iPalpiti 2013 Artists

violinist/Germany   

PETER RAINER is iPalpiti Concertmaster since 1994. In his native Germany, he is a concertmaster and founder of the Kammerakademie Potsdam since 2000, and leads an active career as a chamber musician, soloist, and teacher. He was the founder and leader of the popular Persius Ensemble, focusing mainly on a repertoire written for the classical nonet, and has released three CDs. The latest CD with nonets by Spohr, Clementi and Mozart was chosen by Berlin-Brandenburg Radio (RBB) as one of the best in 2007. In 2008 he founded the Merlino String Quartet, which is touring throughout Germany. Since 2007 he has been on the faculty of the “Universitat der Kunste” in Berlin and of the “Stern Institute” for young talented students and is assistant to Prof. Uwe-Martin Haiberg. Music-loving children know Peter Rainer through the many interactive concerts he developed for them in the past 10 years. His upcoming children project is a new concert-version of “Ferdinand the Bull” commissioned by the Kammerakademie Potsdam. In 2010 he appeared at the “Musikfest Schloss Wonfurt” together with “iPalpiti” alumni Tibi Cziger, Caroline v. Bismarck and Eliah E. Sakakushev. 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 University of 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 culture. During recent seasons Peter led iPalpiti in a special concert at the Nestle Center in Vevey, Switzerland, on its US East coast tour at the Kimmel Center and Carnegie Hall, and to the Bay Area in Northern California.

Violinist/Korea

Born in Seoul, Korea, YESEUL ANN has been awarded the Prize of Honor in Bellan International Competition, 3rd prize FLAME Music Competition in France and prizes in various competitions in Korea. Yeseul studied with Roland Daugaréil at the Conservatoire National de Région de Paris, at Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris with Régis Pasquier, Philippe Aiche. Yeseul received her MM degree at the Yale School of Music with Ani Kavafian, and from this fall will continue with Professor Schmieder at Temple in the professional studies program. She has also worked under mentorship of the Ysaye Quartet, Itamar Golan and Vladimir Mendelssohn, and has attended master classes with Ida Haendel, Mauricio Fuks and the Julliard Quartet. Yeseul has performed as a soloist and chamber musician in New York at Steinway Hall and in Paris at Salle Cortot, Palais Bourbon Assemblée Nationale, l’Eglise d’arménie, Salle Pléyel, and Cathédrale Saint-Louis. As orchestral musician, Yeseul has participated in numerous Festivals in France, Italy, Switzerland and Germany, including the Ensemble Intercontemporain with Pierre Boulez. She has participated in academies at l’Orchestre de Paris with Christophe Eschenbach, Paavo Jarvi, Essa Pekka Salonen; with the Asian Philharmonic Orchestra; and with the soloists of the Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra with Myung-whun Chung.

Violinist/Italy

Davide de Ascaniis is considered one of the most promising emerging Italian violinists for his exceptional talent and strong, passionate personality.

He began studying the violin when he was eight years old and graduated with highest honors under the guidance of Stefano Antonello by the age of sixteen.

Davide earned Master’s Degree at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, and participated in master classes with Zakhar Bron, Sonig Tchakerian, Michael Frischenschlager and Igor Volochine.

He made his solo debut playing Bruch concerto  with orchestras  in France, and has since toured in Europe, Canada and Asia both as a soloist and as a member in chamber ensembles.

Winner of International Violin Competitions such as “Alpe Adria”, “Duchi d’Acquaviva”, “Rovere d’Oro”, and the AGIMUS, Davide has held solo concerts in Rome, Florence, Milan, Venice, Zurich, Graz, Vienna and Salzburg. He has been featured as a guest artist for major musical institutions and events such as the Musical Afternoons in Milan (Teatro dal Verme), the “Great Performers” in the Bologna Festival (Teatro Manzoni),  the Cini Foundation, the Archivio Musicale G.A. Fano Foundation in Venice, the International Festival Dino Ciani in Cortina d’Ampezzo, the Friends of Music in Padova, the International Music Festival Bled (Slovenia), the International Festival of the Arts Campus in San Gemini, the Mozarteum in Salzburg (Wiener Saal), the “City of Lucca” Festival, the Musical Weeks at the Olympic Theatre in Vicenza and more. More recently he performed at the Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome, at the National Theater and at the National Concert Hall of Taipei and the Taipei Arena, as well as in Montreal (Canada), International Festival of Asahikawa in Hokkaido, and in Tokyo for the Nippon Foundation (Suntory Hall). Prior to iPalpiti Festival, Davide will perform at the Chelsea Music Festival in New York Maestro Masur’s Festival.

