The Jury

A multi-instrumentalist and one of the few people in the world who you can see performing as a soloist with two instruments on the same stage as an orchestra, internationally acclaimed harpist, pianist, composer, conductor, and professor Dr. Chaerin Kim is the winner of 13 national and international competitions in America, England, Russia, and Korea. She has been a judge 106 times at 45 international competitions in the US, UK, Sweden, Switzerland, Finland, Canada, Italy, Germany, Austria, Serbia, Hungary, Estonia, Ukraine, Russia, Romania, Spain, Japan, and Australia.Dr. Kim’s harp performance has been used for the British movie Kaleidoscope, (main actor Toby Jones), which was the winner of Best Performance at the 2017 Edinburgh International Film Festival.

As a composer, her composition, Rendezvous, has 100 versions, including versions for orchestra, harp, piano, and voice, with lyrics written by her and translated into 80 different languages. The orchestral version of Rendezvous had its World Premiere in Boston, and its South American Premiere by National Philharmonic Orchestra of Venezuela. 

To date, she has released 146 songs (7 Albums and 91 Singles), and her music has aired on the radio stations in US and UK. Most recently, she was nominated for and awarded a Future Classic Women Awardthrough the London Radio Station, where she has been interviewed twice. She has also been interviewed by WCPE Radio, WGTE Public Media Radio in the US, and Royal Holloway Radio in the UK.Dr. Kim was a full-time music faculty member at Eastern Nazarene College, where she taught piano, harp, music theory, and music history classes. She was also the former Head of the Harp Department at Adagio Music Academy, Harp Department Chair at South Shore Conservatory. 

Currently, she is an artist and masterclass leader with the TTF Entertainment Company in Korea and China, and music faculty for piano and harp at University of Massachusetts Boston and Schlossakademie in Germany. She is also an instructor for both instruments through the Office of Arts at Harvard University. Most recently, she was elected as an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music in London. Dr. Kim is invited to be a Grammy Awards Voting Member from 2024-2028! Also, she was elected as an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music in London this year.

“Personally, I attribute my greatest lessons to my parents, who provided endless love and support. In particular, my mother, despite being an art major, has been the most knowledgeable, the best teacher in my music career. These days, when I teach students at colleges, I draw heavily from the wisdom imparted by my mother.

My composition “Rendezvous”, this musical opus holds a special place in my heart, not just for its melodic beauty but also for the profound message of unity and hope that it embodies. With over 100 different versions spanning various instruments and languages, “Rendezvous” is a testament to the transformative power of music to transcend cultural boundaries and unite hearts across the globe. It is my fervent hope that this piece will continue to inspire and uplift listeners for generations to come!“

“Hello to all music lovers. I am Eliseu Silva, I am International solo violinist, Conductor and Professor, Festival Director and PhD in music performance.

As a violin soloist I have played as soloist, with piano and chamber music in many countries such as Australia, Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland Japan, Netherlands, Belgium, Romania, Malta, China, Hong Kong, among others.
I have recorded for many labels such as Deutsch gramophone, Munich Regroup and different Radios and TVs channels. 

I have also been invited as jury of many international competitions such as Talents For Europe International Violin Competition, International Competition Santa Cecília, Alice and Eleonor Schoenfeld international Violin Competition, Hong Kong international Competition.

As a conductor I am the resident conductor of the Bonjoia Youth Orchestra and Antonio Fragoso Orchestra and participated in social projects involving music as a powerful dinamic tool.

As a professor I teach at Porto Catholic University, and I have taught in ESMAE, and gave many amsterclasses in Bratislava, Shangai, Beijing and Shenzen music Universities.”

Eliseu Silva is supported by some brands such as D’Addario strings, Sir violins, and Saroni suits and plays nowadays in a C. Guadagnini violin.

