Yaron Rosenthal is one of the leading Israeli pianists, combining an international career as a solo pianist and a chamber musician. He has given recitals and chamber music concerts in Israel, North and South America, Europe, South Africa and Australia. Critics regard his unique quality of sound, sensitivity and depth of interpretation.
Mr. Rosenthal has played as a soloist with leading orchestras such as the Philharmonia Orchestra at the Avery Fisher Hall-Lincoln Center in New York, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, the RAI National Symphony Orchestra, the Ordea Symphony Orchestra, the Calgary Philharmonic, the Santiago de Chile Philharmonic and the Camerata Virtuosi of New York, collaborating with conductors such as Zubin Mehta, David Robertson, Mandy Rodan and Omer Meir Wellber. Mr. Rosenthal has won numerous prizes and fellowships, among them the first prize of the Young Artist Competition in Jerusalem, The Gina Bachauer Award, the Leonard Bernstein Fellowship at the Tanglewood Music Center, the Italian Government Award for the Arts and a special fellowship from the Banff Arts Center in Alberta Canada.
As a member of the internationally acclaimed “Jerusalem Trio” he performs regularly at the main chamber music venues around the world, such as Lincoln Center N.Y, Wigmore Hall London, Concertgebouw Amsterdam and The Forbidden City Concert hall in Beijing.
In addition to his performance activities, Mr. Rosenthal is a highly regarded piano and chamber music teacher, mentoring young gifted pianists. He has given Master Classes at the Jerusalem Music Center (JMC), The Sidney Conservatory, “Tel Hai” International Piano Courses and Liszt Academy in Budapest. He is a senior faculty member at the “Jerusalem Rubin Academy of music”.
He studied in Israel with Prof. Benjamin Oren and Mrs. Pnina Salzman, and in London with pianist Murray Perahia.
Marija Gjoshevska is one of the most prominent and active pianists in Republic of Macedonia. With every performance, she is confirmed as a rare artist in Macedonian music scene, a pianist of high standards of performance, munitious virtuosity and remarkable individuality. Gjoshevska fascinates with her refine and sensitive technique, which results in exceptional stage expression.
Upon Musical school “Vladimir Arsovski” – Negotino in the class of Prof. Kamelija Kulakova and graduating from the Music High School DMBUC “IlijaNikolovski – Luj” in the class of prof. Snezana Anastasova – Chadikovska, Marija Gjoshevska enrolled at the Faculty of Music in Skopje where she graduated, mastered and received her PhD in the class of the prominent professor Boris Romanov. She has been awarded numerous awards and recognitions at state and international competitions in the Czech Republic, Italy and France. She has performed recitals at prominent international festivals such as Ohrid Summer Festival, Heraclea Nights and in a several countries in USA and Europe: New York, England, France – Piano Plage Festival in Ouistreham, Italy, Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Croatia, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and others.
She regularly performs with as a soloist with the Macedonian Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as with Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra of Musical Youth of Macedonia and the Festival Orchestra of Ohrid Summer Festival, making collaborations with conductors such as Critoph Campestrini, Anton Nanut, Leonid Nikolaev, Patrick Strub, Yuriy Aliev, Arild Remmereit, Sasha Nikolovski – Gjumar, Borjan Canev and others.
The repertoire of Marija Gjoshevska comprises numerous works from baroque to contemporary music. She has given a few concerts on the festival “Days of Macedonian Music” where she has been appraised for her subtle feeling when performing works by domestic composers. In 2010, Gjoshevska received the Special Award for teaching, by the foundation “Tomislav Zografski” and she became a member of honor of the foundation.
Marija Gjoshevska has confirmed superiority in her performance by actively participating as piano accompanist and chamber musician. She is member of the trio “VAM” along with Vladimir Kostov – violin and Aleksandar Kotevski – cello, as well as one part of the piano – duo with Elena Atanasovska.
Gjoshevska has realized several audio and video recordings at the Macedonian Radio and Television. From 2009 to 2011 she was invited to take part at European Project named “Piano – reflection of the European Culture” which was held in five countries: France, Austria, Poland, Moldova and Macedonia. In 2016, she won prestigious National award “Virtuosi” for the best musician-performer in Macedonia. In 2018 she receives prestigious National award “Golden Lyre” for outstanding artistic achievements from Association of Music Artist of Macedonia.
