Winners of the Web Concert Hall Competition 2003

Winner- Tosheff Piano Duo (Vely Stoyanova & Ilia Tosheff) have performed in Japan, US, Germany, Holland, Malta, Italy, Spain, Bulgaria and Switzerland. They have won numerous honors and awards at prestigious international competitions worldwide. Competitions include, the grand prize at Tokyo International Piano duo competition (1988), the grand prize at Dobrich (Bulgaria) 1997 The Coast of Hope International competition, 1st prize at Rome Valentino bucchi International competition, 1st prize at Rome International Music Tournament, 1st prize at Sofia Music and Earth International competition and Zinetti Chamber music competition. [Performance] [interview]

"...remarkable precision, mastered virtuosity..." "...The stage presence and aura is irresistible...one of the best piano duos worldwide..." - Dimitar Kozev of Dimov Quartet, Professor of Chamber Music State Academy of Music Sofia

"…a spectacular performance… they are fabulous…" "...Absolutely one of the very best duos I have heard in my entire life! They are totally professional and they reach a level of artistry that is quite remarkable!... " - John Perry, Professor of Piano and concert pianist - University of Southern California
Los Angeles, U.S.

"...fascinating temperament, charm and spontaneity that grab the audience..." - Teodora Nestorova, Professor of Piano State Academy of Music in Sofia, Bulgaria

"...They represent a phenomenon in the world musical culture..." "...They play and they breathe as a single person..." - Georgy Kostov, Rector of the State Academy of Music, Sofia, Bulgaria

"...Magic!...Unity in variety and variety in the unity of their performance..." "...musicians of extremely high professional status!..." - Alexander Yossifov, Composer, Conductor, Bulgaria

"...The astonishing synergy between both musicians accumulates a creative energy that is rarely seen..."
Vladimir Krainev, Professor of Piano, Hochschule fuer Musik und Theater (College of Music and Drama) Hannover (Germany)

Winner - Pasquale Iannone - Piano

After graduating cum laude in 1984 at the Bari "N. Piccinni" Conservatory Pasquale Iannone pursued further studies with Aldo Ciccolini, Marisa Somma. In 1987 he got the Diploma with honours at the Royal College of Music in London. From 1992 he has been associated with Eugenio Bagnoli at the Fondazione "G. Cini" of Venezia.

The pianist has won several national competitions (Albenga, Rozzano, Galatina, Osimo) and international as well such the "A. Casella" (Naples 1989); "Carlo Zecchi" (Rome 1991. In 1994 Pasquale Iannone has been top prize winner at the prestigeous "Gina Bachauer" International Piano Competition which took place in Salt Lake City (USA) and in 1995 he has been awarded of the Second Prize and the Special Fauré Prize at the New Orleans International Piano Competition.

Pasquale Iannone has performed in many italian cities (Siracusa, Bari, Lecce, Avellino, Pescara, Mantova, Pesaro, Napoli, Brindisi, Catania, Milano, Roma, Venezia) for important concert association like the Lyceum Club of Catania, Amici della Musica of Trapani, Camerata Musicale Barese, Concerti TELECOM at the "Sistina" Theatre in Rome, Società dei Concerti of Milano, Fondazione "G. Cini" of Venezia. He has played as soloist with the Orchestra Sinfonica della Provincia di Bari, Orchestra Filarmonica Marchigiana, Orchestra Filarmonica del Teatro Petruzzelli, Orchestra Sinfonica della Provincia di Lecce, Orchestra "A. Scarlatti" di Napoli, Orchestra "Cantelli" in Milano, Orchestra Filarmonia Veneta and the Utah Symphony Orchestra in the United States.

In 1997 Pasquale Iannone has recorded two CDs : the first with a live performance of the Rachmaninov 3th Concerto and the second with the two Brahms’ piano Sonatas and the first two studies. In 2000 he has record an other CD with Tschaikowsky’s and Rachmaninov’s piano music sponsored by the prestigious "G. Cini" Foundation of Venice which has been awarded as the best Italian CD of the year.