All my professores influenced me tremendously… 
Max Rabinovitch for the connection to the Auer school and bow technique, through Efrehem Zimbalist teachings… 
Mikhail Berzverhkny for the genius and sort of sauvage liberty when playing.
Phillipe Aiche for the connection to the french delicacy and a specific French elan phrasing. 
Radu Ungureanu for his connection to romanian high music culture and is relation to Enescu.
Gerardo Ribeiro for his connection to galamian teachings and music approach. 
But I really should mention a professor that for many reasons as well because he died with COVID anonymously and solitary a few days ago, and whom I miss immensely, who was huge artist and a true fighter…Valenton Stefanov who taught me how to sing from the soul through the strings of the violin, a teacher that will remain in my memory for ever. 

In this way my philosophy as professor is to be as wide as possible with the students. Thus I try to bring up my students as great musicians but most important, as individuals more resilient, sensitive, ready for life, and more altruistic and human. 

As a musician I have had very important moments in my life, such as recording for Deutsch gramophone or playing with great musicians such as Pierre Boulez but also having played for great personalities such as the Japanese emperors or the Spanish Monarchy. But also there where many moments that, for the emotion, made them eternal for me, such as playing a very intimate phrase in Brahms violin concerto 2 movement that left me and some people in public in tears.

Strangely enough my most admirable performers died a long time ago, like Heifetz, Hassid, Goldstein, Seidel or Elman, but lately I have been discovering huge and sort of anonymous artists such as Vasa Psihoda and Grigoras Dinicu.

I believe that music is the most powerful tool for changing the world for better and that artist should strive to deepen their duty and power as social actors. Thus, any social cause is a great cause for using our talent art passion and dedication to improve the world. P
ersonally I have an association called AMEP and we work consistently with foster houses, nursing centres, psychiatric hospitals, prisons.
However I prefer to work with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, with which results have been measured scientifically and have been proved several times in different ways how powerful music can be in improving lives for better.”

“I developed my career as piano soloist playing in Europe, America and Asia; I had the pleasure to perform in venues like Shanghai Symphony Hall, St. Martin in the Fields, Auditorium Parco della Musica, Sala Verdi and many more. I have recorded for several TV channels, and one of my recordings was among the winners of the Global Musical Awards. Last October 2020 I have been awarded with the Cartagine International Prize, Music Section.

Among the professors who most influenced me, my strongest memory is Sergio Fiorentino: his videos and recordings speak for him. One of the greatest pianists ever, he has been not just the best example as a musician, but as a human being first… how to behave, care for others, help them when possible, recognize people’s talent without any envy, be curious about all fields of knowledge and cultivate many interest, not just music. Last but not least, to be aware that being in the flow is better that make things perfect.
I have been lucky enough to enjoy, later, Chamber Music with Pier Narciso Masi: another great musician and great man, and he is also one of my best memories.

Nobody holds the truth: whoever says so is lying, or they did not take enough time to think, it’s a matter of knowledge and honesty. Being a musician is very close to scientific research: every morning you start from the beginning, try some experiments on yourself with the noble purpose to learn music better, even if you have an outstanding, long career behind your back, aware that tomorrow it will be the same research but (hopefully) with different results. What you learn over the years is the ability to see through music, your eyes go over the score and they can see many things and you know how to make them real on the piano: this is what I teach students. This last detail is crucial to me, when I was a student, many times
I would have loved to have a teacher telling me how to make it real, how to turn my intentions into real sound, by which gesture, which sensation, which thoughts? It was really hard to find the people who could teach me that. My biggest goal is to be that person for my students.

Among the achievements in my career, I have so many nice memories, but among the highlights I loved the debut at Shanghai Symphony Hall and, many years before, playing at the Parco della Musica and many other places. Some months ago I have been pleasantly surprised for being awarded with the Cartagine International Prize, Music section; surprised because among the past winners there are names so much greater than mine: Kofi Annan, Ennio Morricone… I cannot hope to go that far in my life! But what makes me happy is to see the two fields I like most to work with joined together in that prize: music and personal growth: I strongly believe they should go hand in hand, always. There is no improvement in your music if you don’t work on yourself, constantly.

I don’t listen to music very often, ‘cause I am doing it the whole day, from myself and from students, but when I do it I love to listen to everyone, especially if I don’t know them already but, among the greatest, I am always so curious to see what Martha Argerich does, mostly in orchestra concerts, because very often her ideas are technically and musically so inspiring. And I like very much Beatrice Rana!

