iPalpiti Performers 2009 

VIOLINS

Born in Oslo, Norway in 1985, Catharina Chen began studying violin at the age of 5 with her father. Since the age of eight she has soloed with all major orchestras in Norway, including the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Trondheim Symphony Orchestra, Tromso Symphony Orchestra, Oslo Camerata, and ZKO-Zuricher Chamber Orchestre. 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. A Grand Prize winner in the third International Gnessin Violin Competition in Moscow, Russia, most recent award is the 2nd Prize at the Jeunesse Musicale International Violin Competition in Bucharest, Romania (2007). Well known to Norwegians through television and radio broadcast programs, in 2003 she was the youngest winner on the Norwegian National Television program Great Opportunity–Live, a competition for selected young artists from around the country. 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. Currently she works with Professor Eduard Schmieder in the Artist Certificate Program at the Temple University in Philadelphia. In California she is known for her recitals in Sundays at Two, The Previews, Music in the Mansion series, as a soloist with the Beverly Hills Symphony Orchestra, and as iPalpiti soloist during International Laureates Festival. An iPalpiti artist since 2004, she will be a featured soloist with iPalpiti orchestra  this summer at the Disney Hall concert on July 26, 2008. 

 

Born into a family of musicians, Alexandru Tomescu started playing the violin at the age of 6 and was accepted to “George Enescu” Music High School where he studied with his mother, Professor Mihaela Tomescu. Later he graduated from the Bucharest University of Music with Professor Stefan Gheorghiu. His musical education has been further enhanced in Salzburg, Berlin, Amsterdam, Sion and Dallas where he studied with Ruggiero Ricci, Igor Oistrakh, Tibor Varga and Eduard Schmieder. Hailed in international press as “a violin superstar”, Berliner Morgenpost, “one of the great players of violin in the world”, Le monde de la musique, France, “a wonder indeed”, De Gooi-en Eemlander, Holland, Alexandru Tomescu’s first public appearance took place in Bucharest when he was 8. Since then, he won top prizes in famous competitions, such as: Marguerite Long – Jacques Thibaud, George Enescu, Tibor Varga, Nicolo Paganini, Pablo Sarasate and others. He is regularly playing with all Romanian orchestras, including Bucharest Philharmonic and Bucharest National Radio Orchestra, as well as with orchestras in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Holland, Italy, Poland, USA, UK, Hungary, Finland, Costa Rica, Ukraine, South and North Korea, Philippines, Turkey, Japan and Israel. His recitals have been broadcast on television in Italy, Switzerland, Poland, Germany and UK. As honorary president of the Cultural Foundation “Remember Enescu”, Mr. Tomescu is directly involved into many musical projects in Romania, including the organization of the “Remember Enescu” international competition for young violinists. He has also conducted several master classes, in Asia, the US and in his native country. Upcoming plans include an extensive two-month tour with the all the Romanian Philharmonics, recording sessions with the National Radio Orchestra, recital in the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, a gala performance in Paris and a concert tour in the US. In Europe Mr. Tomescu is represented by Valmalete Artists Management, Paris. In December 2002 Mr. Tomescu became the permanent soloist of the National Radio Orchestra in Bucharest. This season’s concerts include: Mozart nr. 5, Wieniawsky nr. 1 and Prokofiev nr. 1. A CD with the Wieniawsky concertos nr. 1 and 2 will be released this summer, Mr. Tomescu being accompanied by the National Radio Orchestra, conducted by Horia Andreescu.

 

Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, violinist Conrad Chow is quickly establishing himself as an exciting young artist to watch.  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.  Conrad completed his DMA from the State University of New York, Stony Brook, under noted violinists Pamela Frank, Ani Kavafian, and Philip Setzer.  He was a Visiting Assistant Professor of Violin at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia for the 2006-2007 season.   Recently, Dr. Chow was a prize-winner at the 2006 International Stepping Stone Competition in  Quebec.  He was also a featured performer at the 2007 New Brunswick Summer Music Festival, the 2006 Guest Artist for the American Suzuki Institute at the  University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, and the David G. Whitcomb Foundation’s Young Artist for 2003.  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, Bloomington’s Auer Hall, New York’s  Staller Center for the Arts, and Toronto’s Glenn Gould Studio and Weston Recital Hall at the Toronto Center for the Arts, and St. Cecilia Concert Series and have been broadcast on CBC Radio.   An active chamber musician, he studied 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.  In 2001, his string quartet was winner of the Indiana University Kuttner String Quartet Competition, granting the group the honor of performing as the quartet-in-residence for the 2001-2002 season.  Dr. Chow began his violin studies at the age of three with Janet Wilchfort, and later with Alec Hou at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.  His Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees are from Indiana University’s School of Music.

