a full scholarship under the guidance of professor Fali Pavri, obtaining a master`s degree in 2012. Between 2013 and 2017 Kristi has been enrolled in Doctoral studies at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, completing her artistic research on performance issues in Ligeti's Etudes for Piano. She has given solo recitals in Estonia and United Kingdom, and participated in several contests as a soloist and chamber musician. In 2008, she was a semifinalist at the Estonian National Piano Competition and won in 2010 the 1st prize in chamber music competition at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre. In 2010, she won the Jock Holden Memorial Mozart Prize and in 2011 the 3. prize in the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Bamber/Galloway Competition. In 2011, Kristi Kapten also won the 1st prize at Tallinn International Piano Competition and in 2013, the 1st prize at Walcer Prize competition. She has been awarded scholarships by the Estonian National Culture Foundation and the Lilian Semper Foundation.
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Mati Mikalai
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Pianist Mati Mikalai is above all valued as an excellent ensemble partner for many musicians, most acknowledged is the piano duo with Kai Ratassepp. He is also a capable solo performer, in addition to classical repertoire in sphere of contemporary music. Mati Mikalai has performed as a soloist, chamber musician and with orchestras in many Estonian towns, additionally in several venues in Europe, for example in Finland, Sweden, Germany, France, Italy and Russia. He has played chamber music with other musicians as well: his more frequent ensemble partners have been saxophonist Virgo Veldi, trumpetist Indrek Vau, clarinetist Tarmo Pajusaar, oboe player Kalev Kuljus, violinists Arvo Leibur and Olga Voronova and cellist Pärt Tarvas. Mati Mikalai has extensively recorded both piano pieces and chamber music in co-operation with other musicians, for example with trumpet player Indrek Vau. Currently, He is the head of the piano department in the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre.
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Nora Luse
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Nora Luse started studying piano in Riga, Latvia. From 1974 she studied at Moscow State Conservatoire. In 1980 Nora Luse became a laureate of the Viotti International Piano Competition in Vercelli (Italy) and completed her piano and musicology courses. In 1981 Nora Luse was appointed as a piano teacher at Jazeps Vitols Latvian Academy of Music. Along with her pedagogical activity in Riga, she enjoyed a successful career as a performer by company "Sojuzkoncert" until 1991 and made recordings for Latvia Radio solo and ensemble with violist Andra Arnicane. In 1985 she obtained the Doctor of Arts degree and published monograph "History of Organ Art in Latvia" (in Russian). In 2003 she obtained the Doctor of Pedagogy degree and published the second monograph "Latvian Pianists-Pedagogues" (in Latvian). Her research interests integrate musicology and pedagogy. Since 2007 Nora Luse is a member of Latvian Composers Union, and associated professor at Riga University College of Economics and Culture (2010-2016). Nora Luse created an international music event Janis Norvilis International Competition for Young Pianists (2011) for bringing people together and sharing young pianists extraordinary gifts. In 2012 she created the Riga International Competition for Young Pianists and its Ethno-Didactical Conception for allowing young pianist to communicate through the language of music. Nowadays the combination of international competition in Riga with music teacher seminar is considering as innovative two-staged synchronous educational entity.
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Mihkel Poll
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Mihkel Poll studied at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre with Prof Ivari Ilja, recently receiving the PhD in Music, and at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Prof Ronan O'Hora. Mihkel Poll has won several prizes in important international competitions including 1st prize at the Rina Sala Gallo International Piano Competition in Italy, 1st prize at the Tallinn International Piano Competition in Estonia and 1st prize at the Ferrol International Piano Competition in Spain. Mihkel Poll has played in several countries including Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Sweden, France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Norway, Greece, Great Britain and the USA. He has performed with the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Nordic Symphony Orchestra, Magdeburg Philharmonics, Sinfonia of Birmingham, Birmingham Schools' Symphony Orchestra, Norrbotten Chamber Orchestra, Norwich Philharmonics, Lincoln Symphony Orchstra, Vanemuise Symphony Orchestra and the Pärnu City Orchestra under conductors such as Neeme Järvi, Arvo Volmer, Olari Elts, Anu Tali, Michael Seal, Eri Klas, Matt Andrews, and others. Mihkel released his debut CD recording entitled "20th Century Piano" on the Ondine label. His second CD was released by label DUX. Featuring works by Enescu, Bartók, Tüür and Kõrvits it received the prize "Best Estonian Classical Album 2016". Mihkel Poll has nominated the Estonian Cultural Endowment Award (2004) and Young Cultural Figure Award of the President of Estonia (2013).
