iPalpiti Artists 2008-2009
Violinists
Caroline von Bismarck,
Catharina Chen,
Conrad Chow,
Azer Damirov,
Aisha Dossumova,
Alexander Dziubinsky,
Nora Hapca, Ellen
Jung,
Nobuko Kawamura,
Robert
Kowalski, Isabelle Lambelet,
Mari-Liis Pakk,
Marie Stéphanie Radauer-Plank,
Peter Rainer, Deniz
Toygür,
Daniel Turcina
Alexandru Tomescu,
iPalpiti alumnus,
soloist
iPalpiti "Junior" soloist Violinist Elena Kawazu
Violists
Jeroen
Beckers, Karel Coninx,
Rumen Cvetkov,
Vladimir Dyo,
Juan-Miguel Hernandez,
Adelya
Shagidullina,
Thomas Weilbach
Violoncellists
Double Bass
Clarinet
Pianist
Laszlo
Mezo,
Yves Dharamraj,
Marie-Stéphanie Janecek,
Julie Jung,
Evgeny-Eliah Sakakushev,
Francisco Vila
Violinists
Caroline von Bismarck, Switzerland
Born
in Berlin, Caroline took her first violin lesson with the distinguished
professor Abraham Jaffe, and later continued at the Julius-Stern-Institute
in her native city with the professors U. Haiberg and A. Gerhardt. As a
graduate student she studied in Mannheim, Detmold and finally in Bern
(Switzerland) where she received “Concert Diploma” with the highest note.
She has studied with Hermann Krebbers, György Pauk, Roman Totenberg, Antje
Weithaas and Mintcho Mintchev.
After completing various internships in German orchestras and the Symphony
of Bern Caroline moved to Spain as a violinist in the Philharmonic Orchestra
of Malaga. Since 2006 she is a member of the Orchestra of the Spanish
Capital Madrid.
As a chamber musician Caroline has been invited to play at festivals like
Kuhmo (Finland), Young Artists Bayreuth (Germany), Ascoli Piceno (Italy),
Thy Festival (Denmark), iPalpiti Artists International (Los Angeles), as
well as the Biennial for Jewish Music (Switzerland).
In 2005 she founded the International Chamber Music Festival ”Musikfest
Schloss Wonfurt” in Germany, and presents the forum of art as the
“Bismarck’scher Salon”.
Catharina Chen, Norway
iPalpiti Soloist 2008 - 2009
“…beautiful
tone, technically brilliant…charismatic and elegant…”
— Bergens Tidene
Born in Oslo, Norway in 1985, Catharina began studying violin at the age of 5 with her father. A soloist since the age of 8, she has soloed with all major orchestras in Norway. Well known to Norwegians through television and radio broadcast programs, Catharina is the recipient of numerous awards, and the youngest musician in Norway ever to be awarded the highly respected and prestigious Oslo City Culture Prize (2004).
Catharina is a Grand Prize winner in the third International Gnessin Violin Competition in Moscow, Russia (2003), and the 2nd Prize winner at the Jeuness Musicale International Violin Competition in Bucharest, Romania (2007).
Catharina’s status as one of Norway’s most promising young classical musicians ( a 1st prize winner in consecutive national violin competitions in Norway in 1996, 1998, 2000 and 2002) has earned her several major awards including The Norwegian Music Publishers’ Union “Prize of Honour”(2002), and the “Karoline Prize” for high achievement by in culture (2003). As a participant in different international arts festivals she has given solo and chamber concerts in Norway, Italy, China, Malaysia, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, France, and South Africa. Highlights of 2005-06 seasons included solo appearances with Shanghai Symphony Orchestra in their new Oriental Concert Hall in China, and with Beverly Hills Symphony Orchestra and Dallas Symphony orchestra in the USA. In 2007, she toured China with all-Grieg program in Shanghai, Hangzhou, Qingdao International Music Festival, and as a soloist with Qingdao Symphony Orchestra.
As participant in different international arts festivals she has given solo and chamber concerts in Norway, Italy, China, Malaysia, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, France, and South Africa. This season she performed the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and has been invited back to solo with the Beethoven Concerto next season. A Graduate of Barratt Due Institute of Music in Oslo, she currently works with Professor Eduard Schmieder in the Artist Certificate Program at the Temple University in Philadelphia. An iPalpiti artist since 2004, she has performed on the stages of Mozarteum Grosse Hall Salzburg, Carnegie Hall in New York, was a featured soloist at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles in 2008, and has been invited as solo recitalist to numerous concert series, including THE PREVIEWS in Manhattan Beach, Sundays Live! Broadcast series in the Bing Theatre of the Los Angeles County Art Museum, and Music in the Mansion in Beverly Hills.
In her native Norway, Catharina continues to be an attraction for the important musical and government occasions: in May 2008, she was the only artist invited to perform at the opening of the prestigious Bergen International Arts Festival, with King and Queen of Norway in attendance. With her talented violinist sister as a Duo, Catharina gave four concerts at the Festival, receiving standing ovations and great reviews from the media with headlines like, “Classic Family-strings on high level.”
*Television and radio broadcasting include:
“Bravo Bravissimo” in Italy 1996
The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation’s ‘Big Stage’ for young musicians with the Norwegian Radio Orchestra in 1998
New Year Celebration in Switzerland 2001
‘Eurovision’ broadcast with the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra in 2002
The Norwegian Prime Minister’s New Year Speech broadcasted in 2003
“Summer” of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons with Oslo Camerata broadcasted in Brazil
Norwegian National Television program: Great opportunity - A Live competition, youngest winner from the selected artists from around the country, 2003.
Concert from Bergen International Arts Festival on Norwegian National Television and Radio “Always Classic” - 2008
Sundays Live! KCSN 88.5 Los Angeles (Bartok Contrasts)
Website: www.catharinachen.net
Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, violinist Conrad Chow began his violin studies at the age of three. After graduating from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, he completed Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at Indiana University’s School of Music, where he studied under Miriam Fried. Dr. Chow completed his DMA from the State University of New York, Stony Brook, having studied under noted violinists Pamela Frank, Ani Kavafian, and Philip Setzer. Establishing his performing and teaching career in Canada, he concurrently works with Prof. Schmieder in the Artist Diploma/Post Doctoral program at the Boyer College at Temple University in Philadelphia.
A review in the Halifax Chronicle-Herald praised “the full, sweet, seductive intensity of Chow’s sound”, and his performance alongside Ani Kavafian with the Columbia Festival Orchestra was hailed as “ornate and satisfying” by the Albany Times Union. His recent appearances as soloist have included performances with the Brampton Symphony, Columbia Festival Orchestra, and the CAST Philomusica Orchestra. He has performed in such venues as the Mozarteum in Salzburg, New York’s Staller Center for the Arts, and Weston Recital Hall at the Toronto Center for the Arts. A prize-winner of the 2006 International Stepping Stone Competition in Quebec, he was a featured performer in numerous mid-western festivals. Recent recitals have included performances in the Dalhousie Faculty Chamber Series, St. Cecilia Concert Series and have been broadcast on CBC Radio.