 

Aisha Dossumova was born in 1980 in Almaty, Kazakhstan. She started studying violin in 1987 at K.Baiseitova under Prof. Alma Abatova. From 1998 - 2002 she continued her studies at Kazakh National Academy of Music where she studied with Professor Aiman Mussakhodjayeva.  She continued her studies in the Artist Diploma Program at the Meadows School of the Arts in Dallas in the class of Dr. Eduard Schmieder, graduating in the spring of 2006.  In 2002, Aisha won the 2nd prize in the Michellangello Abbado International violin competition in Italy, and the 1st prize in the International Competition ‘Shabyt’ in Kazakhstan. In 2002 she received a diploma in the W.A. Mozart International competition (Austria).   Aisha soloed with Kazakh National Symphony Orchestra performing Prokofiev Concerto no.1, Saint-Saens’Introduction and Rondo-Capriccioso, Chausson’Poeme. From 1998 until 1999 she was the principal with the Kazakh National Symphony Orchestra and with Kazakh Chamber Orchestra “Academy of Soloists” from 2000-2002. She also soloed with “Academy of Soloists” and in 2006 will appear again, in Kazakhstan, performing Mozart’s Concerto no.3, conducted by Robert Canetti from Israel. She is an avid chamber musician and also participated in the summer festivals at the Mozarteum Summer Academy Salzburg, Ost-West Musikfest (Austria), Musica in Laguna (Italy), International Laureates Festival in Taos, NM and in Los Angeles. Aisha has played as the soloist with orchestras and as recitalist in Austria, Italy, France, England, Russia and Kazakhstan.

 

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.

 

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 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 enrolled at the National Music University in Bucharest, for the academic year of 2006 - 2007 Nora is studying with Prof. Mihaela Martin as “Erasmus” award recipient at the Hochschule für Musik Koeln. Nora took part in master classes of Liviu Ghitea, Sherban Lupu, Semion Yaroshevich and Alexandru Tomescu. As an iPalpiti member with Young 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.

 

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.  From 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.  Currently she continues her studies with Maestro Schmieder at Temple University in Philadelphia in Artist Diploma Program.  As a soloist and chamber musician Nobuko has performed in Switzerland, France, Germany, and Japan.

 

Robert Kowalski was born in Gdansk, Poland in 1985. He began his music education at the age of 7. In 2003 he graduated from the Academy, and continues 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 and scholarships from regional and national competitions such as the Alexander Tansman International Competition in Lódz, Poland (2004), First Prize winner 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. Winner of the First Prize in the International Contessa Tina Orsi Anguissola Scotti Chamber Music Competition in Italy (2005), 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 Zagreb which was live-broadcasted by Croatian Radio, 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.

 

Born in Lausanne in 1981, Isabelle Lambelet began violin lessons at the age of 4. At the age of 13 she was accepted in Tibor Varga’s class in the Ecole Supérieure de Musique de Sion. From 2000 to 2004 she studied in Hamburg with Professor Kolja Blacher and then with Professor Christoph Poppen in Munich where she received her “Meissterklassenpodium” in February 2007. She participated in master classes with Yehudi Menuhin and Herman Krebbers. First Prize winner in the Swiss Youth Competition (1996), she also received prizes from Migros Cultural Foundation, Concours des Jeunes Interprètes in France (1999), and the First Prize in the Elise Meyer competition in Hamburg (2004).  In 1999 she created the Trio l’Académie Varga, which received a prize in the Chamber Music Competition of the Migros Cultural Foundation, giving numerous concerts after. Since 2001 she has been a violinist in the Trio Zéphyr, which is supported by the Yehudi Menuhin Foundation, and won First Prize at the 2003 Charles Hennen International Music Competition in Holland, and performed in numerous festivals through Europe as part of the trio and in chamber ensembles.  As a soloist, Isabelle has performed with many orchestras, including the Budapest Chamber Orchestra, the Sir Georg Solti Chamber Orchestra, the Sinfonietta LaU.S.A.nne, and the Neues Orchester Basel. She performed the world premiere of Laurent Mettraux’s Second Concerto, which was dedicated to her, and has made many television and radio broadcasts. Selected as an iPalpiti soloist in 2004, Isabelle was featured in solo and 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 is currently a member of the Academy of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra.

 

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. As 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.

 

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 an iPalpiti prize for the participation in 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.

 

Peter Ranier, a concertmaster of the Kammerakademie Potsdam since 2000, Rainer has developed an active career as a chamber musician, soloist and teacher in his native Germany. He is the founder and leader of the popular Persius Ensemble, focusing mainly on a repertoire written for the classical nonett, releasing two CDs. With this group of mixed string and wind players he is touring throughout all of Europe. He was also a concertmaster of the Berlin Chamber Orchestra, Deutsches Kammerorchester, Kurpfälzisches Kammerorchester Mannheim and has appeared with these ensembles as the soloist.  His musical interests are quite broad. He is continuously experimenting with specialists of period music as well as premiering new music.  Peter studied violin in the United States at the Meadows School of the Arts with Professor Eduard Schmieder where he received the Artist Certificate in 1994 and Master of Violin Performance in 1995. Upon return to Germany, he was concertmaster of the Brandenburgische Philharmonie in Potsdam from 1996 to 2000.  Peter 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, Texas. Peter has been a member and leader of iPalpiti since 1994. In 2005, Peter received a commendation from the City of Los Angeles for the leadership of iPalpiti and his contributions to the culture.