Marija Gjoshevska is a professor at the Piano Department and Chief of third cycle – doctoral studies at the UKIM Faculty of Music in Skopje, member of the Association of Music Artist of Macedonia and Association of Music Pedagogues of Macedonia.
Klevis Gjergji, born in Shkoder, Albania.
Started his piano studies at an early age with prof. Irena Mhilli. In 2002 he received a scholarship from FIDAH Foundation to continue his studies in Spain. He continued his studies at Centro Superior de Musica del Pais Vasco, “Musikene”, studying piano with Gustavo Díaz-Jerez and improvisation with Loïc Mallié (former student of Oliver Messiaen), and later continued receiving lesson in Madrid with prof. Galina Eguiazarova.
In 2009, he won the HSP schoolarship from Dutch Ministry for Culture and Arts to continue his master studies in Holland.
Later he studied at the University of Vienna with Prof. Oleg Maisenberg.
During his career, he has won several prizes and held concerts in Albania, Kosovo, Italy, Serbia, Spain, France, Germany, Austria, etc. He recived masterclasses from Ilan Rogoff, Boris Berezovsky, Michel Beroft, Jan Wijn, Mikhail Voskresensky, Dmitri Alexeev and Matti Raekallio.
He made his doctoral studies in Piano performance at the University of Arts- Faculty of Music, Belgrade, studing with prof. Nevena Popovic, ending them in 2016 with honor.
During 2014-2015 he was dean of the faculty of music, Academy of arts, Shkoder, later part of the University of Shkoder.
He currently teaches at University of Arts in Tirana.
From 2015 he is Artistic director of Pjeter Gaci International Music Competition.
Maja Rajković was born in Belgrade (Yugoslavia). She graduated from the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, the class of Konstantin Bogino. She attended advanced studies at ”Scuola di Alto Perfezionamento Musicale” in Portogruaro (ltaly), the same class. She received her Master of Arts degree at the Academy of Music in Belgrade, the class of Dušan Trbojević. Employed at Academy of Music in Belgrade as Full Professor. In 2014 got a PhD on theme “Polyphonic way of musical thinking” at Academy of Music in Belgrade, mentor Dr. Ljiljana Vukelja. In 1998 became a president of Jeunesses Musicales of Belgrade, in 2001 vice president of MCNM (Mediterranean Collaboration of Musicians).
She had her first recital at the age of 14, and in course of her schooling and studies won several first prizes at national competitions.1984 -Third prize at ”Carlo Soliva” International Competition in Italy. Laureat at ”Rachmaninoff ’93” Competition . 1994 – Audience First prize and official Third prize at 24 Jeunesses Musicales International Competition.
In 2013 she won Silver medal of the University of Arts in Belgrade (Serbia) for special achievement on concert podium. Review “ Musica classica” gave her the prize “ Performer of the Year “ for the year 2013.
Recorded for Radio and Television, played with the New Jersey Capital Philharmonic Orchestra, Astana Opera Symphonic Orchestra, Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra, Radio and Television Symphonic Orchestra, ”St.George Strings”, ”Belgrade strings”,”Camerata Serbica”…
She played at Festivals ”Days of Music” in Herceg Novi, Belgrade Music Festival BEMUS, ”Split Summer”, “Podgorica Summer”, ”The power of the piano”, EPTA-Festival, ”Emil Hajek” Festival, “Festival Internazionale di Musica da Camera” – Portogruaro – Italy, “Mokranjac Festival – Negotin”, “International review of composers”, “International Women’s Musical Meeting” Athens… She performed in Yugoslavia, Italy, England, Greece, Luxembourg, Hungary, Germany, Portugal, USA, France, Kazakhstan… Also very active as a chamber musician.