As a chamber musician, he studied with the Grammy Award-winning Emerson String Quartet and appeared in performances with Paul Biss, Christina Dahl, David Finckel, and Miriam Fried. In 2001, his string quartet was winner of the Indiana University Kuttner String Quartet Competition, and the quartet-in-residence for the 2001-2002. He was a Visiting Assistant Professor of Violin at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia for the 2006-2007 season. Conrad joined iPalpiti in 2008.
Azer Damirov, Azerbaijan-Russia
Azer Damirov began his musical studies at
the age of eight. At 14, he was accepted in the Musical College of the
Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory in the class of Professor Maria
Keselman which he graduated in 2007 at the age of 20 with en equivalent
of Bachelor Degree Diploma. Azer participated
in master classes and festivals in Dortmund in Germany, Britten-Pearce
Orchestra in Great Britain, and Volga Regional Young Symphony festival.
Recipient of the Ministry of Culture Russian Federation' Stipend, Azer is
a Laureate of numerous national competitions. In 2007 Azer received a
Diploma
at the 14th Andrea Postacchini International Violin Competition in Fermo,
Italy, and a special iPalpiti prize for participation in the iPalpiti
Festival of International Laureates in Los Angeles.
In the fall 2008, Azer was accepted
into Artist Diploma Program at Boyer College at Temple University in the class of
Professor Schmieder.
Aisha
Dossumova was born in 1980 in Almaty, Kazakhstan. She started studying
violin in 1987 at K. Baiseitova under Professor Alma Abatova, and from
1998 to 2002 she continued at the Kazakh National Academy of Music, which
she graduated under Professor Aiman Mussakhodjayeva. In the USA, Aisha
continues her studies in the class of Professor Eduard Schmieder: in 2006
she received an Artist Diploma from the Meadows School of the Arts in
Dallas, and currently is in the Master Degree Program at the Temple
University in Philadelphia.
In 2002 Aisha won second prize in the Michelangelo Abbado International
Violin Competition in Italy, first prize in the Shabyt International Competition in
Kazakhstan, and a diploma in the W. A.
Mozart International Competition (Austria). From 1998 until 1999 she was
a Concertmaster of the Kazakh National Symphony Orchestra and the Kazakh
Chamber Orchestra Academy of Soloists from 2000 to 2002. She soloed with
Kazakh National Symphony Orchestra, with the
Academy of Soloists, conducted
by Robert Canetti (Israel). Aisha is an avid chamber musician and has also
participated in summer festivals at the Mozarteum Summer Academy Salzburg,
the Ost-West Musikfest (Austria), Musica in Laguna (Italy), and the
International Laureates Festival in Taos, New Mexico and Los Angeles.
A member of iPalpiti since 2004, she performed in Disney Hall in Los Angeles and Carnegie Hall in New York. As soloist with orchestras and as recitalist she performed in Austria, Italy, France, England, Russia, and Kazakhstan.
Born
in 1986 in Kishinev, Moldova, Alexander began playing the violin at the
age six. At the age of ten, he performed Kabalevsky Violin Concerto with
the Moldova Symphony Orchestra.
In 1999, Alexander came to the United States and continued his musical
studies at the Lucy Moses School at Kaufman Center in New York. As a
winner of the Concerto Competition, he soloed with the chamber orchestra,
and invited to participate in the Chamber Music Festival Music of
Vivaldi, performing Four Seasons. In 2001-02 he performed at
the Merkin Concert Hall, Naumburg Concert Series playing virtuosi works by
Vieuxtemps, Wieniawski and Sarasate. His performance was broadcast on "The
Listening Room" NY WQXR live from Merkin Concert Hall. Special
appearances in New York include performing for the mayors Michael Bloomberg and
David Dinkins and other celebrities from the entertainment world; in 2003
he was invited by the
New York's Mayor's Office to perform at the World Trade Center
Memorial Ceremony, playing Bach's Sonata in D minor.
In 2004 Alexander was accepted to the
Juilliard School in the class
of Professor Massao Kawasaki, receiving full scholarship. Winner of the
second prize and the special jury prize at the IV International
Competition of Jewish Culture in
Berlin (2005), Alexander also participated in the IInd China
International Violin Competition in
Qingdao where he was a
semi-finalist. Alexander has attended “Mozarteum” Festival in Salzburg and
a master-class series "Rencontres Musicales d'Enghien" in Belgium, under
the instruction of renowned pedagogue Zakhar Bron. Upcoming engagements
include performances of the Sibelius violin Concerto with the Bronx
Symphony Orchestra in New York, and Moldova Radio Symphony Orchestra in
Kishinev.
Born in Romania in
1986, she began playing violin at the age of 6, at the Music Highschool in
Baia Mare, under Prof. Ludovic Gebe. From 2000 – 2004 she continued at the
“George Enescu” Music Highschool in Bucharest, with Prof. Mihaela Tomescu.
Currently in the last year of her studies at the National Music University
in Bucharest, Nora was “Erasmus” award recipient for the academic year
of 2006 - 2007 at the Musikhochschule Koeln with Prof. Mihaela Martin.
Nora took part in master classes of Liviu Ghitea, Sherban Lupu, Semion
Yaroshevich and Alexandru Tomescu. As an iPalpiti member with
iPalpiti Artists International since 2004, Nora toured the USA, Slovenia,
Austria and Israel, performing in prestigious concert halls of Mozarteum
in Salzburg, YMCA in Jerusalem, Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles,
and Carnegie Hall in New York.
Nora
Hapca has won awards in 20 national and international competitions,
including second Grand Prize at the “Remember Enescu” International
Competition in 2003 and the Special Artist Prize from Young Artists
International in 2004 and 2005. As a soloist, Nora has soloed with
numerous Romanian orchestras, and has given concerts and recitals in
Belgium, Bulgaria, Italy, and Romania, and in France. In May 2006, she was
invited to represent her country in the “National Music Students Festival”
in Kyoto, Japan.
Ellen Jung, Canada/Korea
The trio has appeared in concerts all across North America as well as around the world. Winners of the Grand Prize at the 2002 Yellow Springs Chamber Music Competition and the Bronze Medal at the 2002 Fischoff Competition, the Jung Trio has been featured in The Strad, Strings, and Auditorium (Korea) magazines, in broadcasts and on television. Born and raised in Toronto, they received their early music training at the Royal Conservatory of Music. Highlights from the past seasons include performances of the Beethoven Triple Concerto with the State Symphony Orchestra of Tatarstan in Kazan, Russia, in Los Angeles with the Korean Symphony Orchestra, and in Toronto with the Korean-Canadian Symphony Orchestra, engagements in Korea, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, and Toronto. The Jung Trio has appeared at numerous festivals and was a Trio-in-Residence at the Banff Centre for the Arts in 1998. In the summer of 2007, Jung Trio was selected and featured as iPalpiti Debut Artists in its annual Festival of International Laureates in Los Angeles. As a soloist, Ellen has been featured with the Korean-Canadian Symphony, North York Symphony, and University of Toronto Symphony and Chamber Orchestras, to name a few.
