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Czech cellist František Brikcius was born in Prague, into a family with a distinguished cultural background. He has been playing the cello since early childhood. Following his cello studies at the Prague Conservatoire, he completed his Master's degree at the Janáček Academy of Music (JAMU) in the Czech republic. He furthered his cello skills at the Toho Gakuen Academy in Japan and later under the guidance of legendary cellist Prof. Anna Shuttleworth (student of Pablo Casals) in the United Kingdom (Eton Cello Master Classes and the University of Leeds).
He won the 2nd prizes at the Anglo-Czech Competition in London (1999), the International String Competition London (2000) and the International String Competition Jihlava (2003). He has been awarded many scholarships and fellowships, including the Czech Music Foundation (CHF), the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, the Music Foundation OSA, the Socrates-Erasmus, and the Gideon Klein Foundation for the propagation of works written by Jewish Holocaust Composers.
František chose to dedicate his life to the interpretation of cello compositions written by composers of the 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, giving special consideration to compositions for solo cello. His favourites are cello suites by Johann Sebastian Bach, Max Reger, Ernest Bloch and Benjamin Britten.
He is particularly involved in researching, studying and performing works by Czech (Antonín Dvořák, Leoš Janáček, Bohuslav Martinů, Josef Suk and Irena Kosíková), Jewish & Terezín (Gideon Klein, Erwin Schulhoff, Zikmund Schul, Jaromír Weinberger, James Simon and David Popper) and contemporary composers (Conrad Beck, Luciano Berio, Pierre Boulez, Benjamin Britten, Henri Dutilleux, Wolfgang Fortner, Alberto Ginastera, Cristobal Halffter, Hans Werner Henze, Heinz Holliger, Klaus Huber and Witold Lutoslawski), playing on a "George Kriwalski" cello made in 1904.
Together with his sister Anna Brikciusová, he is a founder member of the "Duo Brikcius". He is artistic director of Festival Brikcius - Chamber Music Concert Series in Prague, Bach Festival Gers in France and Waltham Forest Cello Fest (the 1st London Borough of Culture meets Classical Music) in London.
František works as independent film-maker as well. His first music documentary film MAKANNA (in the cooperation with the Jewish Museum in Prague and under the auspices of Sir Tom Stoppard and Václav Havel) was already screened in the Czech republic, China, Mexico and Portugal. He is currently working on new music documentary film eSACHERe (2021).
As a soloist František has performed at many festivals in Algeria, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liberland, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Sweden, Turkey, Uzbekistan and the United Kingdom.
František has been teaching cello for many years. He is experienced at taking students at all levels, able to give master classes as well as support beginners. He is giving cello master classes in the United Kingdom, France, Italy and remotely online via Zoom/Skype.
Served as a jury member in various competitions including the Berliner International Music Competition in Germany, the Music and Stars Awards, the Music International Grand Prix, the Sound Espressivo Global Competition, the Palm Beach International Music Awards, the King's Peak International Music Competition and the Baku International Cinema Festival in Azerbaijan.
More information about František Brikcius and his many cello projects is available on the websites https://www.Brikcius.com/Festival , https://www.Brikcius.com/CelloTutor , https://www.Twitter.com/Brikcius and https://www.Instagram.com/Brikcius .
Boris Kuschnir was born into a music family in Kiev in 1948. He studied violin with Boris Belenky at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatoire and chamber music with Valentin Berlinsky of the Borodin Quartet.
His many encounters with Dmitri Shostakovich (working on his last quartets) and David Oistrakh, with whom he also studied, had a lasting influence on his artistic development. His career started 1969 when he was one of the three winners of the Allunions-Competition in Leningrad where, in the final, he performed the Beethoven Violin Concerto with the Leningrad Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Yuri Temirkanov.
He has won numerous prizes at international violin and chamber music competitions (Paris, Belgrade, Sion, Trapani, Bratislava, Florence, Trieste, Gorizia, Hamburg, Vercelli). In 1970 he founded the Moscow String Quartet and remained a member until 1979.
