INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF MUSIC - IAȘI
Period: 5th - 20th July 2024
ARTISTIC TEAM
Pianist and Professor
Director of Asociation of classic music from Galicia
Visual Arts Teacher
Director at Art & Music Day
Professors 2024
Prof. Pablo Galdo - Piano
Pablo Galdo is an excellent musician and a brilliant pianist, with whom I shared the stage. In addition to his piano skills, I highlight his great musical intuition (Martha Argerich, 2020).
Valerian Shiukashvili - Piano
Valerian Shiukashvili started taking piano lessons at the Z. Paliashvili Central Music School at the age of 12. Shortly aſter, he performed Mozart's Piano Concerto N. 23 with an orchestra.
This appearance was highly acclaimed by music critics. In 1992 Valerian became the winner of the All Union Competition in Russia, which brought him one year invitation to study at the Moscow School-Studio “Young Talents”.
A year later he was accepted to the Moscow Central Music School.
Venancio Rius - Clarinet
Born in Moncofa, Spain, into a family of professional musicians, Venancio Rius began his musical studies at the age of 5 with his grandfather, maestro Eugenio Marti. He graduated from the Valencia Superior Conservatory of Music and later from the University of Southern California, where he studied with maestro Yehuda Gilad.
As a performer he was recognized by the USC Concerto Competition, INAEM Music Competition, and the Buffet North American Clarinet Competition.
At present, Venancio Rius is Clarinet Professor at ESMAR - Escuela Superior de Música de Alto Rendimiento of Valencia.
Stepan Simonian -
Piano
Considered by critics as "...one of the greatest interpreters of the work of J.S. Bach of his generation", Pianist Stepan Simonian was born in 1981, studied at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow under the guidance of Pavel Nersessian and continued his studies with the famous Pianist Evgeni Koroliov at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg.
Through this well-cultivated line of piano school tradition, Simonian formed his musical taste and passion for works by Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Beethoven, Bach and Mozart.
Sanja Romić -
Oboe
Oboist Sanja Romić is a very musically deep player with a beautiful tone that stands out in the whole orchestra and motivates her colleagues, according to the legendary conductor Zubin Mehta.
Sanja has been the solo oboist in the last three farewell tours of the Maestro with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in the summer of 2019 by his invitation. Since 2011, Sanja has held the position of solo oboist in the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra.
Additionally, she has been a teacher of orchestral studies for the woodwind department at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad since 2016.
She was appointed as a mentor for the youth orchestra of the Al Bustan Festival Orchestra Academy in Beirut and the Philharmonic Orchestra Academy of the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra.
Akane Sakai -
Piano
Born in Nagoya in Japan, began her piano studies at early age under the influence of her mother.
Akane is the prize-winner of the “Young artist development “by the Japanese culture of minister. And also obtained scholarship by Yellow Angel Foundation Japan.
Regularly appearing in the musical scenes such as Philharmonie de Paris,Suntory Hall in Tokyo ,Salle Pleyel in Paris, Palais des Beaux Ars in Brussels, Theatro Colon in Buenos Aires .
Akane has been invited to perform with renowned orchestras including the Kremerata Baltica,Sinfonia Varsovia, Symphoniker Hamburg,Orchestra Della Svizzra Italiana ,Tokyo symphony orchestra under baton of Alexander Vedernikov, Jean-Jacques Kantorow,Naoto Otomo and Hubert Sudant.
Gabriele Baldocci -
Piano
Gabriele Baldocci’s unique style, visionary programming and versatile artistic personality have garnered him worldwide critical acclaim and a wide following on the world stage..
Jed Distler, writing for Gramophone, has hailed Gabriele Baldocci as a “pianist of formidable capabilities.” Baldocci’s career has seen him grace the stages of prestigious venues such as the Tonhalle in Zurich, the Musikverein in Vienna, the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, the Auditorio Nacional in Madrid, the Palau de la Musica in Barcelona, the Ceramic Crystal Hall in Seoul, the Sala Verdi in Milan, the Teatro Ghione in Rome, the Teatro Rossetti in Trieste, the Teatro Ponchielli in Cremona, the Parnassos Hall in Athens, and the Teatro Lirico in Cagliari.
Baldocci began performing publicly at the age of nine, earning awards in numerous piano competitions, including the Casagrande in Italy and the Martha Argerich Competition in Buenos Aires.
Emre Sen -
Piano
“Emre Sen is a priceless gift to the music world, who through his uninhibited and liberating performances reminds artists and audiences alike of the sublime mystery underlying the art of music-making. I have rarely encountered a classical musician who so utterly loses himself in the music, thereby discovering and expressing what is truly alive in it.”
