Adam Aleksander (Piano – Canada / Poland)
 “rare
finesse…gorgeous sonority and nimble fingers…generous of feeling, mood and
tonal resources” (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
“(Aleksander) is a consummate
pianist…outstanding artist” (Miami Herald); having “phenomenal technique,
which allows him to achieve extremely musical ends” (Byron Belt, Newshouse
News Service)
“(Aleksander) is one of the great
artists of the city and promises to become one of the greatest pianists…”
(Daniel Fernandez, El Nuevo Herald), “…exquisite…subtlety and grace…fire
and brimstone…rare depth and substance…introspective… exhilarating!” (Pat
Leitch, Coral Gables Gazette.)
Adam Aleksander has received top prizes in over eighteen piano
competitions in five countries, including international piano competitions
in Barcelona, Paris, Salerno, Miami, Lawton (Oklahoma), Edmonton (Canada),
and Palm Beach, and has received prizes for his recordings in competitions
in Austin, Texas and Calgary, Canada. In addition, he has been awarded
grants from The Canada Council and The Alberta Heritage Trust Fund.
Born in Edmonton, Canada, Adam Aleksander has been performing to the
acclaim of audiences worldwide since his debut with orchestra at the age
of fourteen with the Chopin Piano Concerto in E Minor. His teachers
include Sergei Babayan at the Cleveland Institute of Music, Regina
Smendzianka at the Chopin Academy in Warsaw, Jim Bonn at the University of
Southern California and Ivan Davis at the University of Miami where he
received his Doctorate in Musical Arts. He has participated in
masterclasses with Nelita True and Stephen Hough and has performed at
festivals in Tours, France, Orford, Quebec, Interlochen, Michigan, Slupsk
as well as Antonin, Poland.
Adam Aleksander has appeared in television and radio in Poland, Canada and
the U.S., has recorded several CD's, and has appeared in solo and chamber
music performances as well as with orchestra in Japan, Italy, France,
Spain, Poland, South Africa, Scotland, Brazil, Ecuador, Canada and the
U.S.
[Interview] [Performance]
Piano Duo Elizabeth and Marcel Bergmann (Canada)
 Elizabeth and Marcel Bergmann have been performing together as a duo since
1989. They studied with Arie Vardi at the Hochschule für Musik und
Theater, Hannover and with Jean-Eudes Vaillancourt at the Université de
Montréal. The duo received first prize at the International Chamber Music
Competition in Caltanissetta, Italy, and were laureates of The 4th Murray
Dranoff International Two Piano Competition.
In 1993 they became members of the young artists’ roster of Yehudi Menuhin-Live
Music Now. Their recitals and concerts with orchestra have taken them to
many parts of the world, including the United States, Italy, Germany,
Holland, Greece and Canada. The duo has appeared at the celebrated Gilmore
International Keyboard Festival, the Banff Arts Festival, the Royal Bank
Calgary International Organ Festival and Competition, the International
Two Piano Symposium and Schubertiade, Miami, the Tage für neue Musik,
Darmstadt, the Braunschweiger Kammermusik Podium and at the EXPO 2000,
Hannover. The duo has appeared with several North American orchestras such
as the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, the New World Symphony and the
Canticum Novum of Santa Fe.
They have made recordings for the CBC, for several stations of the ARD in
Germany and for National Public Radio in the USA. The duo has made several
CDs, which appear on the CordAria and Arktos labels and has recorded
William Bolcom’s complete works for two pianos for Naxos. As founding
members of the International Piano Quartet they had the opportunity to
record Stravinsky’s Les Noces under the direction of Robert Craft at the
Abbey Road Studios in London. The CD first appeared on Koch International
Classics and has been re-released on Naxos.
Currently on faculty at The Mount Royal College Conservatory in Calgary,
Elizabeth and Marcel have also been involved in various musical activities
at The Banff Centre for the Arts and in 2004/2005, served as Artistic
Directors of The Murray Dranoff International Two Piano Competition and
Foundation in Miami. They are members of the Calgary based group Land’s
End Chamber Ensemble, recipients of the 2005 and 2006 Western Canadian
Music Awards for Outstanding Classical Recording. Committed to supporting
the production of new Canadian repertoire, the duo has commissioned and
premiered several works by Canadian composers such as Allan Gordon Bell
and John Abram. Their extensive repertoire ranges from the baroque to the
contemporary and includes numerous own arrangements and compositions.