A frequent performer of new music, Ellen premiered a work of Canadian composer Lusiana Lukman “A” for Solo Violin, which was written for her in 1998; and the world premiere of the Trio for Horn, Piano, and Violin by Norwegian composer Trygve Madsen at the International Horn Summit in Banff. Ellen received Bachelor of Music at University of Toronto (under Lorand Fenyves and David Zafer ) and Master of Music and Artist Diploma from Yale School of Music. In 2000, she was the recipient of a Chalmers Award from the Ontario Arts Council. She has taught at the Classical Conservatory of Music in Toronto, Yale School of Music, and currently teaches both privately and at Opus119 - The School of Music in Irvine, CA. www.jungtrio.com
Nobuko Kawamura
was born in Morioka, in Northern Japan. She started playing violin at the age
of four, and received a Winner’s Medal at the Children’s Competition of Japan at
age ten. She studied at the famous Toho Gakuen School of Music from 1998 to
2001 with Professor Kyoko Suzuki. In 2005 she graduated at the top in her class
from Toho Gakuen University of Music in Tokyo, where she studied with Professor
Tugio Tokunaga. Nobuko was selected as a soloist for the Graduation Concert,
and also named Yomiuri New Young Artist in Tokyo. In 2007 she performed as a
soloist with orchestras across Japan.
In the Fall of 2006 Nobuko was accepted in the class of Professor Eduard
Schmieder at the Meadows School of the Arts in Dallas, Texas into Artist
Certificate Program, and followed him to Temple University in Philadelphia into
the Artist Diploma Program. As a soloist and chamber musician Nobuko has
performed in Switzerland, France, Germany, and Japan.
iPalpiti “Junior” Elena Kawazu, violin soloist/USA
" ...a small girl playing an equally diminutive violin, played the Mendelssohn concerto with a strong personality
and dramatic sense" -The Strad (2008)
Born in California, 10-year-old Elena Kawazu has made her orchestral debut at
age 9 with Staatskapelle Weimar in Germany, performing the Mendelssohn
Concerto, and later appeared with Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.
In 2007 Elena won the 2nd prize and a special award at the 5th International Louis Spohr Competition for Young Violinists as the youngest contestant, and was the youngest Top Prize Winner and a special award recipient of the IBLA International Grand Prize Competition. The youngest contestant ever to advance to the semi-final of the 2008 Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition for Young Violinists, she has been a winner of top prizes and awards in numerous international and national competitions. Despite her young age, Elena already has performed in Japan, Portugal, Italy, Germany, and England. Recently her performance was featured on WFMT radio and she has received media attention abroad. Her engagements this year include NY debut at the Carnegie Weill Recital Hall in April, and solo recital concert tour in the United States. In July 2008 she will perform solo with acclaimed iPalpiti orchestra of international laureates at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, selected as a first-time iPalpiti “Junior”. Elena was invited to take part in BBC documentary “The Science of Talent,” and by the RDF Media Group in London to be featured in a 3 part series for Channel 4, one of the major British broadcasters, about classical music and young musical talents. Recently she was named a 2008 Davidson Fellow Honorable Mention in the field of Music toward improving the lives of others by the Davidson Institute for Talent Development for her project, "If I Could Touch Your Heart."
Robert Kowalski, Poland
Robert Kowalski was born in Gdansk, Poland in 1985. He began his music education at the age of 7 and at 11, gave his orchestral debut performing the Mendelssohn concerto with the Polish Baltic State Opera orchestra. In 2003 he graduated from the Academy, and continued at the Mannheim University of Music and Performing Arts, also participating in master courses with renowned violin instructors. As a soloist, Robert is a winner of numerous awards such as the First Prize in the International Contessa Tina Orsi Anguissola Scotti Chamber Music Competition in Italy (2005), Alexander Tansman International Competition in Lódź, Poland (2004), First Prize of the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage’s Young Artist and Scientist Award, and has received support from the government-sponsored National Foundation for Gifted Children throughout the years. At home and abroad, he gives recitals and has performed with orchestras such as the Capella Gedaniensis and the Baltic States Opera House, at music festivals in Switzerland and Italy, and has made numerous recordings for television and radio. Robert has played chamber music with such artists as Bernard Greenhouse, Michael Flaksman, Joshua Epstein, and Jose Gallardo. 2007 highlights include solo appearance with Kurpfalzisches Kammerorchester in Germany which was live-broadcasted by Croatian Radio, live-broadcast Duo concert in Zagreb, and a recording of his debut CD in Poland. Selected by Young Artists International in 2004, he was featured in chamber ensembles, and performed with iPalpiti on tours to Israel and Austria, at Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, and Carnegie Hall in New York.
Isabelle Lambelet, Switzerland
Born in Lausanne, Isabelle Lambelet had her first violin lessons at the age of four and was accepted at the age of thirteen in Tibor Varga class in the Ecole Supérieure de Musique de Sion. She pursued her studies with Kolja Blacher in Hamburg and Christoph Poppen in Munich, where she graduated with a Meisterklassen Diploma in 2007. She also participated in master classes with such violinists as Sir Yehudi Menuhin, Eduard Schmieder, and Hermann Krebbers.
Miss Lambelet has won several
prizes and competitions, including First prize at the Swiss Youth Competition,
First prize at the Elyse Meyer Competition in Hamburg, a special prize at the
Concours
des Jeunes Interprètes
in Wattrelos, France.
As a chamber musician she has been invited by Davos Festival, Divonne Festival,
Tibor Varga Festival,
Festspiele
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern,
Sommerliche Musiktage
Hitzacker, among others. With her Trio Zéphyr she worked with musicians such as
Menahem Pressler, Gabor Tákàcs Nagy, Bruno Canino, and received First Prizes at
the Chamber Music Competition of the Migros Cultural Foundation, the Charles
Hennen International Music Competition in Holland, and the Hamburg Chamber Music
Competition.
As a soloist, Miss Lambelet appears with many orchestras, including the Budapest Chamber Orchestra, Sir Georg Solti Chamber Orchestra, Sinfonietta Lausanne, Neues Orchester Basel, Hamburger Orchestergemeinschaft, Junge Symphoniker München and Deutsche Akademische Philharmonie. She created the world premiere of Laurent Mettraux 2nd concerto, which was dedicated to her and made many television- and radio broadcasts as well. Selected by Young Artists International in 2004, Isabelle was featured in solo and chamber ensembles, and since then performed on tour as an iPalpiti member at prestigious venues like the Mozarteum in Salzburg, the Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and the Carnegie Hall in New York. In September 2008, Isabelle was invited to be part of the Lucerne Festival Orchestra in a series of concert in Vienna, under the baton of Claudio Abbado.