Violinist/Norway

Catharina Chen’s Website 

“…beautiful tone, technically brilliant…charismatic and elegant…”

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 2^nd Prize winner at the Jeuness Musicale International Violin Competition in Bucharest, Romania (2007).

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. She has been a soloist with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra in Tchaikovsky  and Beethoven Violin Concertos  in consecutive seasons 2008-09.  A Graduate of Barratt Due Institute of Music in Oslo, a leading institution in Norway, where she studied with Arve Tellefsen and Henning Kraggerud, she continued her music education in the USA with the renowned Professor Eduard Schmieder, earning an Artist Diploma from 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, Carnegie Zankel Hall in 2009, and in Israel in 2011. Catharina has been invited as solo recitalist to numerous concert series in California, 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 atthe opening of the prestigious Bergen International Arts Festival,with King and Queen of Norway in attendance. Winning the prestigious “Intro Classic” prize from State Concert Norway resulted in 2009-2011 engagements from solo recitals in New York, Washington, Milan to “Live Classical, Catharina with friends” in Tønsberg, Eurovision in Oslo, and tours with The Norwegian Chamber Orchestra” and Oslo Camerata in Spain and Brazil, recitals in Holland, four weeks of touring across Norway, tour across China, India, and world premiere of “the Moon” by Martin Romberg during Expo in Shanghai.
In October 2011 Catharina was appointed concertmaster of the Norway National State Opera.

Violinist/Russia

Born in Ukraine, Irina began her violin studies at the age of six. Between 1996 and 2009 she became First and top-prizes winner in eleven international and national competitions, including Grand-prix at the International violin competition “Forte-Maestro.” In 2007 her name was chronicled in the State book of Ukraine “The Pride of Nation.”In 1998 she entered the Music College of the famed Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory, graduating cum laude from the Conservatory in 2007, and receiving postgraduate diploma in 2010 (with Professors Ivanov/violin and Bonduryansky/chamber music).

As a member of chamber music ensemble in duo with pianist Elena Kuznetzova, she won First prizes at the 16^th International Chamber Music Competition in Thesaloniki, Greece, International Competition of Slavonic Music in Moscow, Russia (2006), and the 2^nd International Chamber Music Competition named after T. Gaydamovich in Magnitogorsk (2009). She is a grant-recipient of the “Russian Performing Art” Foundation and the music foundation by Elina Bystrizkaya.  Irina has received full scholarships and participated in summer festivals such as Mozarteum Summeracademie, Holland Music Sessions, “Zeist music days”, in International Master-classes in Weimar, with Jerusalem and Ysaye Quartets, and eminent violin professors.

Irina was selected to join iPalpiti orchestral ensemble of international laureates in 2010 and since, performed with iPalpiti in Los Angeles, Israel, Philadelphia and New York. As a member of “Young Russian Talents” program she is engaged in touring Russia as a recitalist and giving master-classes to gifted children. Irina has performed in major halls throughout Russia, and has appeared as soloist with such renown orchestras as Russian National Orchestra and Moscow Chamber Orchestra (under Maestros Pletnev and Nikolaev), and with Moscow Philharmonic. Irina has been named a Soloist with the Moscow Philharmonia in 2010.