If I would have to choose a humanitarian project to sustain, no doubt, I would pick. something regarding women’s education; there are many places in the world where girls are still excluded from a proper education, and poverty is not merely the lack of money, poverty is being isolated from the persons and chances that can help you get where you want. That is is the real problem and we should care more about it.”

Hailed by the Classica Magazine as a “pianist of magnetic presence”, Ingmar Lazar performs in the world’s leading concert halls and festivals, and won critical acclaim for his CD recordings. Prizewinner of international competitions, he is the recipient of the Tabor Foundation Piano Award at the Verbier Festival (2013). Lazar serves as artistic director of the Festival du Bruit qui Pense, and of the Escapades Pianistiques, two international festivals located in France.

“Among the teachers who influenced me the most, there is Valery Sigalevitch who built me up artistically, and Alexis Golovin who developed in me a way of thinking. Other major influences include Dmitri Bashkirov, Malcolm Bilson, Fou Ts’ong, Stanislav Ioudenitch, Roustem Saitkoulov, and Elisso Virsaladze.

Having been taught by different professors, I know that there are so many different ways in approaching music, and that there are always multiple answers to one question. This is something that I always think of when I am teaching myself, as I believe a right solution can be different regarding each student. To be able to stimulate a young musician and open him to all the richness of the world of music is in my opinion one of the greatest achievements one can have.

As I look back, it is always musical accomplishments which left the strongest impact upon me. For example, when at the age of eleven I played for the first time Chopin’s 3 rd Ballade, and one year later Beethoven’s “Appassionata” Sonata and Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition”. Recently it was when I was sharing the stage with pianist Jean-Claude Pennetier in a four-hand Schubert programme.

Naturally there are many pianists that I admire. It is difficult to say just a few names, but among them there is Alfred Cortot, Josef Hofmann, Vladimir Horowitz, Josef Lhevinne, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Artur Schnabel.

And if there were three recordings that I would take on a desert island, it would include Wilhelm Furtwängler conducting Beethoven’s Symphonies, Gustav Leonhardt playing Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier… but impossible to make a third choice without regretting a fourth one!”

“I play about 40 recitals per year and I think I’m not only a pianist, I’m also someone who tells a story via playing, I tell my secrets into my music and the audience can really understand who Shizhe Shen is from my performance. My music is full of story.

I was born in Xiangtan, China, a very beautiful city, I started playing piano at the age of 6, with Hua Wang, She lived in Wuhan, I had to take a 7 hour train once a week from Xiangtan to Wuhan for the piano lesson. then I studied at Wuhan Conservatory of Music from 2005 with Prof.Bin Su. In 2009, I moved to England and studied at the Purcell School of music with Prof.Tessa Nicholson, After that I moved to Germany in 2011, studied with Maestro Arie Vardi at HMTMH for 8 years, it was a lovely and unforgettable time.

My greatest achievements:
Steinway Artist.
Recording artist for GENUIN label.
Top award at Global Music Award.
Played more than hundreds concerts, many of them were live broadcasted.
Invited as guest artist in many TV shows/ talk shows.

My job takes me VERY often in front of the camera so I go to the gym everyday to keep myself in a good shape, to look good in front of the camera.

My former piano teacher Arie Vardi has been the most important influence on my music life and career, he was not only a piano teacher to me but a life mentor, I was so lucky to study with him.
My parents inspired me to pursue my career in music, the newspapers calls me piano princess, I’m very appreciate for this nickname but I know I’m not a princess, I had some very tough time in my life and my parents always cheers me up, they always trusted me, gave me all the support.

My most memorable concert / musical experience would be my first formal recital. I was nearly 15 years old and it was in Wuhan, I was not nervous at all, loved every seconds on the stage.

Which performances or recordings am I most proud of? All of them. They all had different stories, each one of them are like my children.I’m proud of all of them.

One thing I do off stage that provides me inspiration is slow practice. I LOVE slow practice and I can always find different things from slow practice. It makes my mind clear.