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Anneli Tanksimäe
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Anneli Tanksimäe (1972) has graduated from the piano department of Tallinn Music High School (Ira Floss) and from the music pedagogy department of the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (Doc Ivo Sillamaa, Prof Ivari Ilja, Prof Lembit Orgse). In addition to piano, Anneli has studied harpsichord with Prof Imbi Tarum and taken part of harpsichord master classes in Estonia and Finland. Anneli has also studied organ with Marju Riisikamp and Ene Salumäe. Anneli is a founding member of the Estonian Harpsichord Society and has performed many times in different concert series in Estonia and Finland. Anneli began working at the VHK Music School in 1996, during 1997-2016 as the head of general piano department, in 1999-2005 as an accompanist for Tõnis Kuurme’s recorder students. She has also worked as an accompanist for Kalev Kuljus’ and Aleksander Hännikäinen’s oboe students and for Elo Toodo-Jakobs’ violin and vocal students. Many of A. Tanksimäe’s students have participated successfully in Estonian competitions. Since 2017, Anneli teaches piano at the Tallinn School of Lifelong Learning. Anneli Tanksimäe has experience in teaching blind piano students. Her current student, Elisabeth Egel, has successfully participated in competitions in Estonia and given several solo recitals. Anneli has organised concert series for visually impaired music students from Tallinn and Tartu called “Your voice sounds familiar”. In 2008, A. Tanksimäe was a member of the jury in a piano etude competition for students of Tallinn, Harju county, and G. Ots Music School.
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Imbi Tarum
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Harpsichord player Imbi Tarum is highly valued as a soloist and an ensemble partner. Since 1991, Imbi Tarum has been teaching harpsichord and basso continuo at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (since 1996 associate professor). In 1992–2002, she annually organized harpsichord summer courses in Raudaskylä, Finland. She has also led harpsichord courses in different music universities in Europe. She has been a soloist with several orchestras and has held recitals in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. She has collaborated with many foreign vocal and instrumental soloists. In her repertoire, she gives preference to German, Italian, French, Spanish and English keyboard and ensemble music from the 16th to 18th century. She has made recordings for the Estonian Radio. In 2007, Imbi Tarum’s solo-CD “Vertigo” with harpsichord music by Joseph Nicolas Pancrace Royer, Jean-Philippe Rameau, Jean-Baptiste Antoine Forqueray and Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre was released by Estonian Record Production (ERP).
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Jekaterina Rostovtseva
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Jekaterina studied piano at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre with Prof. Peep Lassmann in 1998-2006 receiving Master’s Degree. She has participated in the master courses of V. Berman, A. Hewitt, J. MacGregor, K. Randalu, V. Meržanov, V. Novikov, A. Valdma. Since 1998, Jekaterina Rostovtseva works as a piano teacher. Jekaterina Rostovtseva was announced as a best young piano teacher of the year 2014 which was organised by the Estonian Piano Teacher Association. The students of Jekaterina Rostovtseva have won in various republican and international competitions in Italy, France, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Russia. Her students have been participated in some important musical festivals such as Lille Piano Festival, Piano City Milano, Festival Brin d´Herbe in Orleans, France. Jekaterina Rostovtseva also has been a member of jury of international competitions for young pianists. She is currently lector of Institute of Interpretation Pedagogics in Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, piano teacher at Tallinn Music High School and Old Town Music School in Tallinn.
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Marianne Zhao
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Marianne is a pianist and the administrative director of Dragon Culture Exchange NGO which organises cultural events between Europe and Asia. She is an active chamber musician and holds a piano master’s degree from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre. Marianne has given recitals in Denmark, Estonia, the UK, Ireland, China, and participated in numerous masterclasses: Stephen Hough, Steven Osborne, Hilary Coates, Julius Drake, Aaron Shorr, Francesco Florenza, Fali Pavri, etc. She was awarded the 1st prize at the 9th Piano Festival–Competition in Mexico. She has studied at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Marianne is the co-founder of the Dragon International Music Festival which annually takes place in Tallinn. Recent engagements include giving lectures and masterclasses in China and being in the jury of the 8th Asian International Youth Piano Open Competition in Hong Kong. Marianne is also working as a teacher at Kose Music School.