Violinist/Canada

Born and raised in Toronto, Conrad has established himself as a foremost performer and teacher in his native Canada.  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.  He is a prize-winner of the 2006 International Stepping Stone Competition in Quebec and the David G. Whitcomb Foundation’s Young Artist of 2003.Conrad began his violin studies at the age of three at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.  His Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees are from Indiana University’s School of Music, studying with Miriam Fried. Conrad completed his DMA from the State University of New York, Stony Brook (under noted violinists Pamela Frank, Ani Kavafian, and Philip Setzer), and later pursued further post-doctoral work with Eduard Schmieder at Temple University in Philadelphia. He studied chamber music with the Grammy Award-winning Emerson String Quartet and is appearing in chamber music performances with Paul Biss, Christina Dahl, David Finckel, and Miriam Fried.  His string quartet was winner of the Indiana University Kuttner String Quartet Competition, performing as the quartet-in-residence for the 2001-2002 seasons. As soloist, he appeared with numerous orchestras. Recital performances have included the St. Cecilia Concert Series, University of Toronto’s Hart House Sunday Concert Series, broadcast on CBC Radio, Mozarteum in Salzburg, Qingdao Music Hall in China, New York’s Staller Center for the Arts, Toronto’s Glenn Gould Studio and George Weston Recital Hall, and 2010 Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall debut. As a member of the prestigious iPalpiti orchestral ensemble of international laureates since 2008, he performed at Carnegie Zankel Hall, Disney Hall in LA, Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center, and Israel.   Being a teacher of one of the leading precollege private violin studios in Canada; his students are winners in many important national and provincial competitions and have made solo debuts with Canadian orchestras, in 2010 he has been appointed to a faculty position at the Canadian Royal Conservatory of Music’s elite pre-college academy.He was a Visiting Assistant Professor of Violin at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia for the 2006-2007 seasons, and was member of the faculty at the Summit Summer Music Festival in New York in 2010.  Dr. Chow has served as jury member and adjudicator of various Canadian competitions, at the international “Remember Enescu” in Romania, and is a presenter of master classes in Canada, the United States, and Asia.

www.conradchow.org

Violinist/Azerbaijan

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 from which he graduated in 2007 at the age of 20 with an equivalent of a 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’s 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 2010, Azer was accepted into Bachelor of Music Program at Boyer College at Temple University in the class of Professor Schmieder. He was a member of iPalpiti in its winter East Coast residency and concerts at the Kimmel Center and Carnegie Hall, its Northern California tour, and iPalpiti festival of international laureates in Los Angeles. As a Winner of the American Protege International Competition of Romantic Music 2012 he performed at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall.

Violinist/Romania

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. Born in Romania in 1986, she began playing violin at the age of 6, at the Music High School in Baia Mare, under Prof. Ludovic Gebe. From 2000 to 2004 she continued at the “George Enescu” Music High School 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.

Violinist/Spain

The Spanish violinist Pablo Rapado Jambrina was born in Zamora, Spain in a musical family. He began his violin studies at age six, with Jesus Ramos at Zamora Music Conservatory. At 14 years of age, and with many solo apperances done, he performed the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with the Conservatory orchestra. Pablo continued at the Oviedo Superior Conservatory of Music, also studying baroque music with Zeljko Haliti, performing regularly as a soloist.

During his musical studies, he performed with numerous Spanish and French orchestras, and took part in numerous violin and chamber music masterclasses with prestigious violinists, more recently with Albert and Alexander Markov. In 2006, he was awarded First Prize with honours in Paris, and in 2008 received Cum Laude Bachelor degree from the Maastricht National Conservatory of Music, Holland with teacher Robert Szreder.

Double-winner of the Sarasate International Violin Competition, Pablo performed as a soloist in the Berlin Konzerthaus with the JOSPA orchestra, in chamber ensembles with Albert  and Alexander Markov at the Cordes et Pics Festival (France), and made his recital debuts in Paris in 2008 with pianist Christie Julien. In New York Pablo performed at Merkin Hall (Lincoln Center), WPM Concert Hall, Bargemusic, etc.  Pablo began to teach in Spain in 2004, and from 2006 in France, also invited as a teacher at the Cordes et Pics Festival. In orchestral experiences from 2004-2011, Pablo has played at Navarra Symphony, Granada Symphony, Orchestra Les Arts (Valencia) under  maestri Zubin Metha, Lorin Maazel, Lopez Cobos, among others. Nowadays he leads Premium Symphony Orchestra in Spain, also keeping residency in Brussels, Belgium, and touring.