Maybe some more magazines and radios to promote classical music so the audience could know more about the performer and the music would be a good way to make the classical music audience grow.

A definition of success… hmm… it’s a hard question, everyone has a different answer to it, but one always needs more recognition, so we get more opportunities to share our music with other people.

My idea of perfect happiness is to play music everyday and enjoy life with my family and friends, keep smile to life.”

Steinway Artist and concert pianist, co-founder and director of the label KNS Classical and artistic director of several cycles and festivals of music, Carles Lama has also won a reputation for mentoring a wide number of young talents.

Together with superior studies in piano performance in Spain, Paris and United States and having directed the Conservatory of Music in Girona -from 2006 to 2012 – he studied Music Business, Branding and Digital Marketing and has founded Music Talent Lab and presented workshops and lectures in different institutions in order to guide and enlighten the musicians’ careers.

At the same time, he has taught Master-Classes around the world and has been jury member of many renowned international competitions.

He is member of the acclaimed “Carles & Sofia piano duo” with his wife Sofia Cabruja, with whom they have played around the world, including venues like Carnegie Hall, Palau de la Música Catalana, Sala Verdi or Teatro Solís, among others. They have been praised by public and critics alike as one of the best piano duos in the world. Their discography of more than 10 CDs includes masterworks for four hands and brilliant and demanding orchestral transcriptions, as well as original and exclusive projects created by the duo, including the transcription of the opera “Goyescas” or a “Lieder Project”, with transcriptions for four hands of Brahms, Schumann and Schubert lieder repertoire.

Always committed with social needs, he has a UNICEF award for his humanitarian aid.
In 2012, together with his wife, they founded Concerts4Good, Music on a Mission, a solidarity project.

He has been recognised as a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation and has received the Golden Star for the Professional Excellence, the Golden Medal for the Merit at Work and the European Golden Cross.

“Which are the professors who most influenced you or what do you remember from them and why?
The two professors who have influenced me most are Brazilian pianist Luiz de Moura Castro and Russian pianist Nina Svetlanova. I have studied with them in the United States. From Luiz de Moura I admire his capacity of communication, his impressive and beautiful sound and dramatism and I was in love with Nina’s attention to the style, the colours and the detail.

Which is your philosophy of teaching?
Teaching, in my opinion, has to be inspiring students. The teacher should be a model of inspiration, the student has to feel the teacher’s passion for what he or she does. I think it is good that one person studies with several professors, but when a teacher is an inspiration for their students, they will have the power and energy to find the way to play for themselves. I do not believe in “recipes”. Each student is different and has to find his/her own path. I like the teachers who give the students the right tools to find solutions for themselves and to be independent.

What are the most important achievements in your career?
To me, one of the important achievements of my career is my duo with my wife Sofia Cabruja (piano four hands). We have been playing together since 1987 and we have played in many important halls such as Carnegie Hall, Palau de la Música Catalana, Teatro Solís, Sala Verdi and others. Also, our discography legacy is something that makes me proud.
Another important achievement, in my opinion, is the creation of the label KNS Classical, not only for the freedom that has given us in terms of the choice of the repertoire, but also for having given me the possibility and pleasure of helping other musicians. It is a pleasure and joy, for me, to be able to help other artists build their careers.

Who are your favourite performers?
It is always difficult having to choose, there are and have been so many good musicians in the world…
If I had to choose, though, I would say Artur Rubinstein, Jessye Norman, Alicia de Larrocha, Wilhelm Kempff, Victoria de los Angeles, Leonard Bernstein, Philippe Jaroussky, Maria Tipo and Maria Joao Pires.

If you would have to choose a humanitarian project to sustain, which one would you choose?
I have already supported many humanitarian projects in my life, but at present I think it is urgent to support any project which can bring drinkable water to every corner in the world.

Which 3 CDs would you bring to a deserted island?
Gustav Mahler: Lieder Fahrenden Gesellen, Kindertötenlieder, Rückert . Thomas Hampson and Leonard Bernstein.
Sergei Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto n. 3. Lazar Berman, Claudio Abbado.
Richard Strauss: Vier letzte Lieder. Jessye Norman, Gewandhausorchester, Kurt Masur.”