Born
in Tartu, Estonia in 1984, Mari-Liis Pakk began violin lessons at the age
of 4. In 2003 she graduated Tallinn Music High School and came to the
U.S.A. to study with Professor Eduard Schmieder at the Meadows School of
the Arts in Dallas, currently continuing with him at the Temple University in Philadelphia.
Mari-Liis has participated in many national and international competitions. As the First Prize winner in the European String Teachers Association competition (2003), she was invited to perform a solo program in the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique in Paris during the ESTA conference. She is a two-time winner of a full scholarship from International Holland Music Sessions. She has performed solo with orchestras in Estonia, and with the Meadows Symphony in Dallas as the winner of the concerto competition. As a soloist and chamber musician, Mari-Liis has performed in Finland, Germany, Holland, Austria, France, Israel, and the U.S. A member of iPalpiti since 2006, she took part in the first International Chamber Music Festival in Eilat, and performed in Disney Hall in Los Angeles, and Carnegie Hall in New York.
Marie-Stéphanie Radauer-Plank, Austria
Born
in Salzburg, Austria in 1986 Marie-Stephanie Radauer-Plank began her violin
studies in 1990 at the music school of Salzburg teacher Paula Zamastil, and
continued at the University Mozarteum Salzburg from 1996 to 2005 with
Professors Benjamin Schmid and Lukas Hagen. Since 2005 she has studied
violin with Professor Ulf Schneider of the Hochschule fur Musik und Theater
Hannover, and has taken master classes with noted violinists and pedagogues.
A Third Prize-winner at the 5th International Louis Spohr Violin
Competition in Weimar in 2007, she also received iPalpiti Prize for
the participation in the iPalpiti International Laureates Festival in
Los Angeles. Marie has also received top prizes at the International Music
Competition “Alpen-Adria Marcosig” for violin in Gorizia, Italy, and at the
International Music Competition of Citta Di Pietra in Ligure, Italy in
violin and piano. She also received 1st and 2nd prizes in the National
Competition for Young Musicians “Jugend Musiziert” between 1996 and 2000.
Ms. Radauer-Plank has been a member of the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester
(GMJO) from 2003 to 2005. In December 2008, Marie-Stephanie was a soloist
with iPalpiti in Vevey, Switzerland.
Peter Rainer, Germany (Concertmaster)
Peter studied violin in the U.S. with Professor Eduard Schmieder at the Meadows School of the Arts, where he received his Artist Certificate in 1994 and his Master of Violin Performance degree in 1995. Upon his return to Germany, he was concertmaster of the Brandenburgische Philharmonie in Potsdam from 1996 to 2000. He has been a faculty member at the Universitat Potsdam since 1997 and has worked as the assistant to Professor Schmieder at the Holland Music Sessions and at the Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Peter has been a member and leader of iPalpiti since 1994. In 2005 he received a commendation from the City of Los Angeles for his leadership of iPalpiti and his contributions to the culture. Since 2007 he is on the faculty at the "Universität der Künste" in Berlin. Music-loving children know Peter Rainer through his many interactive concerts he developed for children in the past 10 years. This year’s new production for children is a mystery story about Vivaldi, commissioned by the "Musikfestspiele Potsdam." In December 2008, Peter lead iPalpiti in a special concert at the Nestle Center in Vevey, Switzerland.
Deniz Toygür was born in
Ankara, in 1988. She started her musical life with Feruza Abdullaeva in
Bilkent University School of Music and Performing Arts in 1999, and
throughout the years has performed numerous recitals as well as solo
performances with a number of orchestras in Turkey. During her education,
she has participated master classes of Vanya Milanova, Mintcho Mintchev,
Vesselin Paraschkevov, Alexander Vinnitski and Alexander Markov. Deniz
graduated from
Bilkent
University Music Preparatory School in 2005 with highest honors. Currently
in the last year of her studies at Bilkent University School of Music
and Performing Arts (Chamber Music with Elena Gnezdilova, and violin with
Feruza Abdullaeva), Deniz is a first violinist of the Bilkent Youth
Quartet, and a concertmaster of the Bilkent Youth Symphony Orchestra.
First Prize winner in “Pancho
Vladigerov 6th International Competition of German and Austrian
Music” in
Bourgas, Bulgaria, Deniz also received a special award for her performance
of German composer Jeannot Heinen’s “Concert Partita.” In October 2006, in
“2nd National Gülden Turalı Violin Competition”,
Mersin,
she received the second place in adult category.
Deniz and her partner, pianist Cihan
Yücel, participated in the “Violin & Piano Masterclass” of Pierre Amoyal
and Bruno Canino in
Académie de Musique de
Lausanne, Switzerland.
She joined to World Youth Symphony Orchestra in Summer 2007 as one of
concertmasters, and was also invited to the World Youth Chamber Orchestra
in Winter 2007.
Deniz plays Italian violin c. 1936, made by Emmanuel Egildo. The violin
was given her as a present by an impressed patron from Switzerland after
her performance with the Academy of Lausanne.
Born in 1983 in Dolny Kubin in the north of Slovakia, Daniel started taking violin lessons at the age of 7, and soon received a Gold Medal at the Children´s Interpretation Contest of Slovakia, and became a Laureate at the International Kocian Violin Competition in Usti n. Orlici, Czech Republic. Since 1997, Daniel continued violin studies at the State Conservatory of Music in Bratislava. As a prize-winner in the Slovak Conservatories Students competition and the National Violin “Award of Karol Dobias“ competition he soloed with the Symphony Orchestra of Conservatory in Bratislava, with the Bohdan Warchal Slovak Chamber Orchestra, Slovak Radio Orchestra and VSMU Symphony.
In 2003, Daniel joined the faculty of the Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Bratislava. From 2003 to 2005, he was a member of the prestigious Bohdan Warchal Slovak Chamber Orchestra. In 2006 he was invited to join Capella Istropolitana in Bratislava for several concert performances and recording projects in Slovakia and abroad. Daniel regularly performs solo and ensembles in music festivals and special events in Slovakia, and featured as a soloist with the State Philharmonic Orchestra of Kosice and State Chamber Orchestra.
Furthering his international education, Daniel was studied at the University of Music and Dramatic Arts in Vienna (2005), participated in international master courses in Netherlands and Austria, and in January 2007 was accepted in the class of Professor Schmieder at the Temple University in Philadelphia. Concurrently, he is a member of the Bratislava Chamber Soloists and the Solistes Europeens, Luxemburg. From July 2009, Daniel has accepted position of the first violinist in the Trondheim Symphony and Trondheim Soloists, Norway.
Jeroen began his studies on a violin at Hogeschool Zuyd – Conservatorium Maastricht where he received Bachelor of Music Degree in violin (2004) and Theory of Music (2003). He continued his Master of Music studies as a violist with Marc Tooten at the Lemmeninstituut Leuven, and received his degree in 2006, and continuing working with Professor Tooten, received a Post Graduate Degree in Viola Zuid-Nederlandse Hogeschool voor Muziek.