- Kevin Kenner
Anna Saradjian -
Piano
Anna Saradjian, prize-winner of many awards and competitions, amongst which is a Gold medal from the 1992 “Amadeus” National Competition and Bach Prize from Ettlingen International competition was born into a family of musicians. She received her first lessons from her late grandfather, pianist and composer Gyorgy Saradjev, who was also one of the founders of the Armenian piano school, and after continued her studies with her father, Prof. Sergei Saradjian.
During her career, Anna has toured in France, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Armenia, South Africa, the USA, UK and Canada where she has appeared at prestigious venues such as the South Bank Centre, the Wigmore Hall and Place Des Arts. She has recorded for the Armenian National Radio and Television as well as the BBC Radio 3.
Geza Hosszu Legocky -
Violin
Born in Switzerland as an american citizen into Hungarian-Ukrainian parents, Geza Hosszu Legocky atracts his public already at the age of 6 after entering the Vienna Music Academy as a special gifted violin prodigy.
Born in Switzerland as an american citizen into Hungarian-Ukrainian parents, Geza Hosszu Legocky atracts his public already at the age of 6 after entering the Vienna Music Academy as a special gifted violin prodigy.
Since May 2011, Geza has been putting a lot of energy in Budapest, to form, in his country of origin, an exceptional orchestra of young prodigy soloists, the "Bohemian Virtuosi".
Carles Marín -
Piano
Winner of several first international awards, such as the best soloist at the Mozarteum of Salzburg, the Scarlatti Piano Competition (Austria), the Concours Flame of Paris, the Yamaha Foundation of Europe, Juventudes Musicales of Madrid or José Roca, Carles also received the Huygens of Amsterdam for artistic excellence, in addition to having been awarded in more than forty other competitions.
Carles is a piano teacher at Musical Arts Madrid (MAM), as well as a permanent teacher at the Sardoal International Piano Meeting. (Portugal). He is also a member of the faculty of the Miami International Piano Festival Academy.
Josep Colomé -
Violin
With a "sweet and pure sound" (Strad Magazine) the violinist Josep Colomé "brings to the fore an endless number of nuances, changes of character and, in short, sounds that only intentionality and his solvency as a performer can make transcend the score and reach the listener with convenient precision" (Revista Melómano de Oro).
Josep Colomé was a violin teacher at the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Aragón (2015-2023) and is the architect of the @violin_Action project, a community of violinists with a mentality of living and educating themselves in ease.
Daniel Rivera -
Piano
Daniel Rivera was born in 1952 in Rosario (Argentina), in a family strictly connected to the music world: his mother was an opera singer, his father Hector was a pianist and a composer (well renowned in Argentina and in the United States in the late fifties) and his aunt Alicia was also a pianist. Together they helped him to discover the piano at an early age.
His repertoire consists of more than 50 concerts for piano and orchestra.
Currently, Daniel Rivera teaches at the Istituto di Alta Cultura Musicale P.Mascagni in Livorno, where he holds a piano faculty chair. From january 2009 until 2010, he was the Artistic Director of the Franz Liszt Competition in Grottamare.
Emil Rovner -
Cello
Born in Gorky, Russia, the cellist, singer and conductor Emil Rovner has established himself as a compelling musician, commanding ‘flawless technical mastery’ (FonoForum) and expressive depth, as well as being a sought-after teacher and festival leader.
In October 2007 he became one of the youngest professors at the Carl Maria von Weber University of Music in Dresden.
He holds international master-classes and is jury member at international cello competitions like Prague Spring competition and Janacek competition.Many of his students have won prizes at international cello and chamber music competitions.
Eser Bilgeman
- Piano
Born in Istanbul, the pianist began her studies with Rana Erksan when she was five years old. In 1977, she became a student of Prof. Meral Yapali at the then Istanbul Municipal Conservatory- now University of Istanbul State Conservatory.
She was awarded the second prize at the Jugend Musiziert (Young Musician) competition held in Istanbul in 1986 and the first prize in the same competition held in Greece in 1988.
One of her goals is encouraging young pianists to grow with their musical education. Students of Eser Bilgeman are prize winners, laureates and finalists of national and international piano competitions.
Gili Schwarzman
- Flute
Flutist Gili Schwarzman performs regularly as a soloist at the Musikverein Wien, Berlin Philharmonie, Auditorio Nacional Madrid, among others. Gili collaborates often with some of the most celebrated artists of our times in chamber music concerts, festivals, and in recordings for Europe’s Radio and TV broadcasters.
In September 2022 she launched her first Sony Classical CD at Carnegie Hall, enriching flute repertoire with pieces written by composer Jorge Grundman.
Among her solo and chamber music performances, Gili has also toured with the West Eastern Divan Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Daniel Barenboim for several years, and she enjoys giving masterclasses to young talents as well.
Ionel Adrian Iliescu
- Violin
Ionel Adrian Iliescu, born in Bucharest in 1981, completed his diploma at the Lübeck University of Music in 2006 with Professor Christiane Edinger and his concert exam in 2010 at the Hamburg University of Music and Theater with Professor Kolja Blacher.