Violinist/Canada-USA

Born in Toronto,Violinist Ellen Jung has performed as a soloist, chamber, and orchestral musician all over the world. She has been featured with the Korean Philharmonic, Taejon Symphony, Republic of Tatarstan Symphony, North York Symphony Orchestra, the Korean-Canadian Symphony Orchestra, and both the University of Toronto Symphony and Chamber Orchestras. An active chamber musician, Ms. Jung is a member of the award-winning Jung Trio with her two sisters, Jennie and Julie. Together, they have performed throughout North America, Germany, Austria, Russia, South Korea, Kenya and Mauritius. The Jung Trio was awarded the Grand Prize at the Yellow Springs Chamber Music Competition, and the Bronze Medal at the Fischoff Competition. They were selected as Debut Artists for the 10th annual iPalpiti Festival of International Laureates, and perform regularly throughout the Los Angeles area. The trio is currently ensemble-in-residence, and Head of Chamber Music at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, CA. Their first album was released by Groove Note Records.
She has worked with members of the St. Lawrence String Quartet, Tokyo String Quartet, Emerson String Quartet, Menahem Pressler, Claude Frank, Peter Frankl, Paul Katz, and while in residence at the Banff Centre, she collaborated with Krystof Penderecki, which culminated in the performance of many new works. She also performed the premiere of “A” for solo violin, written for her by the Canadian composer Lusiana Lukman.
Ms. Jung has participated in summer programs at the Meadowmount, the Banff Centre for the Arts, Mozarteum, and the Norfolk, Orford Festivals. Recipient of numerous awards, Ms. Jung completed her Bachelor of Music in Performance at the University of Toronto with Lorand Fenyves, and Master of Music degree and an Artist Diploma from Yale University School of Music studying with Syoko Aki. Ms. Jung lives in Southern California, and is on faculty at Vanguard University. Ellen Jung’s Website

Violinist/Japan

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. Nobuko is a member of iPalpiti since 2009 and has participated in iPalpiti Festival of International Laureates in Los Angeles. As a soloist and chamber musician Nobuko has performed in Switzerland, France, Germany, and Japan.

Violinist/Georgia

IRAKLI TSADAIA was born into a musical family in Tbilisi, Georgia. His first music training started with Tamaz Batiaschwili and Konstantin Vardeli – both members of the Georgian States Quartet and teachers at the Tiflis Conservatory. Since the age of eight he received regular lessons with Galina Turchaninova in Moscow and Germany, who also was the first teacher of Maxim Vengerov. In 1997, Irakli was accepted as a student at the Munich Conservatory, being only thirteen. While studying at the conservatory, he also attended the master classes of Alexander Brussilovsky, Boris Garlitzky, Felix Andrievsky and Victor Tretjakov. In 2002 he continued his studies with Professor Victor Tretjakov at the “Hochschule für Musik Köln” (Cologne). He received first prize at the music competition “Jugend musiziert” in Germany, diplomas in the Louis-Spohr International Violin Competition in Weimar (1999) and at the Paganini International Competition in Moscow (2006), and the 2nd prize at the International Violin Competition Valsesia Musica in Italy (2008). He was a winner of a competition in the instrumental foundation of the “Hochschule für Musik Köln” that gives young musicians an opportunity to perform on high quality instruments and was awarded with a G P. Maggini violin. In 2007 he recorded a CD of Four Seasons by Astor Piazolla released by Sony BMG, performing as a soloist with “Kölner Klassik Ensemble.” Irakli is performing as a soloist and in chamber music with internationally known musicians and conductors such as Alexandre Brussilovsky, Ivan Monighetti, Lev Markiz and Vakhtang Kakhidze. His concert performances of Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso by Saint-Saens, Zigeunerweisen by Sarasate and the Four Seasons by Astor Piazolla were recorded for Radio and Television and broadcast on ARD, SWR, BR (Bayerischer Rundfunk), and in Tbilisi, Georgia. He was selected to join iPalpiti for its 2010 annual Los Angeles Festival of International Laureates. In 2012, he was  a selected Prizewinner among ten from 1003 participants at the Mozarteum Summer Academy Salzburg, and concluded the finale concert of the Salzburg Festspiele.