[Interview] [Performance]
Yoonjung Han (Piano – Korea)
 Acclaimed
by famous piano maker Fazioli,
“Such
delicate, beautiful sound…!”
Korea native Yoonjung Han,
22, has received “The Most Promising Young Artist” award from Korean
Minister of Culture following by Grand prize at the Korea National Music
Competition. She has amazed audience world wide, appearing in the major
cities in the United States, Korea and Europe; prestigious venues
including the Juilliard Theater, San Rocco Theater in Italy, Finlandia
Hall in Finland, University of Florida, University of Houston, Eastman
Theater, Weill Hall at Carnegie, Se-Jong concert Hall, Chopin Hall,
Ishikawa cultural center in Japan, Sarasota Opera House, and Villa
Bertramka Mozart museum in Czech Republic. In 2006-2007, she will be heard
at Dame Myra Hess concert series, New York Dance & Arts festival, Bell
concert series, Phillips collection in Washington DC, Steinway festival
and solo appearances with Jefferson Symphony, Shreveport Symphony
Orchestras.
At
age 9, she won gold medal at the Samick Piano Competition. Then, as the
winner of Seoul Philharmonic Young Artists Competition, she made her solo
debut at age 13, Beethoven 3rd concerto with the Seoul
Philharmonic Orchestra at the Se-Jong Concert Hall. She recently performed
as a soloist with the Buffalo Philharmonic, Mississippi Symphony, Helsinki
Philharmonic, Orchestra, I Pomeriggi Musicali di Milan. In past years, she
collaborated with the Juilliard Pre-college Symphony, Connecticut
Virtuosi, Pottstown, Meridian Symphony and Yewon Chamber Orchestras.
The recipient of numerous
awards, Ms. Han won top prizes in the international competitions such as
Helsinki Maj Lind Piano Competition, Concorso Pianistico Ettore Pozzoli,
and Gold medals at the Nena Wideman, Kosciuszko Chopin, Bradshaw& Buono,
Music Teacher’s National Association Competitions. Ms. Han has frequently
appeared on both WQXR and National Public Radio’s “Young Artist
Showcases”, as well as WHYY, TV pol music, and CBS, EBS in Korea.
Yoonjung Han graduated first Yewon Arts School, entered Seoul Arts High
School with the highest honor. In 2003, she graduated the Juilliard School
Pre-college as the winner of the Frederich Nordmann Piano scholarship
studying with Victoria Mushkatkol. She received her bachelor’s degree in
2007 from the Curtis Institute of Music with Yvonne K.Durian fellowship,
where she was a student of Eleanor Sokoloff. She is pursuing Master’s
degree at Juilliard as a pupil of Robert McDonald.
[Interview] [Performance]
Tatiana Larionova (Piano – Russia)
 Born in 1979 in Primorskij Krai (URSS) Tatiana Larionova began studying
the piano at the age of five. In 1991, she entered the Central Music
School in Moscow, where she studied under Professor Yuri Slesarev. After
graduating in 1997 with highest rating, Tatiana attended the Moscow State
Conservatory where she studied until 2004 under Professor Victor Merzhanov,
taking, again with best votes, her doctorate.
In 2005 she got a full-scholarship of the International Center for Music,
Park University, Missouri where she studied with Professor Stanislav
Ioudenitch and attended masterclasses of D. Bashkirov and Fou Ts’ong.
Tatiana Larionova is a prize winner in several international piano
competitions, including: “Usti nad Labem” Piano Competition (Czech
Republic, 1994); “Stravinskij awards” Interantional Piano Competition (US,
1995); International F.Liszt Piano Competition (Poland, 1999); third
prize, S.Thalberg International Piano Competition (Italy, 2004); second
prize, “Premio Seiler” International Piano Competition (Italy, 2004).
Tatiana participated in the International Piano Festivals, including
“Bodensee-Festival” (Germany) and the International European Piano Forum
(Berlin, 2001). She has performed recitals and concerts in the most
important halls in Europe (Russia, Byelorussia, Germany, Poland, France,
Austria, Suisse and Italy) and US. In 2001, Tatiana performed Mozart Piano
Concerto # 23 in the Bolshoi Hall of the Moscow Conservatory with the
orchestra of the conservatory conducted by A. Kaluzhnyi with incredible
success of public and critic.
Tatiana currently lives in Italy where she regularly performs for the
most important societies (as Società dei Concerti in Milano), and she is
also passionately dedicated to chamber music (Tatiana plays in several
different ensembles, from duo to quintet, collaborating very often with
instrumentalist from La Scala Theatre), and teaching (Accademia
Pentagramma in Milano).