Jeroen speaks fluently Dutch, German, English and basic in French and Italian.As a freelance violist, Jeroen has worked extensively with numerous chamber ensembles and orchestras in Netherlands and Belgium, and presently also is a solo violist with the Tilburg Chamber Orchestra of Holland.
As a chamber musician, Karel has appeared at festivals in Belgium, Italy (Casalmaggiore), Spain (Pablo Casals, Segovia), Mexico (Erasmo Capilla), and for the Foundation Jong Artistiek Talent. He has been a member of the Brussels Chamber Orchestra, and has been invited as a guest artist by ensembles including the Flemish Radio Orchestra, Orchestre de Chambre du Luxembourg “Les Musiciens”, Charlemagne Chamber Orchestra, Il Novecento, and the Millennium Chamber Players. A broad musical interest has also lead him into collaborations with renowned pop- and jazz-formations such as Bjork, Hooverphonic and David Lynx. Since he moved to Chicago in September 2007, where he is currently completing a Viola Performance Diploma at the Chicago College of Performing Arts, Roosevelt University under Roger Chase, he has been the principal violist of the Chicago College of Performing Arts Chamber and Symphony Orchestras, as well as of the Lira Symphony Orchestra, has performed contemporary chamber works, and is a member of the Chicago Civic Orchestra for the 2008-2009 season.
Since his solo debut at age of eight, Bulgarian-born violist Rumen Cvetkov has performed throughout Europe, Asia, the Middle-East, South America, and the United States. As a soloist and as member of many chamber ensembles, he has appeared at venues such as the Bulgaria Concert Hall, the Walt Disney Concert Hall (LA),Carnegie Zankel Hall (NY), Palacio de Bellas Artes (Mexico City), St.Micheli Cathedral (Brussels), Desingel Concert Hall (Antwerp), and has collaborated with prominent artists including Jose Feghali and members of Borromeo and Kronos Quartets. His festival appearances include Red Sea Festival, iPalpiti, Mimir, Bruman, Athens, as well as the “Music in the Old City” Festival and “European Culture Month.” He has been a guest artist for the Van Cliburn Institute and most recently, he was invited to become a faculty member of the Chamber Music Roundup in Fort Worth. Highlights of 2007-08 seasons include recitals in Europe and the USA; performances of Harold in Italy and Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante; performance with legendary Bernard Greenhouse in Manheim among many other chamber music appearances.
Educated in both Bulgaria and the United States, Mr. Cvetkov was one of the few students of the late professor Georgy Naidenoff, pupil of renowned Feodor Druzhinin. Later, he studied with Misha Galaganov (an iPalpiti alumnus), Roger Chase, and Shmuel Ashkenasi. He was Co-Principal Violist of Chicago Civic Orchestra (2005 -2008) under the directorship of Bernard Haitink. Since 2004, he is a member of iPalpiti orchestra of international laureates, where he also is a co-principal, and performs in chamber ensembles during its annual International Laureates Festival in Los Angeles. In addition of performing as a soloist and chamber musician in Europe under www.virtuosoartistsmanagement.com, in September 2008 Rumen assumed position of solo viola with Tilburg Chamber Orchestra of Holland. Mr. Cvetkov performs on a rare viola made by Simon Schodler in 1785 and named, “The Time.”
orea violinist/violist
Vladimir Dyo has won awards in numerous competitions, including First Prize
in the Michelangelo Abbado International Competition in Milan, Grand Prize
in the International Violin Competition in Astana, Kazakhstan, and Second
Prize in the International Yampolsky Competition in Russia.
He began studying violin at the age of 7 at the
State’s Special Music School for gifted children.
At 12, he had his first solo appearance with the Kazakh State Orchestra and
since, has performed regularly with major orchestras of
Kazakhstan, frequently touring the countries of the former Soviet Union.
Vladimir
won
first prize in the National Competition of Kazakhstan (being the youngest
participant at 14), and was a recipient of a President’s stipend awarded by
the State Secretary of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Other awards include the
New Names International Program (Moscow, Russia) and Dubna’s Foundation of
Arts for “sincere and artistic” performance, the International
Charitable Foundation “Meerim", Tuesday Musical
Club in
San Antonio,
Texas.
He
has participated in various international music festivals as a soloist and
chamber musician, including the Graduates of the Moscow Conservatory, Ost-West
Musikfest, Prague-Wienna-Budapest, Mozarteum, the Cliburn Institute,
iPalpiti International Laureates Festival in Los Angeles, and has been
invited to give master classes and perform in the International Music
Festival in Seoul, Korea.
As a soloist and the concertmaster of the Kazakh State Chamber Orchestra
“Academy of Soloists” Vladimir has toured and performed in many countries
including Austria, Italy, France, England, Japan, South Korea, Poland,
Russia and U.S.A. After graduation from Kazakh National Academy of Music in
Astana, Kazakhstan, Vladimir continues his education in the
US,
in the class of Professor Eduard Schmieder, receiving Artist Certificate
Diploma in 2004 and Master Degree in 2006 from the Meadows School of the
Arts in Dallas, and a Doctoral degree from the Temple
University in Philadelphia. Interested in teaching, Vladimir is building a
prominent reputation in Philadelphia.
Born in Montreal, violist Juan-Miguel Hernandez began his musical studies at
the age of seven. A First Place Laureate of the Sphinx Competition, he has
performed as soloist with orchestras including the Atlanta and Colorado
Symphonies, and the Rochester Philharmonic, among others. In addition to
being a faculty member at the Sphinx Performance Academy, he has
participated regularly in festivals including the Banff, Domain Forget,
Colorado Springs, and Sarasota Music Festivals.
Juan-Miguel is a founding member of the Harlem Quartet. Comprised of First
Place Laureates of the Sphinx Competition, quartet made its critically
acclaimed Carnegie Hall debut in 2006, returning two more times afterwards.
Under Sciolino Artist
Management,
Quartet aims to advance diversity in classical music while engaging new
audiences through the discovery and presentation of varied repertoire,
highlighting works by minority composers. The Harlem Quartet has released a
CD with the White Pine music label featuring Wynton Marsalis' "At the
Octoroon Balls," and in 2009 will release an album with the Naxos label
featuring quartets by the American composer Walter Piston. While keeping
performing engagements, Juan-Miguel is also continuing his studies at the
Colburn Conservatory of Music in the studio of Paul Coletti.
Selected by iPalpiti Artists
International in 2004, he toured with iPalpiti orchestral
ensemble of international laureates, and in chamber performances in
Bled Festival (Slovenia),
Mozarteum (Salzburg, Austria), Carinthia, Eilat International Chamber Music
Festival, YMCA Hall, Jerusalem (Israel), and International Laureates
Festivals in Taos, NM and Los Angeles (Disney Concert Hall).
In
December 2008, the Harlem Quartet performed at the
Library
of Congress
on
Antonio
Stradivari's
prized instruments in the library's collection.