Violist/Australia-USA

The double prize winner of the 2008 Primrose International Viola Competition, violist Victor de Almeida performs regularly as a soloist and chamber musician throughout Southern California and the world.  He has most recently been the Principal Violist of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Associate Principal Violist of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, and the guest Principal Violist for the Los Angeles Opera. While studying at the Peabody Institute of Music of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, he was the Principal Violist of the Annapolis Symphony and a regular substitute violist with the Baltimore Symphony.
Mr. Almeida was born into a Brazilian and American musical family in Adelaide, Australia where his parents were the Principal and Assistant Principal cellists of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and began playing violin and piano at the age of three.  He is completing his debut recording of his arrangement of Igor Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” and “Suite Italienne” for Viola and Piano with pianist Harout Senekerenian with the sponsorship of the Stravinsky Foundation. He is also an avid collector of viola music and takes pride in performing those rare selections.

Violinist-violist/USA

 Joseph was born in Oakland, California. He began studying the violin when he was five with Dejin Sun, and later with Yayoi Numazawa of the Philadelphia Orchestra.  During the summers, Joseph participated in international music festivals such as Interlochen, Luzerne, Music in the Mountains, Kinhaven, and Recontres Musicales International des Graves where he worked with many fine musicians and teachers.

Joseph graduated from the Pennsylvania State University in 2008 with a BM in Violin Performance, and was honored to receive the Creative Achievement Award given out to one exceptional student.  Joseph was a winner of the Beene, Kroulik, and Brewster competitions in Pennsylvania, and in 2008, received first prize in the PSU Philharmonic Concerto Competition where he performed the Sibelius Violin Concerto.  He returns to Penn State every summer for the Penn’s Woods Music Festival under the direction of Maestro Gerardo Edelstein. Joseph founded “Valens” Piano Quartet which earned 2^st Prize in the MTNA Chamber Music Competition.

Kauffman was accepted into the class of Professor Eduard Schmieder in 2008 where he began his studies in the master’s degree program at Temple University, where he is currently is in DMA program. With Prof. Schmieder’s encouragement, he began playing viola and was invited to join iPalpiti as violist for its Los Angeles festivals and on the east coast. As violinist, he often serves as concertmaster for Temple Orchestra in opera and symphonic performances. In 2010 Joseph was violin soloist with the Wayne Pennsylvania Chamber Orchestra, and his newly formed piano trio premiered a new commissioned work for violin, piano, and horn. He is on the faculty at NBSM  and actively performs in ensembles, including Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra.

Violist/Germany

Currently Principal viola of the Tromsø Chamber Orchestra / Nordnorsk Symphony Orchestra, Julia held principal positions at Stuttgarter Chamber orchestra (2008-2011), Basque Nationalorchestra, and as orchestral player worked in Munich Philharmonic (2006) and Berlin Philharmonic (2007). Through the years she participated in prestigious music festivals such as Schleswig-Holstein, Kuhmo, Verbier, Lucerne Festival, and played with Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, and Kurpfälzisches Kammerorchester, to name a few.

Born in Wangen, Germany, Julia studied in “Hochschule für Musik”, Freiburg. with Prof. Wolfram Christ, receiving Diploma in 2008, and completed Advanced Studies “Musikhochschule” Köln with Prof. Antoine Tamestit (2010- 2012).

Julia is a recipient of numerous awards in Germany, including Wittner Förderpreis, Musikpreis Schloss Waldthausen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Jahresstipendium der Märkischen Kulturkonferenz,Carl-Seemann Preis der Hochschule Freiburg, and Förderpreis at Mendelssohn-Bartholdy-Wettbewerb, Berlin (2008).

As a soloist with orchestra she performed Vaughan-Williams Flos campi, Bruch Romance, Bartok Viola Concerto, Mozart Sinfonia Concertante, and with Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra during 2009-2011 seasons: Hummel Fantasy (recording hänssler CLASSIC 2010), Telemann Concerto, Hindemith Trauermusik, Mozart  Sinfonia Concertante.

