Jury
XIN WANG (CHINA) – president
Xin Wang established herself in spite of her young age as one of the leading pianists of the inner Mongolia China. She came into public attention when she won a special prize at the national Piano Competition China with the age of seven and has since gone on to give piano concerts an recitals in concert halls all over China. She studied with Jolio Largacha and Gabriel Rosenberg in Cologne and Nurnberg. During her study she got a scholarship of the DAAD. Xin Wang has won numerous honors and prizes including the piano competition Lengano Italy, the piano competition Bettona Italy and many others. She is regularly a welcome guest at diverse well-known concert places in Europa and Asia like Berliner Philharmonie, Schloss Elmau in Germany, Qintai Concert Hall in Wuhan, Concert Hall in Xiamen, Henan Art Center in Zhengzhou, Concert Hall in Ningbo, Poly Grand Theatre in Hohhot and many others. As a soloist Xin Wang appeared with many famous orchestras, among them Wuhan Philharmonic Orchestra, Sinfonieorchester Aachen, Sinfonia Rotterdam, Kammerphilharmonie St. Petersburg, Marchigiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Karlsbad Symphony Orchestra, Zagreb Soloists and Berliner Camerata under the baton of famous conductors like Kazem Abdullah, Christopher Ward, Conrad van Alphen, Marek Štilec, James P. Liu, Juri Gilbo, Eduardo Strausser and Fuad Ibrahimov. She is a regular guest at international festivals such as Skrjabin Piano Festival Grosseto Italy, Piano Festival „federi musica“ Neapel Italy, International Piano Festival Salerno Italy, „IBLA Claasic“ Sicilia Italy, Piano Festival Orbetello Italy, „Friday Nights with Yury Revich“ Wien Austria, International Art Festival Kotor Montenegro, International Music Festival Deià Spain, Festival „Palau March Museu“ Palma Spain, „Festival de musique classique a Pompignan“ Toulouse France, Palais Sommer Dresden Germany, „Monschau Klassik“ Germany, „International Piano Festival Wuhan" China and many others. As a passionate chamber musician she regularly works with colleagues like Echo-Klassik prize winner Yury Revich or Alexandre Debrus in China and Europe. Xin Wang is founder and artist director of the international piano festival in Geilenkirchen Germany and jury president of the international piano competition "Euregio Piano Award". She is often inivited as a jury member in many international piano competitions such as Campillos Spain, „Isidor Bajic Piano Memorial Competition“ Novi Saad Serbia, „Neue Sterne“ Wernigerode Germany, „Mauro Paolo Monopoli Prize“ Barletta Italy, „Notes in Harmony“ Bettona Italy, „Academy Award“ Rom Italy, Asian Youth international piano Competition Hongkong, and many others. Since 2012 she teaches as a guest professor at different music universities in China and gave several master classes in China and Germany with prestigious teachers from well known music universities in Europe.
JELICA KUZMIN (CROATIA)
Finished her primary and secondary musical education at the Pavao Markovac Music School in Zagreb in the class of professor Vilma Klajner (parallelly finishing the III. Gymnasium in Zagreb), and she graduated from the Musical Academy at the Zagreb University in the class of professor Ladislav Šaban in 1978. From then on she began building her teaching career at the Pavao Markovac Music School, where she was the head of the piano, harpsichord and organ department from 1997 to 2020. She had 38 high-school graduates, 21 of which continued their musical education at the Musical Academy of Zagreb and other renowned musical academies abroad, e. g. Kunstuniversität in Graz, Universität Mozarteum in Salzburg, Hochschule für Musik in Karlsruhe, Mannes School of Music and the City University of New York in New York, Indiana University School of Music in Bloomington and University of Miami, Florida, USA. In her 42-year long teaching career her students won more that 120 national and international awards, out of which 91 first places. Jelica Kuzmin is the winner of the annual award of the Croatian Association of Music Teachers for great achievements in her work. She is a regular member of juries in national and international competitions and gives master classes for students and colleagues from music school all over Croatia. As an active member of EPTA - Croatia, she participated with her students in conventions in Norway, Hungary and Slovenia. In her work, she has been systematically showing the importance of chamber music-making at the earliest student age, she founded the piano chamber music festival in her department, and, in cooperation with her colleagues, she has been very successful and won many awards teaching piano four hands, six hands and eight hands. Jelica Kuzmin conceived and started the Young Virtuoso – Zagreb international competition. In 2004 she was elected by the Agency for education to be the head of professional boards of piano teachers. In 2006 she has been promoted to the professor-mentor teaching rank and in 2008 to the rank of professor-counsellor. Jelica Kuzmin, along with some of the music students' parents, founded the Leopold Mozart Association, which has been taking care of ZOKOR, the Zagreb Youth Chamber Orchestra, for many years.