Since 1981 he has been living in Austria. He became an Austrian citizen in 1982 and was the first concertmaster of the Bruckner Orchestra in Linz until 1983. In 1984, he became a Professor at the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna and also a distinguished Professor at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz in 1999. His reputation as a teacher won international recognition with the recent outstanding success of his pupils, Julian Rachlin (1st Prize Eurovision Grand Prix for Young Musicians, Amsterdam 1988), Nikolaj Znaider (1st Prize of the Queen Elisabeth Competition, Brussels 1997), Sergey Dogadin (1st Prize of the International Tchaikovsky Competition, Moscow 2019, 1st Prize of the Joseph Joachim International Violin Competition, Hannover 2015, 1st Prize of the Singapore International Violin Competition, 2018, Grand Prix of the Yuri Yankelevich International Violin Competition in Omsk, Russia 2013, 2nd Prize of the Isaac Stern International Violin Competition, Shanghai 2016), Pavel Milyukov (3rd Prize International Tchaikovsky Competition, Moscow 2015, 1st Prize Aram Khachaturian International Competition, 2012, 2nd Prize Seoul International Music Competition, 2012), Diana Tishchenko (1st Prize Long Thibaud Competition, Paris 2018), Lidia Baich (1st Prize Eurovision Grand Prix for Young Musicians, Vienna 1998), Alexandra Soumm (1st Prize Eurovi-sion Grand Prix for Young Musicians, Lucerne 2004), Maria Duenas (1st Prize Zhuhai International Mozart Competition, 2017 and 1st Prize International Vladimir Spivakov Violin Competition, Ufa, 2018), Dalibor Karvay (1st Prize Eurovision Grand Prix for Young Musicians, Berlin 2002; 1st Prize International Tibor Varga Competition, Switzerland 2003; 1st Prize David Oistrakh Competi-tion, Moscow 2008), Lorenzo Gatto (2nd Prize Queen Elizabeth Competition, Brussels 2009), Ondrej Janoska (Janoska Ensemble) and Aleksey Igudesman (Igudesman & Joo).
In addition to this he educated more than 40 laureates of national and international competitions, his pupils have been appointed Professors at Universities, playing in various chamber music ensembles and orchestras of the world – 7 of his students play at the Vienna Philharmonics.
At the same time he constantly gives masterclasses at renowned academies like the Verbier Festival Academy and Kronberg Academy and is a jury member of various international music competitions such as Queen Elizabeth Competition in Brussels, Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, Niccolò Paganini Competition in Genua, the Long
Thibaud Competition in Paris, Joseph Joachim Competition in Hannover, Singapore International Violin Competition, Tibor Varga Competition in Switzer-land, Michael Hill Competition in New Zealand, Eurovision Competition, David Oistrakh Competition in Moscow, Pablo de Sarasate Competition in Pamplona, George Enescu Competition in Bucharest, Seoul International Music Competi-tion, Violin Masters in Monte Carlo, ARD International Music Competition in Munich, Louis Spohr Competition in Weimar, Andrea Postacchini International Violin Competition in Fermo, Aram Khachaturian International Competition in Yerevan and the Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition.
In 1984 Boris Kuschnir founded the Wiener Schubert Trio which received many prestigious awards, among them the 1. Prize at the international Chamber Music Competition Sergio Lorenzi in Trieste, Italy with Sandor Vegh as president of the jury, the Mozart Interpretationspreis 1988 in Vienna and the Prize of the Ernst von Siemens Foundation1990. Boris Kuschnir played as a soloist and a chamber musician in some of the world’s most illustrious venues: Wiener Musikverein, Teatro alla Scala in Milan, La Fenice in Venice, the Wigmore Hall London, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Berlin Philharmonic Hall, the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris, as well as in the Hall of the Tchaikovsky Conservatoire Moscow, the Ishibashi Memorial Hall and the Suntory Hall in Tokyo. He has taken part in numerous festivals such as Salzburg Festival, Verbier Festival, Gidon Kremer’s Lockenhaus Festival, Vienna Festival, Besançon, Wahington, Spoleto, Naples, Stresa, Bregenz Festival, Mecklenburg-Vorpommen, December Evening (Swiatoslaw Richter Winterfestival) – Moscow, White Nights – St. Petersburg, Julian Rachlin & Friends Festival – Dubrovnik.
Boris Kuschnir appears with such illustrious partners as Evgeny Kissin, Elisabeth Leonskaja, Boris Berezovsky, Leif Ove Andsnes, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Itamar Golan, Stefan Vladar, Elena Bashkirova, Julian Rachlin, Nikolaj Znaider, Maxim Vengerov, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Renaud Capucon, David Garrett, Yuri Bashmet, Gérard Caussé, Nobuko Imai, Lawrence Power, Veronika Hagen, David Car-penter, Antoine Tamestit, Mischa Maisky, Boris Pergamenschikow, Natalia Gut-man, Miklós Perényi, Steven Isserlis, Gautier Capuçon, Sol Gabetta, Gary Hoff-mann, Jean-Guihen Queyras, Ivan Monighetti and Hatto Beyerle, Thomas Kak-uska, Valentin Erben of Alban Berg Quartet. Both as soloist and chamber musi-cian Boris Kuschnir made numerous recordings, notably the complete Mozart piano trios for EMI, which were released in the Mozart year 1991.