“…Playing of Maja Rajković is characterized by the pianistic nerve, temperament as well as by bent for the dramatical-lyrical contrasts. The artist was very convincing in the powerful gradations and none the less in the lyrical parts…”
(Politika)
“…The culmination which caused the ovations by the audience was the enchanting, radiant, filigree-like dance of the piano sound…”
(Radio Zagreb)
“…We were left amazed by the real explosion of talent, power, expression…”
(Gordana Krajačić: Muzički portreti)
“…I was particularly impressed with her elegant and highly cultivated, refined sense of style, her “bel-canto” and wonderful legato melodic lines, also to her feeling for ultra-polyphony. A truly aristocratic artist of the highest intellectual spirit and human warmth…”
(Dafydd Llywelyn, President of the 24.Jeunesses Musicales International Competition)
“a performer with unique style…confident, brilliant, expressive and truly creative. at the same time , refined, sensitive and imaginative. “
(“Domestic Music Scene” Radio Novi Sad, Marija Adamov, 2009)
“…The highest peaks of music…Maja Rajkovic makes unusual programs and plays in a unique way…This artist develops rare components of pianism in a very personal way, representing one of the most successful women- artist in our country today…“ (Branka Radovic,Politika)
“…Rajkovic is a soloist of flesh and blood, whom you remember, agile,colourful, who easily plays with serious amounts of sound… (Zorica Kojic, Dansd)
Danica Stojanova was born in Strumica, North Macedonia.
She graduated from secondary school at the State Music and Ballet Educational Center “Ilija Nikolovski Luj” in Skopje under the guidance of professor Snezana Panovska. During her studies at the Music Academy in Belgrade, Serbia, she collaborated with professors Dushan Trbojevik and Arbo Valdma, and earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Piano under professor Jokut Mihailovik (Russia, Serbia) followed by a Master’s Degree at the Faculty of Music in Skopje. In addition to her formal education, she has also actively participated in numerous international academies in piano performance in Belgium, Russia, Bulgaria, Morocco and the Netherlands and has worked with world famous pedagogues, such as Dzeni Zaharieva, Aquiles Delle Vigne, Jacques Ruvie, Lyudmila Roshchina, Heribert Koch, Boris Romanov and others.
Today, she is one of the most renowned piano and chamber music professors in the country. She teaches at the State Music and Ballet Educational Center “Ilija Nikolovski Luj”, having achieved notable results at national and international level with her students. She is a jury member of several prestigious piano and chamber music competitions in the region (Macedonia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Kosovo) and active participant in the events organized by EPTA (European Piano Teachers Association) in her home country. She gives master classes in piano in Macedonia, Malaysia and Kosovo, as well as professional lectures at international festivals (Chopin International Festival Belgrade – Serbia; International Festival – KL, Malaysia; Festival of Pianists – Macedonia).
As soloist she has performed with the Macedonian Philharmonic and the Vidin Philharmonics (Bulgaria), at festivals such as the Ohrid Summer Festival, Skopje Summer Festival, Golden Lyra Festival in her home country, as well as the National Music Festival in Rome, Festival of Classical Music in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia etc. She has given solo recitals and concerts in Macedonia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Malaysia, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands,Chech Republic, United States, Serbia.
For her work, she has been awarded the following prizes: Best artistic piano associate award at the 22nd International Competition ‘The Music and the People’ (2004) in Sofia, Bulgaria; Award for successful collaboration in the area of music pedagogy for the year 2007, awarded by the Music and Ballet Pedagogues in Macedonia; Award for excellent pedagogic achievements (2009) in Bulgaria; and the Award for successful work in the area of music pedagogy (2011) in Macedonia. She has also won the annual award “Saint Fifteen Martyrs of Tiveriopol” for a special contribution in the field of music and culture handed by the municipality of Strumica, Macedonia (2016).
Since 2016, she is an honorary member of the foundation “Tomislav Zografski”. In 2019, celebrating the 85th anniversary of the birth of the composer and professor Tomislav Zografski, the Foundation bestowed her with a special award, for her dedication to music and arts, and for her numerous concerts around the globe, promoting the opus of Zografski and Macedonian pieces that are part of Macedonian cultural heritage. Since 2018 she has been on the Board of the Macedonian Philharmonic. In June 2020 she was appointed artistic music director of the renowned Ohrid Summer Festival.
She is the author of the book “Frederic Chopin – the Poet of the music”.
Danica Stojanova is known for her great support to young artists in her country, helping them in the organization of their concerts, training and recommending them for piano master classes and competitions. She is always willing to advise them and collaborate professionally on an international level.
Jury members 4 & 5 TBA.