[Interview] [Performance]
Alexander Bedenko (Clarinet – Ukraine)
 “A
super talent,”
Ricardo Morales, Principal clarinet The Philadelphia Orchestra.
“Splendid technique and an outstanding musicianship”
Gary Graffman.
Mr. Bedenko also holds a degree from The Kharkov Music School where he
studied under the tutelage of Professor Valery Altykhov. Alexander Bedenko
is as extraordinary clarinetist with accomplishments ranging from taking
top honors at International Competitions to holding principal positions
with orchestras under world-renowned conductors.
Alexander Bedenko has won first prizes in several major competitions,
including the 1994 first prize and laureate from the Second International
Young Artist’s Competition in Moscow, the 1995-96 first prizes winner of
the Interlochen Center for the Arts “Concerto Competition”, First prize at
the Summit Music Festival “Concerto Competition” in NYC in 2004, and the
1999 Grand-Prix and Laureate of the International Open Clarinet
Competition in Kiev, as well as recipient scholarship of Vladimir
Spivakov’s Foundation and the named scholarship of The President of
Ukraine, from (1997-1999).
As a soloist, Mr.Bedenko has collaborated with such orchestras as Kremlin
Chamber Orchestra, National Orchestra of Ukraine, National Orchestra of
Romania, National Opera Orchestra of Ukraine, Kiev State Philharmonic, and
“Moscow Virtuosi” Chamber Orchestra.
His orchestral experience include The Philadelphia Orchestra, Principal
Clarinet in 2002 America-Russian Young Artists Symphony Orchestra World
Tour under such conductors as Leon Botstein, Arnold Katz, And Paavo Jarvi,
an associate Principal Clarinet in the 1998 World Youth Symphony
Orchestra, conducted by Neemi Jarvi,and Principal at The Curtis Institute
of Music, conducted by Otto-Werner Muller. Since 2003, he holds a
principal position of The Haddonfield Symphony Orchestra/Symphomy in C,
conducted by Rossen Milanov.
Alexander Bedenko has performed under the batons of such conductors as
Vakhtang Jordaniya, Teodor Kutchar, Dmitri Liss, Sergey Skripka, Stanislaw
Skrowaczewski, Hans Vonk, Wolfgang Sawallisch,Sir. Andrew Davis, Paul
Lustig Dunkel, Christoph Eschenbach, Vladimir Spivakov, Yuri Temirkanov,
David Zinman, Sir. Simon Rattle, Robert Spano, Charles Dutoit and Michael
Stern.
Among his many accomplishments, Alexander Bedenko was also honored to be
the sole Ukranian representative at the UN’s 50th anniversary jubilee in
Geneva and the 50th anniversary of UNESCO in Paris. Mr.Bedenko has also
appeared in solo and chamber concerts in Bol’shoi Hall at The Moscow State
Conservatory, The Pushkin Museum, Weill Recital Hall at The Carnegie Hall,
Gipson Hall in London, Bol’shoi Theatre in Moscow, Kiev State Opera House,
Steinway Hall, The Metropolitan Museum, at the Chicago Cultural Center in
Dame Myra Hess Concert Series and Millennium Stage at The Kennedy Center.
In 1998, Alexander Bedenko released his first CD with Sergey Polusmiak,
(piano) in Cincinnati. Mr.Bedenko has also been televised and broadcasted
in France, Sweden, Romania, Russia and Ukraine. In The United States,
Alexander Bedenko was featured on WQXR Radio Station in New York, WHYY
Radio Station in Philadelphia, and “Voice of America” in Washington. Most
recently, Mr. Bedenko has made an album with clarinetist Richard Stoltzman
for RCA/BMG Japan label.
Alexander Bedenko has participated in prestigious music festivals such as
“Colmar” in France, Verbier Music Festival and Academy in Switzerland,
“Farost Trust Music Festival” in Cyprus, Sarasota Music Festival, and many
other festivals in Ukraine, Russia, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Austria,
Great-Britain, and the USA.
Born in 1982 in Kharkov Ukraine, Mr.Bedenko graduated from The Curtis
Institute of Music in 2005, where he studied with Donald Montanaro.
Mr. Bedenko plays on Selmer “Recital” clarinets and James Pyne mouthpiece.
[Interview] [Performance]
Brown/England Piano Duo (USA)
The two pianists exhibited wonderful
artistry in their technical command of their instrument as well as in
their exceptional musicality".