In 1993 he founded the Vienna Brahms Trio which made their highly acclaimed debut at the Gidon Kremer’s Lockenhaus Festival in Austria. In 1996, the Trio won First Prize at the 9th International Chamber Music Competition in Illzach, France. Their recording of Schumann’s complete works for Piano trio was released on the Naxos label in 1999. He was co-founder of the Kopelman Quartet in 2002 with which he is giving concerts all over the world since and has released CDs at Nimbus Records and Wigmore Hall Live.
1999 the Austrian President Dr. Thomas Klestil awarded Boris Kuschnir with the official title „Professor“. In 2008 the President of the Republic of Austria Dr. Heinz Fischer awarded Boris Kuschnir with the “Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver for Services to the Republic of Austria” and in 2013 with the “Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and the Arts, First Class”.
The President of the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing Wang Cizhao awarded the certificate of Honorary Professorship to Boris Kuschnir in December 2014.
Edita Randová is amongst the leading Czech mezzosoprano singers. At the beginning of her artistic career she underwent voice training with Milada Musilová and at present works regularly with Marta Boháčová. She has also completed her private studies of piano playing. 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, where she performed a number of national and world repertoire. She took part in a number of foreign tours of the State Opera of Prague, such as in Japan and Switzerland. In 1992 and 1993 she took part in a course of international singing master classes under the guidance of Eva Randová. At present she is devoting herself predominantly to concert activity. In 2000 she took part in a large concert tour throughout the Czech Republic bearing the title „Czech spring with Edita Randová“. She regularly performs concerts at home and abroad: Austria, Great Britain, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Hungary, Moldova, Germany, Slovenia, Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, USA (Carnegie Hall), Canada and China. She also participates in a range of internationals festivals. In the year 2003, the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affaires entrusted her to visit Australia, to promote Czech music there. In 2009, she was awarded the Gustav Mahler European Prize for her outstanding contribution to music and she had her debut in Opera in Mexico as Maddalena in Verdi's "The Rigoletto”. In 2010, she received prize "La Reconnaissance culturelle Medaile d´OR Internationale 2010". She has performed as a soloist with important orchestras including Symhony Orchestra of the Czech Radio, Prague Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra of Pardubice, Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonic Orchestra Hradec Králové, West Bohemian Symphony Orchestra of Mariánské Lázně, Camerata Polifonica Siciliana, Chesapeake Orchestra, London City Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra of Stowe Opera, Romania State Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra Sinfonica della Provincia di Bari, Filarmonia de Gaia, Orquestra Sinfônica do Teatro Nacional Claudio Santoro, Orquestra Sinfônica da Bahia, Orquesta Sinfónica de la UAC, Morelos Chamber Orchestra, Oaxaca Symphony Orchestra, Lincolnwood Chamber Orchestra ....., under the directorship of leading Czech and international conductors. In addition to her opera work, Edita Randová also has a varied concert repertoire, including oratorios, cantatas, masses, song collections or individual songs by old masters, as well as contemporary compositions from leading international composers. Among her most important recordings are a discs with songs of Antonín Dvořák. She has cooperated with the Czech Radio, where he has made several song cycles by Czech and world composers. Her recordings were broadcasted by radio stations in Italy, Australia, France and Argentina. She is an Artistic director of the "International music festival Tóny nad městy". Edita has been teaching singing for many years and is also invited to participate served as a jury member in various international competitions.
Juan Pardo has played in orchestras around the world. Since September 2018 JuanPardo has been the principal trombonist of the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra (ANPO, Principal Conductor and Artistic Director Eduard Topchjan). Before that Juan Pardo was the principal trombonist of the Orquestra Filarmónica de Jalisco (OFJ, Mexico, 2010-2017). Also Juan Pardo was the principal trombonist of the Orquesta Sinfónica de la Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (Monterrey, Mexico, 2008 - 2009). After holding this position, Mr. Pardo was appointed as the principal trombonist of the Orquesta Sinfónica de la Universidad de Guanajuato (OSUG) under the baton of Maestro Enrique Batiz. 2009-2010. During his professional career, Juan Pardo worked under the baton of prestigious Spanish and well-known international conductors.Except his orchestral career Trombonist Juan Pardo is committed to the performance of solo and chamber music. He has performed many solo and band concerts around the world. Juan Pardo participated as a soloist in the International Trombone Festival (USA, Redlands, California, 2017), International Brass Festival (Guanajuato, Mexico 2016), Festival de Música Vientos de la Montaña (Mexico, 2017), Laguna BRASS Festival (Mexico, 2015), Busan MARU International Music Festival (South Korea, 2015) among others.Mr. Pardo performed like soloist with Armenian National Chamber Orchestra and Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra.As an educator, Mr. Pardo has served as the Professor of Trombone at the Universidad de Guanajuato (Mexico, 2016-2017). Also, Juan Pardo has been invited to participate as a guest teacher in a variety of international events. Since September 2018 Juan Pardo has served as the Professor of Trombone at the 'Brass Academy' operating under the patronage of Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra and YerazArt international Foundation.Juan Pardo is a performing artist of the prestigious S.E. Shires Company (www.seshires.com) and Mouthpiecea UltimateBrass.