MARIO COPOLLA (ITALY)
Educated at a very young at the prestigious Neapolitan school of Paolo Denza, he studied with Marisa Carretta, Sergio Fiorentino and Aldo Ciccolini. Later he will attended the courses of Oxana Yablonskaya, Paul Badura Skoda, Andrzey Jasinsky, Ludwig Hofmann, Dario De Rosa and Bruno Canino for chamber music. Finalist and winner in several national and international competitions including the Piano Competition “Gran Prix D. Milhaud” of Paris 1999 and the international Chamber Music contest “Trieste Trio”. In 2000 in the town of Potenza he won, in duo with violin, the 1° prize at the chamber music contest “Lucus prize” recording also for RAI. In a piano duo with Alessandra Aina, he won many first prizes in the chamber music competitions. In 2004/2005 by invitation of the Ravello concert society, he performed the 32 sonatas by L. van Beethoven in 8 recitals at Villa Rufolo. He performed at the important concert halls and theatres in Venice, Pavia, Naples, Palau de la Musica of Barcellona, Leopold Mozart Saal of Salzburg, Solemnty Hall di Helsinki, also in Paris, Colonia, Koblenz, Bruxelles, etc. In May 2011 he exhibits at the Quirinale concerts in the Paolina Chapel, in a European Broadcast on air on Radio3 receiving also an award from EBU. Nowadays he teaches main piano at the “G. Cantelli” State Conservatory of Music in Novara.
SHU YANG (CHINA)
Shu Yang, professor of piano, holds the position of Party Branch Secretary for the Piano Department at China Conservatory of Music in Beijing. He serves as the director of the piano department at the Middle School Affiliated to China Conservatory. He is recognized as an expert in teacher qualification training and is a member of the Piano Elementary Education Branch of Beijing Musician’s Association. He is also a respected jury member for the China Conservatory National Artistic Level Piano Grade Examination. Professor Yang earned his Bachelor's degree in piano performance from Shanghai Conservatory, studying under the renowned pianist and educator, Shuxing Zheng. Subsequently, he was selected by the Chinese Government to pursue further studies at the Gnessin Conservatory of Music in Russia, where he completed his master's degree in piano performance. With nearly three decades of teaching experience, Professor Yang has developed a wealth of knowledge and employs a rigorous yet inspiring approach to teaching. His students have achieved numerous accolades in prestigious national and international competitions. Many have gone on to secure admission to esteemed universities and conservatories across Europe and the United States. Several of his graduates have been honored as “Outstanding Graduates of China Conservatory of Music” and “Outstanding Graduates of Beijing”. One of his undergraduates was selected for the 'Top Talent Training' program at China Conservatory of Music. Professor Yang himself has been a recipient of numerous awards in the Teaching Skills Competition, organized by both China Conservatory and Beijing City. He has consistently been rated 'Excellence' in the annual teaching skill and ethics assessments. Professor Yang is also dedicated to the theoretical research of piano pedagogy. He has authored several papers that have been published in core Chinese journals. His research contributions encompass projects on the development of Chinese piano music and the innovation of teaching methods
LILIA BOYADJIEVA (BULGARIA)
Lilia Boyadjieva was born and
educated in Sofia, Bulgaria, studied at the National Musical Academy of Sofia with J. and K. Ganev and completed her studies at the Moscow Conservatory « P. I. Tschaïkovsky », with Professor T.