Deseret Morning News
The Brown/England Piano Duo thrill and captivate audiences with their
amazing piano artistry. Known for their musicality and precise
synchronization, critical acclaim touts them as one of the finest
two-piano teams on the musical scene today. A review in the New York
Concert Review Magazine hails the duo as “distinguished by its
professional competence and poise.” Performances on the Distinguished
Seasoned Artists Gala Concert, the University of Utah Faculty Concert
Series, the 2007-08 Utah Arts Council Performing Arts Tour, as guest
artists with the Salt Lake Symphony as well as celebrated performances in
Boston and New York have all been received with enthusiastic accolades.
They have appeared on many concerts for the international music fraternity
Mu Phi Epsilon and have been selected to perform at their 2008
International Convention in Florida.
As members of the highly acclaimed Ivory Keyboard Quartet, Gaye and Lenora
have performed at the 2002 Winter Olympics, as guest artists at state
conventions for both Mu Phi Epsilon and the Utah Music Teachers
Association, and with the Traveling Smithsonian Institute “Salute to
American Musicals” concerts. Gaye and Lenora have done many arrangements
of two-piano eight-hand music, some of which have been reviewed in the
national music publication, The Triangle.
In 2006 Brown/England Piano Duo won a first place award in the prestigious
New England Conservatory International Ensemble Competition and received a
gold medal, a first-place certificate, and were awarded a performance at
Carnegie Hall in May of that year. The Duo is also listed in the
distinguished International Roster of Steinway Artists.
Lenora Brown is a recording artist, concert pianist, arranger, composer
and adjunct professor of music at the University of Utah, where she
teaches very promising undergraduate and graduate pianists majoring in
Piano Performance. Her students have won numerous state and national
scholarships and awards in competitions.
Lenora has concertized extensively throughout the Far East and the United
States and has won several competitions, including the Utah State Fair,
the Music Teachers’ National Association state and regional piano
competitions, and the Sterling Staff International Competition. She has
appeared in several performances with the Utah Symphony and the Salt Lake
Symphony. She is listed in “Who’s Who in Music” and “Who’s Who in American
Women”. She has served on the Utah Music Teachers Certification Board and
holds a permanent Music Teachers National Association Professional
Certification in piano. She is the creator and author of the Heaven Sent
product line, containing books and CDs of her piano arrangements. She has
completed and markets twenty-two compact discs of her playing.
Gaye England, concert pianist, accompanist, arranger and recording artist,
gave her first solo concert at the age of eight. She has since won many
state and regional honors, including first place in the state and regional
Music Teachers National Association Piano Competition for both high school
and the collegiate divisions. She attended the University of Utah where
she received a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Pedagogy and a Masters
Degree in Piano Performance. She is also a graduate of the Sherwood School
of Music in Chicago, receiving a rare 100% on the final theory exam and
later serving on the faculty of the school as an affiliate teacher.
In addition to her solo performances, Gaye has served extensively
throughout the state as an accompanist for many solo instrumental and
vocal concert artists and for such organizations as the University of Utah
Opera Workshop, Pro Musica, and the Salt Lake Oratorio Society. She has
been a guest soloist with the Steinway Concert Series, the nationally
acclaimed Schubert Singers, and the American West Symphony. She has
performed for over 25 years as a duo-piano artist and has four CDs of
two-piano music.
[Interview
with Brown]
[Interview
with England]
[Performance]
Francesco e Vincenzo De Stefano Piano Duo (Italy)
 They are winners and have been awarded in about 60
international and national competitions: Third Prize at the “10th Murray Dranoff” International Two Piano Competition of Miami, 1st prize 14th
International Piano Duo Competition in Tokyo, 1st prize “29th V.Bucchi” di
Roma, 2005 Internationale Sommerkademie Mozarteum of Salzburg, 1st prize -
4th International Indipendent Competition “Individualis” of Kiev, 1st
prize at the “T.I.M.2006”, 1st prize International Chamber Music
Competition “Anemos”in Rome 2007, 1st prize at the "13th Ibla Grand
Prize”, 3rd prize at the 20th Chamber Music of Caltanissetta, 1st prize at
the “3rd Seiler”of Palermo, 1st prize at the “24th Ama Calabria”of Lamezia
Terme,“ 1st prize at the 7th European Gran Prix “Mendelssohn-Cup” in Lecce,
and many others also like soloists.