Miguel was playing 1727 "Cassavetti" viola
for 3 days!
A graduate of the Kazan State Conservatoire, Adelya Shagidullina is a First Prize winner of the International Music Competition in Toglliatty, Russia (2007), winner of the second prize the All Russian Music Competition (2005), and a First Prize winner and special prize the international J.S. Bach competition (2003), among others.
Named Fellow of the Art Department of Russia (2003-2006), and Fellow of Russian Performing Art (2007-2008), Adelya has performed in Moscow, Paris, and extensively throughout her native Tatarstan, and its capital, Kazan.
Selected as a principal violist of numerous youth international orchestras under direction of prominent conductors such as Yuri Simonov, most recently in International Youth Symphony of Commonwealth of Independent States, and the Russian and European Symphony Orchestra, Adelya has been working professionally in Kazan State Chamber Orchestra “La Primavera” and Kazan State Symphony Orchestra.
Thomas Weilbach received his Diploma of Arts at the Munich College of Music and participated in international master classes of solo and chamber music. In 2003, he founded the Preysing String Quartet and has been playing with the group as first violin at numerous venues. He performs with the Amati Ensemble Munich and the Augsburg Chamber Soloists, and often freelances with the Munich Chamber Orchestra. Thomas is focused on his career as a chamber and orchestral musician, as well as on being a teacher of violin & viola. Mr. Weilbach has taught violin since 2001 at the Erding School of Music. In November 2003, he received a university teaching position in the Augsburg College of Music. Highlights of the season included solo performance of the Bartók Concerto for Viola and the Mozart Sinfonia Concertante and in chamber ensemble with Anne Sophie Mütter and members of her foundation. He has been a violist in iPalpiti since 2004.
Violoncellists
Regarded as “a strikingly mature and
gifted musician” (Edmonton
Sun), the young Franco-American cellist enjoys a career that takes him to
major venues across the
United States
and abroad. Winner of top prizes in the
Ima Hogg, Klein, and Juilliard competitions, Yves made his
professional concerto debut at the age of 16, performing Tchaikovsky’s
Rococo Variations with the Florida Orchestra to a critical acclaim. As
part of the Juilliard School’s Centennial Celebration, he was invited to
perform William Schuman’s The Song of Orpheus at Avery Fisher Hall
with James DePriest and the Juilliard Orchestra. Other solo appearances
with orchestras included Houston Symphony, Edmonton Symphony, and the
Atlantic Classical Orchestra, among others. His radio broadcast solo
debut was on WFMT 98.7 FM Chicago on the Dame Myra Hess Series.
He performed at numerous festivals
including Music@Menlo, National Arts Centre, Steans Institute at Ravinia
Festival, Banff Centre for the Arts, Sarasota Music Festival, and was
chosen to the Perlman Music Program’s inaugural season with the honor of
collaborating with violinist Itzhak Perlman at the
Metropolitan
Museum.
As a chamber musician, Yves has
performed with Timothy Eddy, Atar Arad, Misha Dichter, Musicians from
Ravinia Chamber Music Tour with Miriam Fried, and is a founding member of
the Moët Trio. Mr. Dharamraj also belongs to Ne(x)tworks, a cutting-edge
group of performing composers, and has toured with the Grammy
Award-nominated Yale Cellos, performing at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie,
the Manchester International Cello Festival and the Rencontres d’Ensembles
de Violoncelles in Beauvais, France.
Yves has
recorded the works of Earle Brown with Ne(x)tworks (Mode), the chamber
music of Valentin Silvestrov (Koch), and the music of Dave Brubeck with
the Yale Cellos (Naxos).
Yves began his cello studies at the
age of four and performed in public soon afterward.
He graduated cum laude from
Yale University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History, a Master of
Music degree, and an Artist Diploma under the guidance of the renowned
pedagogue Aldo Parisot. He has
participated in master classes with Yo-Yo Ma, Bernard Greenhouse, William
Pleeth, Frans Helmerson, Christoph Eschenbach, Gary Hoffman, Claude Frank,
the Beaux Arts Trio, and the
Tokyo and Juilliard
String Quartets.
He further studied in Joel Krosnick and Darrett Adkins’s studio at the
Juilliard School as the recipient of the 2004 Victor Herbert Scholarship
and 2005 C.V. Starr Doctorate of Musical Arts Fellowship. He now serves
as Mr. Krosnick’s teaching assistant.
Dharamraj plays a 1719 Stradivari
cello, the “Duke of
Marlborough,”
a
generous gift to The Juilliard School from Daniel Saidenberg, lent to him
from the Juilliard Rare Instrument Collection.
Marie-Stéphanie Janecek-Juma, Switzerland
Born in Lausanne of Swiss-German and Czech parentage Marie-Stéphanie Janecek studied with Ivan Monighetti at the Musikhochschule of Basel, receiving first prize with honors diploma in 2004. She has taken part in master classes with Janos Starker, Frans Helmerson, Ralph Kirshbaum, Maria Kliegel, and at the Kronberg and Verbier Academies was chosen to perform in the closing concerts.
Her appearances as soloist include performances with the London Soloists Orchestra, the North Hungarian Chamber Orchestra, touring the Czech Republic, and recital engagements in London, Paris, Geneva, Gstaad, Rome and Avignon; 2008 - 2009 concerts scheduled in Japan and the United States.
An artist of unique personal charm and musical charisma, Marie-Stéphanie has collaborated in chamber music with Joshua Bell, Jeremy Denk, Sarah Chang, Gary Hoffman, Robert McDuffie, Gérard Wyss. She has appeared at the Gstaad Sommets Musicaux Festival, La Jolla Festival in California, the Verbier Festival, the Tibor Varga Festival, Schleswig-Holstein Festival, Davos Festival, Manchester Cello Festival, and had the honour to be chosen to perform with Mstislav Rostropovich on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Highlights of 2007 included the Rome Chamber Music festival, where she spontaneously agreed to step on stage with the two Jazz Masters, Paquito D’Rivera and Alon Yavnai, for a “Jazz Debut” which she describes as a Magical Musical discovery.
Her awards are many, and she can be heard on CD as part of the Musical Talents of Europe (volume VII), compiled by Deutsche Welle. In addition to being an artist of the Swiss Global Artistic Foundation, Marie-Stéphanie is a laureate of the “Fondation de Groupe Populaire” (Natexis), as recipient of their prestigious grant. Marie-Stéphanie is playing a Matteo Goffriller from 1716.