 

Born in 1983 in Dolny Kubin in the north of Slovakia, Daniel Turcina 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, and with the Bohdan Warchal Slovak Chamber Orchestra. 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 accepted to the class of R. Kuchla at the University of Music and Dramatic Arts in Vienna, Austria (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.

 

VIOLAS

 

Born in Hasselt, Belgium, Karel Coninx began studying the violin at the age of five.  After obtaining a Kandidaatsdiploma for violin and a Meesterdiploma for viola at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels where his principal teachers were Urszula Gorniak and Paul De Clerck. Karel has participated in master classes and coaching with the Penderecki String Quartet, Yuzuko Horigome, Andre Roy, Philippe Graffin, Saulius Sondeckis, Shmuel Ashkenazy, and others. Karel was a laureate of the Scolarta music competition twice, and was awarded the second prize at the Kiwanis Muziekconcours. As a chamber musician, Karel has appeared at festivals in Belgium (Midi-Minimes, Ars Musica, Festival van Vlaanderen), Italy (Casalmaggiore, Pietrasanta in Concerto), 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 by Chicago-based composers George Flynn and Sarah Ritch, and is  a member of the Chicago Civic Orchestra for the 2008-2009 season. 

 

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!

 

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.

 

CELLOS

 

Julie Jung 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. * ( read more about the trio in violinist Ellen Jung bio).  As a soloist  Julie performed with the Toronto Symphony, Canadian Chamber Academy, and the Taejon Symphony Orchestras, to name a few. In 2000, she was a prize winner of the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition with the NEC Honors String Quartet, with whom she made her Jordan Hall debut. Extensive list of chamber music performances includes appearances at the Verbier (Switzerland) and Manchester (England) festivals, and a tour of Germany with the NEC Chamber Orchestra. 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 enjoys teaching: prior teaching posts have included Yale School of Music and Classical Music Conservatory in Toronto; she currently holds a faculty position at the Opus 119 Music School in Irvine and the Claremont Community Music School in Claremont, California.  

 

An accomplished chamber musician, Evgeny Sakakuschev appeared in many concerts 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. Among numerous international prizes and distinctions is a first prize at the National Competition for German Music, 2nd Prize at the "Obretenov - Competition" in Bulgaria, and the Mendelssohn Competition in Berlin, as well as the Grand Premio at the Chamber Music Competition in Varenna, Italy. He also received scholarships from the “Wilheim-Müller-Stiftung”, Mannheim and the “Oscar & Vera-Ritter-Stiftung”, Hamburg. 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 such teachers as Ivan Monighetti, Victoria Yagling, Gary Hoffaman, and Eleonore Schoenfeld.  As an invited guest he performed at the international chamber music festivals  in “Estate Musicale a Portogruaro”, “Ascoli Piceno Music Festival” (Italy), Kultursommer Rheinland-Pfalz, (Germany), “Yokosuka Bay” (Japan), “West-Siberia-East Music Festival” (Russia), “Eilat Chamber Music Festival”, “Felicja Blumenthal Chamber Music Festival” (Israel), and participated at the Ravinia festival in Chicago and International Laureates Festival in Los Angeles (USA). Evgeny enjoys a chamber duo–partnership with the Argentinean pianist José Gallardo with whom he recorded a recital CD with works by Robert Schumann. 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 orchestra of international laureates since 2000, Evgeny toured Japan and Israel, and in 2007 was a principal cellist on a concert tour in Philadelphia and New York, concluding with his debut at the Carnegie Hall. Currently Evgeny is a principal cellist at the Sao Paolo Symphony, Brazil.

 

BASS

Daniel Nix, acclaimed as “a true rising star of the solo double bass,” resides in British Columbia, where he is the only private pupil and protégé of the world famous soloist Gary Karr. He has appeared as orchestral soloist and recitalist in the US and Canada. In an effort to awaken the minds of youth to classical music, Daniel has given a series of concerts for thoU.S.A.nds of elementary and junior high students. Having studied violin from the age of 10, Daniel was persuaded to make this switch of instruments at 14, to accommodate the needs of the orchestra of his high school in Dallas. Upon hearing famed bassist Karr in concert, Daniel realized the enormous potential of the instrument, and began to experiment and learn how to produce what he considered “a gorgeous sound” with which he could convey strong emotional messages similar to those he had heard in the Karr concert. In 2003 he attended KarrKamp, an intensive course in double bass studies, and had the chance to play for his mentor. Concurrently, Daniel attends the University of Victoria to major in music performance and studies with Mary Rannie, principal bassist of the Victoria Symphony.

 

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; Kilterclash; 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 most recently completed a short cue for Sesame Street.  His work has also 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.

 

 

All biographies and photos courtesy iPalpiti Artists International.