Violist/Turkey

CAN SAKUL, born in 1987, Ankara, Turkey, is a member of Eskisehir Greater Municipality Symphony Orchestra. His M.A.in Viola is from Lausanne Conservatory (Bruno Pasquier’s class) and B.M. in Viola from Bilkent University Faculty of Music and Performing Arts, where he has been awarded with a full scholarship. He also attended master classes of James Creitz, Rusen Gunes, and Tatiana Masurenko at the Ayvalik International Music Academy. Can joined the Bilkent Youth Symphony Orchestra in 2001 and was its Principal Viola 2005- 2008. Other leading positions were at Bilkent Youth Virtuosos (2006 -2008), touring Turkey and Germany as Co-Principal with the World Youth Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Damiano Guiranna (2007), and in summer 2008, as the Principal Viola in the Greek-Turkish Youth Orchestra, conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy. In 2009, he became a member of the Camerata de Lausanne under the leadership of Pierre Amoyal. He has performed in many chamber music and solo concerts all over the world including Turkey, Switzerland, France, Russia, Singapore, Greece, Germany, Cyprus and participated in festivals such as the Cannes Festival, the Montebello Festival, the Saint-Riquier Festival, the International Students Chamber Music Festival in Stuttgart, the Youth composers and Youth performers, World Music Day, the Festival of Castle of Ankara, and VEKAM Art Festival. He has also performed at television and radio broadcasts on Mezzo, Radio Suisse Romande (La Tribune des Jeunes Musiciens) and Turkish National Television and Radio.

Violist/USA

Biography coming soon!

Cellist/Israel

Born in 1986 to a family of musicians, Yoni began his musical education at the age of five. Since the age of 9, he has won numerous prizes and scholarships, including America-Israel Cultural Foundation prestigious scholarships. As a soloist he has appeared with orchestras such as: the Israel Philharmonic, Israel Chamber Orchestra, Israel Camerata, Tel-Aviv Soloists, has collaborated with renowned artists such as Daniel Barenboim, Zubin Mehta, Pierre Boulez, Kurt Mazur, and has appeared in numerous live recordings for Israel’s main classical music radio station Kol Israel. During 2008, Yoni was the Principal Cellist of the Haifa Symphony Orchestra.  After completing his mandatory 3-year service in the IDF under the title “outstanding musician”, Yoni continued studying in the Tel-Aviv University, graduating with Bachelors degree in Music Performance. He received Master of Music Degree from New England Conservatory in May 2011 working with Prof. Lawrence Lesser.  His other major teachers include Neomi Enoch, Schmuel Magen, Hillel Zori, as well as master classes with eminent cellists and artists as Bernard Greenhouse, Janos Starker, Natalia Guttman, Uzi Wiesel, Gary Hoffman, Wolfgang Boetcher, Alban Berg Quartet, and Amadeus Quartet. A diverse musician, Yoni enjoys a career playing various genres of music including Rock, Folk, Jazz and more. He has performed numerous times in well known music scenes today such as “Rockwood Hall of Music”, “the Red Fish” (Le Poisson Rouge), and “Songs from a room” (‘SOFAR’), New York. This includes a Television performance for NBC network with Andrew Lipke, who was voted Philadelphia’s best singer-songwriter for the year of 2012. Yoni is playing on a 1849 “Jacout” Cello, on loan from the America-Israel Cultural Foundation.