British clarinettist Peter Cigleris is equally at home as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral musician. With a passion for unearthing forgotten repertoire Peter has been able to premier and record various works unjustly consigned to the past. Peter is an artist for Backun Musical Services and Marca Reeds.

“All my professors gave me a little of something and I have always tried to use what works to enable my musical voice.

My teaching philosophy is to work hard in the preparation and then to play as free as a bird in the performance.

One of my most recent achievements of my career is to have been able to record four British Clarinet Concertos with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.

I have many favourite performers and it wouldn’t be fair to single out any one in particular.

If I had to choose a humanitarian project it would be regarding climate change, for sure. We only have this planet and we need to come together as a species and figure out a way to stop abusing it. If we don’t we will be our own downfall.

I would bring Glen Gould’s first recording of the Goldberg Variations, Mozart’s Gran Partita played by the wind soloists of the OAE and the Ralph Vaughan Williams Symphonies in a deserted island.”

Alisa Katroshi is an increasingly internationally renowned dramatic soprano living in Hungary. She performed throughout Europe with special focus on Italy, Germany, Hungary as well as the Balkans region. Alisa has cooperated with directors of the calibre of Andrea Battistoni, Hermann Breuer, Alfredo Sorichetti, Daniela Candiotto, Helge Dorsch, Hans Friedrich Harle and performed with a number of leading orchestras such as: THE Orchestra of Arena di Verona, the orchestra of the Albanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre, the Frankfurter Symphoniker Orchestra as well as the Rhein-Main Philharmoniker. She is winner of prestigious international singing competitions from “Martinelli Pertile” to “Antonio Salieri” from “Cavalier Davide Vignolo” to “Anita Cerquetti “ and more. She is often member of the Jury of the Danubia Talents International Music Competition.

Alisa graduated Suma Cum Laude from the Academy of fine Arts of Tirana (2005) and from the Verona Conservatory E. F. Dall’Abaco (2009).

She has studied with masters such as Mirella Freni, Daniela Dessi, Sylvia Sass, Marcello Lippi and Linda Watson. From Mirella Freni and Marcello Lippi she learned the keys impact on the artistic interpretation of music. From Daniela Dessi, Linda Watson and Sylvia Sass she learned on the key impact on technique.

Alisa is a singing teacher of the University of Arts in Albania. Her philosophy of teaching it is very focused in the right control of the respiration using diaframma, the right posture and equilibrium of the body , the right artistic interpretation studying the psychology of the composers and the personality of their roles. The right equilibrium between the technique and the interpretation.

Her favourite performers are Luciano Pavarotti and Mirella Freni.

She is very touched by the young talented students that have economic difficulties to study singing and she would be happy to sustain a humanitarian project to support them.

Edita Randová is amongst the leading Czech mezzosoprano singers. Critics have praised especially the range and tone of her voice, in connection with her wide range of means of expression, supported by excellent singing technique. She commenced her singing career in the Musical Theatre in Karlín, and in the State Opera in Prague.  

She has performed as a soloist with important orchestras under the directorship of leading Czech and international conductors at home, all the Europe and Australia, Brazil, Mexico, USA (Carnegie Hall), Canada and China. She also participates in a range of internationals festivals.  

In 2009, she was awarded the Gustav Mahler European Prize for her outstanding contribution to music. Among her most important recordings are a discs with songs of Antonín Dvořák. Edita has been teaching singing for many years and is also invited to participate served as a jury member in various international competitions.

“The most important professor was for me Marta Boháčová, because she was not only an excellent teacher and singer,  but also a human personality. She influenced me so much.

Each student has his own personality so it’s important to respect it and not its suppression. That is my philosophy of teaching.

The concert in Carnegie Hall and also the part of Maddalena in Mexico are the most important achievements in my carreer.

My favorite performer is the Czech mezzosoprano Clémence Kalas who lived in Brasil.

I would choose the humanitary project which support the research of cancer.

I wouldn’t bring any CDs on a deserted island.”