Adrian Iliescu has won numerous prizes and awards at home and abroad. He received first prize at the Romanian “Olympiade ” for violin between 1993 and 1999, first prize at the international competition “Jeunesses Musicales” in Bucharest (1996).
In 2013 he joined the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra as first concertmaster, has since been Assistant first concertmaster in the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra under Maestro Mariss Jansons and is now again first concertmaster with the symphony orchestra.
Natalia Ricci
- Piano
Australian born pianist Natalia Ricci enjoys a successful career as chamber musician, soloist, and teacher, having performed and recorded internationally over the past 40 years in the USA, Canada, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand and throughout Europe, including the capitals of London, Paris, Oslo, Prague, Berlin, and Madrid.
Natalia is a Senior Lecturer in Piano at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and has taught in both the Piano and Ensemble departments. In 2009 on invitation, she took up the position of Senior Lecturer in Piano at the University of Auckland, NZ. Since her return to the Sydney Conservatorium, Natalia has been a permanent member of the Piano Unit
Natalia is a dedicated and sought-after teacher whose students have been major prize-winners in many international competitions throughout Europe and Asia. Her students have won first prizes in multiple international youth competitions such as the Franz Liszt International Youth Piano Competition
Jordan Rashkov
- Piano
Over the past twenty years Dr. Rashkov has been frequently appearing in concert series and music productions throughout Europe, the Middle East and the USA. He has performed in over 20 countries on three continents.
His passion for teaching and supporting the young generation of musicians led to numerous master classes throughout the USA and the Middle East. Over the past 20 years his students have celebrated triumphs at various competitions and festivals around the world, almost 200 prizes in total. Among them emerged prize-winners from various competitions in the USA, Mexico, UK, Germany, Austria, Italy, Japan, Korea, Honk Kong, Singapoor and the Middle East
Stefano Agnostini
- Flute
After graduating cum laude at a remarkably young age, Stefano went on to earn his Solistendiplom at the Winterthur Conservatory in Switzerland under Conrad Klemm. He enjoyed a long career as the principal flutist in various orchestras and as a member of chamber ensembles, both in Italy and abroad. With a keen interest in contemporary arts, improvisation, and the relationship between music and other artistic languages, he works with several composers, dance ensembles, and theater companies.
The lessons are aimed at flautists interested in studying the flute repertoire, learning more about technical aspects, optimizing their daily practice, and/or practicing improvisation.
Paolo Carlini
- Bassoon
Paolo Carlini is the only bassoonist dedicated to solo works by Oscar Prize Ennio Morricone and Luis Bacalov as well as the most important composers on the international contemporary scene belonging to different generations and musical languages. He is responsible for the development and expansion of the solo repertoire of the bassoon of the last years.
He is a bassoon teacher at the Pietro Mascagni Conservatory in Livorno.
Susanne Barner
- Flute
Susanne Barner is one of Germany’s foremost orchestral solo-flutist, esteemed by peers, conductors and audiences alike for her outstanding musicality and unique sound-imagination, which she has been passing on to countless young musicians for decades.
At the age of only 22 she became the first ever female solo-flutist of the HR-Sinfonieorchester, which was considered a sensation at the time. She accepted the position of solo-flutist of the Hamburg Symphony in 1988 and has held the position ever since.
Susanne Barner has been teaching for 40 years. Her approach is based on the Zoeller-method, aiming at tightly connecting technical mastery with musical purpose.
Alexey Sokolov
- Piano
Alexey Sokolov is the 1st prize and Grand Prix Winner of the Yamaha Grand Prize International Piano Competition in Italy, Honorary Professor of Tianjin Conservatory, the holder of a special diploma and UNICEF prize as the best teacher of UNICEF International Piano Competition, the winner of the Haihe Friendship Tianjin City Award established by the city of Tianjin and holder of the Award of Merit of the Government of China for a major contribution to cultural achievements.
Over the years, he has trained more than 50 international competition winners. Among them are 12 winners of the First Prizes in major competitions. Professor Sokolov has a record of intensive teaching and performance activity all over the world. He performed intensively in 1993-2003 in major cities of Europe, Asia, all over Russia
Professor Sokolov has a record of intensive teaching and performance activity all over the world. He performed intensively in 1993-2003 in major cities of Europe, Asia, all over Russia
Lyda Chen Argerich
- Viola
Born in Geneva Lyda first studied violin in the Geneva Music Conservatory with Ayla Erduran. She took classes with Professor Lin Yao Ji during her stay at the Beijing Central Conservatory of Music. On her return from China she studied law and humanities at the Geneva University and obtained a law degree.
Later she found many affinities with the viola and its repertoire. At first self taught in the instrument, she began to perform with different chamber music groups , followed the string quartet class of Gabor Takacs and later perfected her studies with Professor Marie-Françoise Pallot from the Boulogne Conservatory.