D. Gutman. Her awards at international piano competitions include prizes at Senigalia (Italy - 1979), Vianna da Motta (Portugal - 1983), Maria Callas (Greece - 1985) and other. She has been
invited by important Festivals (Montpellier, Auvers-sur-Oise, Dublin, Montevideo, Moscow, Taiwan, Athens ...) and has played as a soloist, with orchestras and with chamber music ensembles. Radio
and TV networks in various countries often broadcast her concerts.Very appreciated for her teaching abilities, she has taught at the Sofia Musical Academy, in Athens and Paris (CRR, Schola
Cantorum, Montrouge Conservatory). She gives numerous master classes in France, Russia, Norway, Italy, Greece and the U.S.. She is also teaching at the Poros Piano Academy in Greece. Since 2013
Lilia Boyadjieva organises the International Piano Competition under the label "De Bach Au Jazz" (2013, 2015 in Paris, 2018, 2023 in Athens) and is jury member at various international piano
competitions (Maria Callas – Greece, Scriabin – Italy, Krasnodar – Russia, etc.). Her recording of Barber’s complete piano works has been praised by Fanfare Magazine as : “… probably the most
valuable CD solely devoted to Barber’s keyboard music.” In particular, her interpretation of the Barber Sonata (op. 26), “played with an extraordinary combination of power and delicacy, is one of
the finest readings on record.” Amongst critics, the prevailing view is that her keen interpretative skills bring new dimensions to familiar works, in addition to inspiring and enthralling. The
American label Artek Recordings has published her CD “Around the Fugue” – a polyphonic journey from Bach until today. A Shostakovich CD (2nd Sonata, 24 Preludes and 3 Fantastic Dances) has been
produced by the same label. In September 2019 the American label Centaur Records published her new CD with the "Goldberg Variations" by J. S. Bach.
EDITA STANKEVICIUTE (UK)
Edita is a Lithuanian-born piano virtuoso who initially gained fame for her performances across the former USSR. After health issues shifted her focus, she has dedicated herself to teaching and has gained wide recognition in the field. She's contributed significantly to music education, both as a faculty member at various institutions and as a chief music specialist in Lithuania's Department of Culture. Her expertise is often sought after for competitions and masterclasses across Europe. Edita founded Windsor Piano School, where her students consistently win prestigious awards in international competitions. She currently holds visiting professorships at conservatories in Ribera and Palermo, Sicily. Her impact on music education continues to be profound, inspiring a new generation of musicians.
Florian Koltun (Germany)
The German pianist and music manager Florian Koltun studied at university of music in Cologne and at the University of Music Trossingen by Prof. Ilja Scheps and Tomislav Baynov.
He had Masterclasses also with prestigious teachers like B. L. Gelber or G. Rosenberg. His active concert work started at the age of 14 when already calling attention to himself by winning several first prizes at the German competition Jugend musiziert as well as the national Bach Competition in Köthen.
He is first prize winner of several international piano competitions, like the piano competition in Caraglio / Italy, the international piano competition for young pianists in Luxembourg, the Henri Herman Concours in Maastricht / Netherland or the international piano competition “Notes in harmony” in Bettona / Italy. Florian Koltun is regularly a welcome guest at diverse well-known concert places in Germany, Belgium, Netherland, Italy, France, Spain or China. He performed recitals in prestigious places such as the Alte Oper Frankfurt, Berliner Philharmonie, Thürmer-Saal Bochum or Schloss Koethen. He is artistic director diffrent concert series and festivals in Germany (Heinsberg, Aachen, Windeck, Geilenkirchen, Boltenhagen and Monschau) and gave several masterclasses at different music universities in China and Europe since 2012. From 2015 until 2017 he was teaching piano at the music university Cologne.