Julie is a member of the Jung Trio - sisters Jennie, Ellen, and Julie -“a spectacular group with wonderful musicality at their fingertips,” one of the notable rising young ensembles of today www.jungtrio.com . As a soloist Julie performed with the Toronto Symphony, Canadian Chamber Academy, Korean-Canadian Symphony and the Taejon Symphony Orchestras, to name a few. Extensive list of chamber music performances includes appearances at the Verbier (Switzerland) and Manchester (England) festivals, a tour of Germany with the NEC Chamber Orchestra as well as performances in Malaysia, Japan, and Russia. Julie graduated with a Bachelor or Music degree from University of Toronto, and Master of Music from New England Conservatory of Music (with professor Laurence Lesser) before joining her sisters at Yale School of Music, where she completed the Artist Diploma as a student of Aldo Parisot. Julie serves on faculty at the Claremont Community School of Music in Claremont, CA where the trio is currently Trio-in-Residence. Winners of the Grand Prize at the 2002 Yellow Springs Chamber Music Competition and the Bronze Medal at the 2002 Fischoff Competition, The Jung Trio has been featured in Strad, Strings, and Auditorium (Korea) magazines. The Trio has appeared at numerous festivals including the Banff Centre for the Arts, where they served as Trio-in-Residence in 1998.Selected by iPalpiti Artists International as debut artists in 2007, the Trio performed during the 10th & 11th International Laureates Festival as part of iPalpiti in chamber music concerts and in the Walt Disney Concert Hall. The trio’s debut CD on Groove Records was released in 2009.
Laszlo Mezo, Hungary
Born in Budapest, Hungary to a family with a long tradition in music,
Laszlo Mezo-Arruda began his cello studies in 1986 at the age of six.
His father Laszlo Mezo, cello professor in the Liszt Ferenc University
of Music, Cavalier of violoncello, juror in some of the most important
cello Competitions and Festivals and cellist of the 50-year-old Bartok
Quartet has had a profound influence in his son Laszlo’s professional
development. Laszlo Mezo-Arruda won first Prize in the “Kertesz Otto
Memorial Competition” in 1998, and in the same year, he took the Fourth
prize in the “Antonio Janigro Junior International Competition”. He won
second prize in the “International David Popper Competition” in 2000 and
was awarded the “Special Prize” in 2004. As a soloist with orchestras,
Laszlo has appeared in numerous concerto performances in Europe with
maestros Adam Fischer, Kalman Zaborszky, Zsolt Hamar and Jerzy Swoboda.
He has also performed in chamber music concerts and festivals in
countries like Hungary, Romania, Czech Republic, Austria, Germany,
Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Croatia, France and Slovakia with esteemed
chamber music partners such as pianists Gabor Farkas, Marta Gulyas ,
Piotr Folkert and Balazs Szokolay, violinist Kristof Barati, cellist
Philipp Muller and the Bartok-Quartett. Always eager to teach, Laszlo
has held master classes in Japan, Switzerland, Hungary,
and at the University of New Mexico, USA.
Laszlo graduated with a Masters degree from the Liszt Ferenc University
of Music in 2002. From 2004 to 2006 he studied in the class of
Professor Walter Nothas and received his second Master’s degree from the
Hochschule fur Musik und Theater Munchen in 2006. Laszlo’s took master
classes with noted professors, and was in the class of Tchaikovsky
Competition laureate Nathaniel Rosen at the
University of Southern California in Los Angeles in 2007-2008. In June 2008,
Laszlo won the First Prize in the Ima Hogg Young Artist Competition and
on June 6 soloed with Houston Symphony. This season he also joined the
Pacific Symphony Orchestra.
Evgeny-Eliah Sakakushev, Bulgaria/Spain
An accomplished chamber musician, Evgeny appeared in many concerts and festivals throughout Europe, Israel, the USA, Russia and Japan with such musicians as Dora Schwarzberg, Bruno Giuranna, Alberto Lysy, Eduard Schmieder, Yuri Gandelsman, and Roman Nodel. Evgeny enjoys a chamber duo–partnership with the Argentinean pianist José Gallardo with whom he recorded a recital CD with works by Robert Schumann.
Among numerous international prizes and distinctions are the first prize at the National Competition, 2nd Prize at the "Obretenov - Competition" in Bulgaria, the Mendelssohn Competition in Berlin, as well as the Grand Premio at the Chamber Music Competition in Varenna, Italy.
Born into a family of great medical tradition in Bulgaria in 1978, Evgeny has trained in Vienna and Mannheim with Professor Michael Flaksman, studied at the Menuhin Academy in Switzerland and took part in numerous master classes throughout Europe with renowned teachers as Ivan Monighetti, Victoria Yagling, Gary Hoffman, and Eleonore Schoenfeld. In 2002 he joined the cello faculty at the prestigious Kronberg Academy (“the cello capital of the world”) in Germany.
Based in Spain since 2003, Evgeny occupied the principal cello chair of the Orquesta Filarmónica de Málaga from 2003 -2006, and frequently performed with the Basque National Orchestra, San Sebastián. In 2005 he co-founded the “Musikfest Schloss Wonfurt” in northern Bavaria, where he is designated artistic director.
As a member of the iPalpiti since 2000, Evgeny toured Japan and Israel, and in 2007 was a principal cellist on a concert tour in Philadelphia and New York. Currently Evgeny is a principal cellist at the Sao Paulo Symphony, Brazil and Orchestra of the Spanish Capital Madrid.
At
age 21, Ecuadorian-Spanish cellist Francisco Vila is a Presidential Award
Scholarship student at The Boston Conservatory. He plays frequently with
renowned classical pianist Sergey Schepkin in the “Schepkin –
Vila Duo.”
The duo has toured Florida and played concerts in Boston and Pittsburgh.
Vila has participated in master classes with Aldo Parisot at the Banff
Centre Summer Music Program in Canada, and at the Mozarteum Sommerakademie
in Salzburg, Austria with Gary Hoffman. Recently, Vila was accepted to
participate in the annual New York String Orchestra Seminar (NYSOS) under
the direction of Jaime Laredo, giving him the opportunity to perform
during the Christmas season at Carnegie Hall in New York. Vila has also
been invited to join iPalpiti Artists International, and will
perform with this group for the first time in 2009 in Philadelphia and New
York under the direction of Maestro Eduard Schmieder. Upcoming
performances include a night of modern music with Grammy-nominated
composer Apostolos Paraskevas at Weill Hall (Carnegie Hall) on April 3,
2009. Vila plays a Benjamin Banks cello, made in Salisbury, England 1770.
Double Bass
Heralded as “a remarkable talent” (Times Columnist), Daniel Nix is an American-born double bassist currently residing in British Columbia, Canada. While under the mentorship of renowned solo bassist Gary Karr, he completed a Bachelor of Music degree with distinction at the University of Victoria. Daniel has since embarked on a lucrative career as soloist and chamber musician performing throughout North America and Europe. He recently toured the Baltic as soloist with the Estonian National Male Choir and the Pärnu City Orchestra performing works by Gavin Bryars. Daniel’s debut album as concerto soloist, Silva Caledonia, features Bryars’ Ian in the Broch (composed specifically for Daniel), and Concerto for Double Bass “Farewell to St. Petersburg.” To profile his achievements, the Strad magazine featured Daniel in the ‘Launch Pad’ series which spotlights up-and-coming artists. In addition to his burgeoning solo career, Daniel is in great demand as a chamber musician. He is a founding member of the Saturna Trio, which performs works for piano trio as part of Daniel’s continuing commitment to expand the presence of the double bass in chamber music.