With more than 25 years as Principal flute at OSESP (State of São Paulo Symphonic Orchestra), OSB (Brazilian Symphonic Orchestra) and State of Espirito Santo Symphonic Orchestra, since 2001 Rogério Wolf performs solo and chamber music concerts.
Board jury of many competitions including the Young Artists Competitions and High School Competition at NFA Convention 2019 as well at 2015´s 3rd International Maxence Larrieu Flute Competition, in Nice (France),
Among many records, his last álbum “Imagens” was recorded with the Budapest Radio Symphonic Orchestra.
Soloist at OSESP, OSPA, Sinfônica da USP (São Paulo University), Ribeirão Preto Symphonic Orchestra, Campinas Symphonic Orchestra, Santos Symphonic Orchestra, Paraguay National Simphonic Orchestra, Amazonas Philarmonic and State of Espirito Santo Symphonic Orchestra, among others.
Performs workshops and masterclasses all over the world, including Japan, USA, Spain, Germany, France, Switzerland, Russia, Finland, Ecuador, Argentina, Costa Rica, Portugal and Slovenia.
A multi-instrumentalist, being one of the very few in the world who you can see performing as a soloist with two instruments on the same stage with an orchestra, internationally acclaimed harpist, pianist, composer, and professor Dr. Chaerin Kim is the winner of several international competitions.She was the winner of the Special Prize of Best Performance of Russian Music at the International Harp Competition in Russia, winner of the Future Classic Women Award from the London Radio Station, the CFA Award and Department Honor Award from Boston University, the Garrett Award, Foundation Award, and Julia Leney Harp Prize in London, the Soloist Competition Winner at Ewha University, Kaywon School for the Arts, and Boston University, the Bronze Medalist for Solo Piano at the Walgan Music Competition, and winner of the Grand Prize from the Korean Student’s Newspaper.
She has been featured as a soloist on both instruments: Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2, Debussy Danses for Harp, Mozart’s Flute and Harp Concerto with UMB Orchestra, Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 with Boston Chamber Orchestra, the Ginastera Harp Concerto with BU Symphony Orchestra, Ginastera Harp Concerto with Seongnam Philharmonic, a Guest Soloist of the International Music Festival broadcast live in Korea, Ravel’s Introduction and Allegro and Debussy’s Danses with Yonsei Sinfonietta, and the Pierne Harp Concerto with EU Orchestra. Her harp performance has been used for the British movie Kaleidoscope (Main actor Toby Jones), which was the winner of Best Performance at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. As a composer, her composition, Rendezvous, has 92 versions, including versions for orchestra, harp, piano, and voice, with lyrics written by her and translated into 80 different languages, and the orchestral version of Rendezvous had its world premiere in Boston, Massachusetts. Most recently, she was nominated for and awarded the Future Classic Women Award through the London Radio Station, who interviewed her twice, and also interviewed with WCPE Radio in the U.S.
Dr. Kim’s musical studies began when she was six years old. She majored in piano at the Yewon Music Middle School, while also beginning studies in cello and voice. After Yewon, she went on to attend Kaywon High School of Arts, where she continued to major in piano. In her last year, at the age of eighteen, she also started lessons on harp, and six months later won the Soloist Audition for Harp. She received her B.A. with Highest Honors from Ewha University in Seoul – then, while pursuing her master’s degree at Ewha, she was offered a scholarship for a PGD at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where she graduated with “distinction.” She got her M.M. from Yale University on a scholarship, graduating summa cum laude. She was invited to the Artist’s Diploma program at Yale and Graduate Diploma Program at New England Conservatory – however, she decided to pursue her doctorate at Boston University, where she was offered a full scholarship. She was the “quickest recipient of a Doctorate” in BU Music School’s history, completing it in three and a half years.