Cellist/USA

Born in Toronto, Korean-Canadian cellist JULIE JUNG has performed throughout the world, both as a soloist and as a member of the Jung Trio with her two sisters Jennie and Ellen. The Jung Trio was awarded the Grand Prize at the 2002 Yellow Springs Chamber Music Competition and the Bronze Medal at the 2002 Fischoff Competition. A prizewinner in the 2000 Eckhardt-Gramattee Competition, Julie has been presented in recitals by the Debut-Young Concert Artist Series in Montreal and the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC Radio) across Canada and has also performed as soloist with the Toronto Symphony, Canadian Chamber Academy, State Symphony of Tatarstan, Korean Philharmonic, Taejon Philharmonic, University of Toronto Symphony, Korean-Canadian Symphony and East York Symphony Orchestras. She has also performed in Germany, Malaysia and Japan and has participated in festivals including the Banff Centre for the Arts, the Norfolk and Great Lakes Chamber Music Festivals, the Manchester Cello Festival (England), New York String Seminar and the Verbier Academy (Switzerland). Ms. Jung has performed with iPalpiti in the International Laureates Festival in Los Angeles since 2007 and appeared with the ensemble in Carnegie Hall, Disney Hall and the Kimmel Center. The Jung Trio, selected as iPalpiti Debut Artists in the 2007, performs regularly throughout the Los Angeles area.  They made their European debut in 2009 with concerts in Germany and Austria and have also performed internationally in Russia, South Korea, Kenya, Mauritius and Canada. The trio completed studies in the Artist Diploma program at Yale and recorded their first album on the Groovenote Label that was released in July 2009.  Julie received her Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Toronto where she studied with Shauna Rolston. She received her Master of Music degree from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, where she studied with Laurence Lesser and completed studies at the Yale School of Music with Aldo Parisot in the Artist Diploma Program. Ms. Jung currently resides in Los Angeles where she is a member of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and records for movie and television soundtracks.   Julie Jung’s Website

Cellist/UK-Denmark

British born Jacob Shaw has given acclaimed performances across Europe, USA and Asia. Laureate of numerous international awards and prizes, he was awarded the highly coveted 2012 award of the Danish “Harby Foundation” ($45,000 prize). These prizes, concerts and awards secure Jacob a position as one of the most prominent young soloists based in Scandinavia; his unique program ideas, original style, and enthusiasm have gained huge support and admiration as a performer from the public and professional colleagues alike.  Born in 1988 into a family of professional musicians, Jacob Shaw studied with Genévieve Teulières-Sommer at the prestigious Yehudi Menuhin School before moving to the École Normale de Musique de Paris supported by the ASSOPHIE and Zaleski associations where he became the youngest ever cellist in history of the school to graduate the « Diplôme de Concertiste » with the highest honours. Further studies followed at the Leopold Mozart Zentrum under Prof. Julius Berger and in Denmark at the Royal Academy of Music in Copenhagen with Prof. Morten Zeuthen.  Together with his family Jacob Shaw founded the “Festival International de Musique de Chambre en Charente”, which is now the most important festival dedicated to chamber music based in south-west France that has grown steadily and continues to expand, with musical, culinary, and cultural events.  In contemporary music Jacob works with composers such as Giovanni Bonato, Phillipe Hersant, Frangis Ali-Sade and Sofia Gubaidulina, who personally invited him to her 80th birthday celebration concert series performing her works. After this performance, she described his playing as “wonderful sensitivity, just perfect, absolutely perfect…”  Jacob recently gave the official Danish premiere of Sir John Taveners piece “The Protecting Veil” for cello and orchestra. Frequently invited to China performing in the prestigious concert halls (Guangzhou Opera House, Shanghai Grand Theatre, Tianjin Concert Hall) as well as to give masterclasses and lectures at the top Chinese universities and conservatories, in March 2013 he gave his Chinese concerto debut with Harbin Symphony Orchestra, China’s oldest professional symphony orchestra.  Future recording releases include the Brahms cello sonatas with José Gallardo, whilst concerts will take him across Europe, South America, the USA and Asia. Numerous radio and television stations have broadcast performances and interviews with Jacob, most recently live feature on BBC Radio 3. Jacob Shaw plays a cello by Carlo Giuseppe Testore, kindly on loan to him from the collection of the Royal Danish Academy of Music (presided by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark). More information at www.jacobshaw.de

Cellist/France

Born in Lyon into a family of musicians, Astrig began to play the cello at the age of 4 in the class of Marie-France Hubert in Romans sur Isère.