De Stefano Piano duo have given extensive performances: M.Dranoff
Foundation of Miami, “Yamaha Musica Italia” of Milano, Association
“Vincenzo Bellini” of Messina, Association“Valsesia Musica”of Varallo,
Riccione Festival, Internationales Seiler Klavierfestival Kitzingen Am
Mein, Internationales Jugend Musik Festival Im Rodachtal, Ibla Foundation,
Euro Arts Festival Leipzig, International Pianistic Festival of Spoleto,
“Antidogma” Festival of Turin and nearby numerous theatres and concert
hall among the Lincoln Theatre and Colony Theatre of Miami , “E. Clarke”
Recital Hall of University of Miami, New York University, Gewandhaus of
Leipzig , Hochschule fur musik of Leipzig, Wiener Sall and the Großer Sall.
of the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Kodaira Citizens Cultural Hall of Tokyo,
theatre “Storchi” of Modena, Odescalchi Castle in Bracciano, theatre “A.
Rendano” of Cosenza, “F.Cilea” Theater of Reggio Calabria, theatre “Ebe
Stignani” and “Monsignani” of Imola, theatre “Giovanni da Udine”of Udine,
Ministry of the communications of Rome, Tor Bella Monaca Theater in Rome.
They have collaborated with numerous orchestras: Florida Symphony
Orchestra, “Academia delle Muse”Simphony Orchestra, Bulgarian National
Philharmonic, “P. Constantinescu” Philharmonic Orchestra, “Mihal Jora”
Philharmonic Orchestra ,Moravian Chamber Orchestra of Brno, and with the
conductors Stewart Robertson, Ovidiu Balan, Roberto Misto, Vallentin Doni,
Ales Podaril. They gave Carnegie Hall debut in April, 2007. The duo have
studied with Prof. Vincenzo Balzani of Milan
[Interview] [Performance]
Jang, Jing-I (Harp – Taiwan)
 One of the leading harpists of her generation from Taiwan, Jing-I Jang is
known for her graceful and poetic performances infused with brilliant
virtuosity, charm, and tasteful musicality. Jing-I is currently a doctoral
candidate in harp performance and literature at the University of Illinois
at Urbana-Champaign with a cognate in piano pedagogy (UI; Illinois) where
she also received Master degrees in both harp performance (2004) and piano
performance (2006). Jing-I received her Bachelor degree from National
Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, majoring in piano performance with a
minor in harp, where she was elected as “Outstanding Student”.
Jing-I has achieved distinction in the international and national realms
of harp performance. She was a finalist in the Franz J. Reinl
International Harp Competition in Munich, Germany in 2003, and a finalist
in the 2003 National Anne Adams Award Auditions, administered by the
American Harp Society. She was a quarter-finalist in the 5th and 7th USA
International Harp Competition. She was also a winner of the UI Concerto
Competition and a winner of NTNU Concerto Competition.
Jing-I had served as a teaching assistant in harp and had been
consistently named with “Outstanding Distinction” to Illinois’ Incomplete
List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent at UI from 2002-2007. She also was
the recipient of the Roslyn Rensch Harp Award at Illinois (2002-2004) that
recognizes exceptional achievement in academics and performance.
As an orchestral harpist, Jing-I is currently principal harp with Dayton
Philharmonic Orchestra and substitute harp (finalist) with the New World
Symphony in 2007-2008 concert season. Prior to coming to the US, She was
also principal harpist with the Yinqi Symphony Orchestra and the Taipei
Contemporary Chamber Orchestra and various other ensembles in Taiwan. She
had also performed as principal harpist with the Sinfonia da Camera in
Illinois, and as a harpist with the Taipei Symphony Orchestra, and the
National Symphony Orchestra in Taiwan. In 2006, she performed with
Illinois Wind Symphony during their New York concert tour and performance
at Carnegie Hall. She was selected the full scholarship recipient to the
Aspen Music Festival.
Jing-I enjoys performing solo concerts as well as with small and large
ensembles. She has a wide and varied repertoire and is in demand as
performer. As a soloist, she had performed the Reinhold Glière’s Harp
Concerto with the UI Chamber Orchestra and the Alberto Ginastera Harp
Concerto with the NTNU Orchestra in Taipei. Besides her performances
activities, she is very enthusiastic and passionate in teaching. She had
been working with college students at the University of Illinois, where
she has taught a wide range of students from diverse backgrounds, from
beginners to doctoral performance majors.
[Interview] [Performance]
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