As a contest judge and jury, Dr. Kim was the artistic director of the USA International Music Competition in 2010, and in 2021, she is judging at ten international competitions for both harp and piano: the Music International Grand Prix in New York, the King’s Peak International Music Competition in California, the World Vision Music Contest in Germany, the Grand Metropolitan International Music Competition in Canada, the International Music Competition in Serbia, Music Modern in Ukraine, the International Youth Music Competition in Atlanta, Musical South Palmyra in Ukraine, and Danubia International Music Competition in Hungary. Dr. Kim was formerly a professor at Eastern Nazarene College, where she taught harp, piano, music theory and music history classes, and was also the former Head of the Harp Department at Adagio Music Academy and South Shore Conservatory. Currently, she is an artistic director of UIMC, an artist with the TTF Entertainment company in China, and a professor of both instruments; harp and piano at University of Massachusetts Boston, Schloss Akademie in Germany, and harp through the Office of Arts at Harvard University.
John Solomons has appeared with great success as solo pianist, concerto soloist, collaborator, and chamber musician, in the United States, Europe, and South America, performing with the Emerson String Quartet, Cliburn winner Fabio Bidini, and under the direction of American conductor Gunther Schuller. Born in Colombo, Ceylon, Solomons began his piano studies with his mother at age four, and continued his studies in the United States at age eleven with noted Brazilian pianist Luiz de Moura Castro. His other primary teachers include South African pianist and Van Cliburn Competition Gold Medalist Steven de Groote, and Hartt School of Music founder, Moshe Paranov. Solomons holds degrees from Texas Christian University, the Hartt School of Music, and the University of North Texas where he earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree under Adam Wodnicki. His international summer studies include the Albert Schweitzer Institute in Gunsbach, France, and the Corsi d’Interpretazione in Farra d’Isonzo, Italy.
Grand prize winner of the 13th Bartok-Kabalevsky-Prokofiev International Piano Competition, John Solomons was praised by Bartok-protégé Gyorgy Sandor, as “an exceptionally gifted artist, whose musical and pianistic achievements are of the highest order”. Additional winnings include 1st prize in the Musical Research Society’s Stewart Grant Competition (Bartlesville, Oklahoma), 3rd prize in the American Music Scholarship Association World Piano Competition (Cincinnati, Ohio), and the Catalan Composers Prize at the Xavier Montsalvatge International Piano Competition in Girona, Spain. His interest in 20th-century music has led to world premieres, performances, and recordings of works by contemporary composers William Albright, James Sellars, Carlos Guinovart, Lloyd Taliaferro, Rufus Brown, George Chave, and Daniel Baldwin. An active adjudicator, Solomons has served on numerous juries including the Chamber Music Foundation of New England’s International Chamber Music Competition (New England Conservatory), the Bartok-Kabalevsky-Prokofiev International Piano Competition (Radford University), the Jackie McGehee Young Artist Competition (University of New Mexico), and the MTNA/TMTA State Competition (Texas Tech University, Lubbock), among many others. As visiting professor, Solomons has taught at the Curs Internacional in Girona, Spain, the Internacional Festival de Inverno, Vale Veneto, Brazil, and the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Monterrey, Mexico, and has conducted piano master-classes in the U.S and abroad. He has served on the faculties of Tarrant County College, Fort Worth, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Durant, Oklahoma, and since 1997 has served as Professor of Piano, and Keyboard Area Coordinator at the University of Texas at Arlington. Listed in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, and Madison’s Who’s Who, Solomons has recorded on the Centaur, Evolutionary Music Records, and Marks Records labels.
A member of the Arlington and Fort Worth Music Teacher associations, Solomons has an extensive record of student success. His undergraduate and graduate students at UT Arlington are frequent winners of the department’s endowed scholarships and concerto competitions, and have been accepted to music programs at the Juilliard School of Music, New England Conservatory, Cleveland Institute of Music, Cincinnati Conservatory, Eastman School of Music, University of North Texas, University of Oklahoma, Baylor University, and Southern Methodist University, as well as the International Institute For Young Musicians at the University of Kansas, and the Orfeo International Music Festival in Sterzing, Italy. His students have participated in the 2011 Basically Beethoven Festival Rising Star Recital Series and the 2011 Sixth Van Cliburn International Competition for Outstanding Amateurs, Fort Worth. MTNA/TMTA piano competitions include 1st place winners at the state and regional levels, and a national finalist placement. Other significant student achievements include Honorable Mention in the Juanita Miller Concerto Competition, Dallas, first prize in the Fort Worth Civic Orchestra Concerto Competition, and the Erma Lowe Award and first prize in the 2011 Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra’s Young Artist Concerto Competition. Solomons was selected as the 2012 College Teacher of the Year by the Texas Music Teacher Association.
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