Only four years later she was accepted to the National Conservatory of Lyon in the class of Patrick Gabard, graduating brilliantly with honors and commendations of the jury in 2004. The same year she entered Conservatoire National Supérieur Musique et Danse in Lyon in the class of Ivan Chiffoleau, completing where superior musical graduation in 2009 with unanimous honors from the jury. From 2010 she has been studying at the Hochschule fur Musik Basel with Ivan Monighetti, receiving Master Performance degree with honors in July 2012, where she is currently a member of the Master Specialization Soloist Class. Astrig played chamber ensembles in many festivals with distinguished partners like Michel Beroff, Roland Pidoux, Bertrand Chamayou, Michel Taddei, Bruno and Régis Pasquier, Daniel Shnyder, Jacques Didonatto, and in 2011, performed the duo for violin and cello by Daniel Shnyder (dedicated to Astrig and her sister Chouchane). The same year she worked with Frangis Ali-Sade and Sofia Gubaidulina on a recording with the Octet Celli Monighetti. As a soloist, Astrig Siranossian played with Orchestre des Pays de la Drome, Zagreb Philarmonic Orchestra, Zagreb Soloists Chamber Orchestra, Philharmonic Orchestra of Jordan, Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra of the Ile Saint Louis, Chamber Orchestra of Liege, Chamber Orchestra of the Conservatory of Lyon, and Suisse Army Orchestra. Cello masters such as  Aner Bylsma, Truls Mork, and Janos Starker have been mentoring her career.
 
Laureate of A. Janigro International Cello Competition, Lyra Foundation, Kiefer Hablizel, Ravel, and Rahn Kultur competitions, in the upcoming season, Astrig will make her debut in Musikverein in Wien. She plays a cello by Francesco Ruggieri, 1676.

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 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 Parnu 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.” The Strad magazine featured Daniel in the ‘Launch Pad’ series which spotlights up-and-coming artists. In addition to developing his 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. Daniel’s first performance with the acclaimmed iPalpiti Orchestral Ensemble of International Laureates was in 2007 at Carnegie Hall, and since then he has been a member of iPalpiti for its summer festivals in Los Angeles, and took part in the East Coast residency, with concerts at the Kimmel Center and Carnegie Hall, and toured Northern California. Daniel lives in Austin, TX where he is an assistant to Prof. Jeff Bradetich at University of North Texas College of Music. www.DanielNix.com

Pianist/USA

Praised for his “grace and fire” by the Boston Globe, and by The New York Times for “striking imagination and creativity,” recent seasons brought David as a recitalist to Los Angeles, Berlin, Barcelona, Chicago, and New York, and as a chamber musician in the US, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Denmark. He has appeared as a guest soloist of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and performed at Miami’s Arscht Center with Itzhak Perlman. David is a veteran of many distinguished chamber music festivals and series: he has appeared at the Seattle Chamber Music Festival, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Chamber Music Northwest, Barge Music, and the Canadian festivals of Banff and Orford.  In addition, he has been a guest at Ravinia, Tanglewood, Bard, and the Mostly Mozart Festival, where he performed in Avery Fisher Hall.  As a member of the New York-based Metropolis, Le Train Bleu, Declassified, and ACJW Ensembles, David has performed frequently in New York’s most exciting venues, from Zankel Hall to Le Poisson Rouge.  Since 2011, Kaplan is Co-Artistic Director of Lyrica Chamber Music, a New Jersey concert series now in its twenty-sixth season. Kaplan´s enthusiasm for contemporary music has led him to premiere dozens of works, including piano concertos by Timothy Andres (2008) and Alex Weston (2012).  Versatile far beyond the modern keyboard, Kaplan’s credits as a harpsichordist include Elliott Carter’s Sonata and the world premiere of Conrad Winslow’s Chariots, both for harpsichord and chamber ensemble, as well as numerous performances of Bach’s 5th Brandenburg with the Ensemble ACJW.  Kaplan has drawn special notice as a Beethoven interpreter: he was featured in WQXR’s 2011 Beethoven Sonata Marathon, and his interpretations of the complete cello sonatas with Benjamin Capps were hailed by the Rutland Herald as “masterful and deeply compelling performances, seldom heard at this level except by the great masters.”  A candidate for the DMA at Yale University, Kaplan’s distinguished mentors over the years include Claude Frank, Alfred Brendel, Richard Goode, and Emanuel Ax.  Under the auspices of a Fulbright Grant, he studied conducting with Lutz Köhler at the Universität der Künste in Berlin.  Away from the keyboard, he devotes time to cartooning and cooking, and is mildly obsessed with classic cars.  www.davidkaplanpiano.com