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Søren Rastogi
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Søren Rastogi has in few years gained reputation as one of Denmark's most interesting pianists, with a great musical overview and a strong presence on the stage. As a soloist, he has performed with conductors such as Christian Mandeál, Douglas Bostock, Benjamin Shwartz, Mathias Aeschbacher, Ed Spanjaard, Jayce Ogren, Peter Feranec and Thomas Søndergaard in piano concertos by Mozart, Schumann, Stravinsky, Bernstein and Gershwin. Søren Rastogi has, beside his career as a soloist, a close collaboration with leading Scandinavian singers, he is also a member of Jalina Trio, the internationally acclaimed piano trio. He was appointed "Artist in Residence" by The Round Tower of Copenhagen and the Danish National Radio. Søren Rastogi was educated in Copenhagen at The Royal Danish Academy of Music by Tove Lønskov and Niklas Sivelöv as well as in Berlin at Hochschule der Künste by Pascal Devoyon. He is currently working as Assistant professor and Head of Studies at the Royal Danish Academy of Music, Copenhagen, as well as teaching at the Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus.
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Jelena Elkind
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Jelena Elkind is a pianist and a piano teacher. She graduated from Nõmme Music School (Ruuta Taras) in 1965, from Tallinn Music High School (Mare Orgse) in 1970 and in 1975, from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (Arbo Valdma, Bruno Lukk). She has been working at the G. Ots Tallinn Music School as an accompanist 1969-1975, thereafter, as a piano teacher and as a piano history and pedagogy teacher. Some of her notable students include Alla Kitas, P. Parm. Jelena has arranged materials about teaching pedagogy and piano music history, as well as piano books with repertory for pedagogy. She often gives master classes and seminars in music schools over Estonia. Jelena is a member of the Estonian Piano Teacher's Association (1989) and of the piano ensemble “Allegro” (2003).
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Aya Tominaga
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Aya Tominaga was born in Tokyo, Japan. She began her piano education at the age of five. Aya holds a degree from the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo, and in 1997 she recieved the Saitama prize in Japan. The following year she moved to Amsterdam to study with Prof. Matthijs Verschoor. She has been finalist in the Leipzig Bach Competition and has recieved the German publisher Bärenreiter’s Urtext Prize in 2002. By performing Beethoven’s piano concerto no. 4 with the Danish Symphony Orchestra Aya made her debut from the soloist class of the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus where she studied with Prof. Sergei Senkov. She is also an active chamber musician, playing with Aarhus Symphony Orchestra’s members, and the Randers Chamber Orchestra. She has also been the official accompanist at the international Carl Nielsen Violin Competition. Aya Tominaga is currently working as an accompanist and piano teacher at The Royal Academy of Music Aarhus and at Aarhus Music School in Denmark.
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Florence Khei Kuan Chong
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Malaysian soprano Florence Khei Kuan Chong began her music training as a pianist in 2002 studying with Liaw and Lean Hin Chong. In 2007, she was awarded a full scholarship to attend the SEGi College Subang Jaya where she studied piano and violin. In 2009, Florence decided to switch her major from piano to voice on the recommendation of her singing teacher and her developing passion for singing. Pursuing a strong interest in choir singing, Florence joined the award winning Klang Chamber Choir (KCC) in 2008. As an active member of KCC, she participated in the Venezia in Musica International Choral Competition in Italy in 2011 and in the Asia Cantate Choral Festival in Phuket, Thailand in 2012. During her study at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin, Ireland where she has actively participated in competitions and music festivals in Ireland and has won numerous awards, including the Newpark Music Festival Ruth Beare Perpetual Cup (First Prize, 2015), the Margaret Dillon Prize (First Prize, 2015), Sligo Feis Ceoil Cup for Songs by Italian Composers (Second Prize, 2015), Sligo Feis Ceoil Oratorio and Sacred Solos (Highly Commended, 2015), the Sligo Feis Ceoil Cup (Highly Commended, 2015), and the Newpark Music Festival Adult Vocal Baroque Aria (First Prize, 2014). In recent years, Florence gave several solo recitals in Ireland, Estonia, Thailand, and Malaysia.
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