Kristoffer Saebo, USA/Australia
Bassist
Kristoffer Saebo is a versatile soloist, bass guitarist, chamber and
orchestral musician. He performs regularly with The Chris Norman
Ensemble, Grammy Award-Winner Paul Halley; and the Alaskan Native Band
Pamuya, with whom he showcased at the 45th Annual Grammy Awards. Since
2005, he is a member of iPalpiti Orchestral Ensemble of
International Laureates, with whom he toured Slovenia, Austria, the U.S.,
and Israel, including concerts at the Mozarteum Grosse Hall, Salzburg;
Disney Hall, Los Angeles; and Carnegie Hall, New York. Mr. Saebo has
performed contemporary music with such groups as
Alarm Will
Sound, Argento Chamber Ensemble,
and
Anechoic Chamber Ensemble. Also an active composer, Kristoffer's work
has been featured in the motion picture Sir John Soane: An English
Architect, An American Legacy (Checkerboard Film Foundation), as well
as in the short firm The Projectionist (Director Michael Bates,
Foreign Exchange Film and Music Festival).
Born in Australia, Mr. Saebo has lived most of his life in the United
States. He received his Master of Music Degree from the Juilliard School
in 2006 as a student of Orin O'Brien and his Bachelor of Music degree from
The Juilliard School in 2004 as a student of Homer Mensch. Kris is an
inaugural fellow of The Academy – A Program of Carnegie Hall, The
Juilliard School and The Weill Music Institute; a performance fellowship
for outstanding post-graduate musicians, and is featured in chamber music
concerts in Carnegie Hall.
"Clarinetist
Tibi Cziger gave a beautifully paced and colorful performance…” -Washington Post
“Cziger’s playing was truly magical and hypnotic. It was the kind of
playing that was so involving it seemed to cause time to stand still”-
Peninsula Reviews
In
2006 Clarinetist Tibi Cziger became the first clarinetist ever admitted to
the prestigious Artist Diploma program at The Juilliard School. He is the
artistic director and founder of the Israeli Chamber Project, an
initiative bringing young outstanding Israeli musicians together for
chamber music projects in Israel and the US. A frequent recitalist and
soloist, Tibi enjoys exploring new repertoire for the clarinet, including
his own arrangements. Solo appearances include concerti with the Tivoli
Symphony Orchestra in Copenhagen, the Israel Chamber Orchestra, and The
Israel Young Philharmonic, where he was the principal clarinetist
2000-2002. Mr. Cziger has performed as guest principal clarinetist with
the Bergen Philharmonic (Norway), with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra,
and has collaborated with the Eden and iPalpiti chamber ensembles,
and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra in New York.
Tibi has performed a vast amount of chamber literature for the clarinet,
in live and recorded broadcasts on the Israeli National Radio, KUSC, KMZT,
WNYC, and in numerous tours in
Israel,
Europe, and the USA. He is a co-founder of the Gropius Ensemble and has
collaborated with the ACJW, Metropolis, Link, SEM, and Argento ensembles
among others. Recent venues include The 92Y, Zankel and Weill Hall at
Carnegie Hall (New York), The Terrace Theatre at
Kennedy
Center (Washington DC), LACMA’s Bing Theatre (Los Angeles),
The Tel Aviv Museum,
Jerusalem
Music Center, and the Musikverein (Vienna). He is a regular participant at
Musique en Brionnais (France), and has also performed at the Tivoli
Festival (Denmark), the National Repertory Orchestra, the Bowdoin Summer
Music Festival, and the West Eastern Divan Workshop under the baton of
Daniel Barenboim in tours across Europe and the USA.
Among his numerous prizes and awards are Mitchell Lurie Award in Los
Angeles, second prize at the Carmel Music Society Competition, first
prizes in the Tel Aviv Academy competitions, 2nd prize at the
Ben-Haim National Competition, and Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship.
A recipient of Leni Fe Bland Foundation, Irene Diamond, Jerome L. Greene,
and Irving Berlin scholarships, Tibi was
the America-Israel Cultural
Foundation scholar from 1997-2003, and in 2003 he received the AICF
special scholarship for studies abroad.
Mr. Cziger holds a Master of Music degree from the University of Southern
California with an outstanding graduate award, and a B.Mus. degree
magna cum laude from the Rubin Music Academy in Tel Aviv. He studied
clarinet with Charles Neidich, Yehuda Gilad, Richard Lesser, and Itzhak
Kazzap and was guided by Emanuel Ax, Michael Tree, Robert Mann among
others.
A
native of Belgium, Steven Vanhauwaert received Master of Music from the
Royal Conservatory in Brussels in 2004 (under Boyan Vodenitcharov), and from
the USC Thornton School of Music in Los Angeles in 2006 (Kevin Fitz-Gerald,
James Bonn), as well as the Graduate Certificate Degree with John Perry in
2008. He also studied jazz and improvisation with Dennis Thurmond.
Hailed by critics for his “impressive clarity and sense of structure --
to say nothing of a monster technique” (Mark Swed, LA Times, 2007),
Steven’s repertoire stretches from Bach to Liebermann. He has a strong
affinity with Liszt, Schubert, Brahms and Debussy, but also enjoys dealing
with contemporary composers such as Ligeti, Liebermann, Takemitsu and
Goeyvaerts.
In 2004 he won the Grand Prize at the Los Angeles International Liszt
Competition, and toured through the USA and Hungary. His numerous awards
include Rotary Prize in
Kortrijk,
Special Prize for accompaniment in the Axion Classics competition, Maurice
Lefranc prize in Brussels, Full Performing Arts Scholarships at USC, First
Prize at the USC-Concerto Competition, ‘Galiot’ Patrimonium Prize for piano,
and Most Outstanding Graduate Student at USC.
Steven performs frequently throughout
Europe
and the USA, in solo recitals and in chamber music ensembles.
In California he has been performing at the Jacaranda festival (L.A.),
Sundays @ Two Music in the Mansion series (Beverly Hills), The Previews and
Trinity Lutheran series (Manhattan Beach), “Encore!” series in Palm Springs,
Santa Monica College, Library of Rancho Mirage, etc.
His performances have been heard on KUSC, WHKB
and KLARA.
As a soloist he appeared with
Pacific Symphony (both at the Renee Segestrom Hall and the
Orange County Performing Arts Center, performing Gershwin Rhapsody in
Blue and Mussorgsky Pictures of Exhibition), the Flemish Symphony
(Beethoven’s 4th concerto), the USC Symphony (Schumann concerto),
Collegium Instrumentale, Prima la Musica (Mozart’s Concertos K.V. 467 &
488), etc. His hobbies include hiking in the Santa Monica mountains,
swimming and reading books; his favorite authors are Saramago, Hesse,
Marquez, Borges and Camus.