[Performance] [interview]

"I remember Pasquale Iannone as a young man seated at the piano awaiting his entrance exam into my class at the International Accademy of Biella. As he played his first few pages, I immediately noticed his rare gifts as a pianist: the ample scale of his dynamics, the coherence of his interpretation free of low level mannerisms, technical precision. I immediately thought this boy would one day make people talk about himself. I don’t think I was wrong: Pasquale Iannone is at ease today with whatever difficulty he meets. With warmest affection I wish him the best success." - Aldo Ciccolini

"I consider Pasquale Iannone to be one of the most gifted pianists of the generation. His very high technical ability and profound sensibility as an interpreter place him at the forefront in today’s international concert scene." - Carlo Franci

"Pasquale Iannone’s career is rising continuosly. He is endowed with imagination, sensibility and strong sense of ensamble technique at the service of his outstanding perceiving of the sonic architectures. His fingers’ quasi scientific action is at the same high level as his control of the instrument. Pasquale Iannone certainly deserves my best wishes." - Eugenio Bagnoli

Winner - Richard Raymond - (Piano) is currently Associate Professor at McGil University in Montreal. He has won Montreal International competition, the chamber music prize at the Van Cliburn competition, William Kapell International piano competition, International Stepping Stone" of the Canadian Music competition, and Vianna da Motta competition. In 1998, he was the recipient of the prestigious Virginia Parker prize awarded by the Canada council. [Performance] [interview]

"...a true virtuoso...extraordinarly expressive..." - -Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung (Germany)

"These are polished, highly poetic performances..." -Dallas Morning News (USA)

"His performance of Beethoven's Fourth Concerto would not have been out of place in partnership with any orchestra in the world - The Washington Post

"... a warmly expressive pianist" - -The Kansas City Star

"...if piano playing ever becomes an Olympic sport, count on Richard Raymond to win the gold medal" The Toronto Star

"... and amazing control of tone, and timbre...the absolute genius Raymond has for making the piano sing" - The Chronicle Herald, The Mail Star (Halifax, Canada)

Winner - Bruni & Iannone - (Piano Duo)

The meeting of Bruni and Iannone took place in 1998 and since their first performance they have been invited to play by prestigious concert societies in Italy, USA and South Korea and the conductor and composer Carlo Franci dedicated a piece for 2 pianos, great orchestra and electronic sound to their Duo, which has been recorded by the Italian label ";Musicaimmagine" under the baton of the composer himself. A CD recording is coming up in their projects from a live performance given at the "Bellini" theatre in Catania. [Performance]

Winner (Honorary Mention) Naoko Takada (Marimba) was born in Tokyo, Japan. She won First Prize in the Young Concert Artists International Audition and was also awarded the Beracasa Foundation Prize. She had her Japan debut at Tokyo Opera City Recital hall, her NY debut at the 92nd Street Y, Washington D.C. debut at the Kennedy Center, and Boston debut at the Gardena Museum. Her past solo appearances include WQXR (NY radio), WGBH (Boston radio) and HKRT (Hong kong radio); as well as performances at Alice Tully Hall and Merkin Hall in New York.Her solo appearances include Houston Symphony, Fargo-Moorhead Symphony, San Angelo Symphony, DuPage Symphony, Tokyo Symphony and Xalapa Symphony (Mexico). Her other awards include First Prize in Ima Hogg National Young Artist Competition, the Sorantin Young Artist Award International competition, and the Japan International League of Artists competition. [Performance] [interview]

Winner (Honorary Mention) Paola Bruni (Piano) has won the first prize at the "A. Casagrande" International Competition and 3rd prize at UNISA International Piano Competition in Pretoria. She has performed in Italy, south Africa and throughout Europe. She has recorded CDs in London with the European Community Chamber Orchestra and in Vienna for Deutsche Grammophone Educational.

[Performance] [interview]

"This is to say that Paola Bruni is a very gifted young pianist. I heard her play and was impressed by her ability and dedication" - Vladmimir Ashkenazy

"Pour Paola Bruni, en souvenir de sa splendide exécution de ces chefs-d’œuvre" - Nikita Magaloff

"Paola Bruni besitzt ein grosses Talent und ein ständig erweitertes Können" - JÖRG DEMUS