Hideaki Hirai who has “a talent deeply ingrained in his genes” (The Den), is one of the most gifted young conductors from Japan. He belongs to the Hirai family, famous in the classical music field in Japan.

Hired by the late Mstislav Rostropovich to join the National Symphony Orchestra and heralded as a “sterling cellist” by the Washington Post, STEVEN HONIGBERG gave his New York debut recital in Weill Hall and has since performed and recorded to critical acclaim. Honigberg has been featured numerous times as soloist with the NSO; most recently in May 2015 in a pair of performances at the Kennedy Center of Krzysztof Penderecki’s Triple Cello Concerto with NSO Music Director Christoph Eschenbach conducting. He won rave reviews for the 1988 world premiere of David Ott’s Concerto for Two Cellos performed with the National Symphony and conducted by Msistlav Rostropovich, with repeat performances on the NSO’s 1989 and 1994 United States tours.

Mr. Honigberg was the Director of the Chamber Music series at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC for ten years where he premiered a number of new works by such composers as Lukas Foss, Benjamin Lees, Herman Berlinski, Robert Starer, Joanna Bruzdowicz, Robert Stern and David Diamond. He participated in extensive recordings of concerts held at the museum, including four recordings of music from the music series and CDs of Korngold and Ernst Toch chamber music. During this period Mr. Honigberg’s Potomac string quartet recorded landmark recordings of the complete quartets (11) of David Diamond, which John von Rein, music critic for the Chicago Tribune, chose as one of his top 20 CDs in the early 2000s. Honigberg has also recorded the complete works of Beethoven for cello and piano, and the complete works of Chopin for cello and piano with his mother, pianist Carol Honigberg.

Mr. Honigberg graduated from the Juilliard School of Music with a Master’s degree in Music, where he studied with Leonard Rose and Channing Robbins. Other important cello teachers included Pierre Fournier and Karl Fruh. Honigberg presently teaches cello at Georgetown University.

From 1990-2009, Honigberg was principal cellist, chamber music director of the Edgar M. Bronfman series in Sun Valley, Idaho where he was featured as soloist with the summer symphony in concerti by Barber, Bartók, Bloch, Boccherini, Dvořák, Elgar, Goldschmidt, Haydn, Korngold, Popper, Saint-Saëns, Schumann, Shostakovich, Tchaikovsky, and Walton.

Mr. Honigberg is a member of Gerard Schwarz’s All-Star Orchestra, which in August 2012 convened in New York City to record 8 one-hour programs for PBS television. He is also a member of the Smithsonian Chamber Society and Phillips Camerata. As author, in 2010 his first book was published: Leonard Rose: America’s Golden Age and Its First Cellist. Honigberg performs on a Lorenzo Storioni cello made in Cremona in 1789.

Hungarian-born violinist/violist, Bela Horvath began to play the violin at age 3. Starting his studies with his grandfather, Bela immediately showed outstanding talent for the violin. Subsequently, he was taken to the famous Hungarian violin teacher, Valeria Baranyai, with whom he studied for many years. During those years, Bela won a number of national violin competitions in Hungary, as well as a few international violin competitions in Prague and Vienna. In 1996, Bela entered the Bela Bartok Conservatory, where he studied with former first violinist of the Festetics String Quartet, Istvan Kertesz.

Bela Horvath won the National Janos Koncz violin competition in Hungary in 1997. The following year, he entered the 9th International Carl Flesch Violin Competition. As the youngest contestant, he won the 4^th prize as well as a special prize for the best interpretation of Miklos Csemicky`s Solo Sonata for violin.

In 2000, Mr. Horvath entered the Franz Liszt University of Music, where he began his studies with Hungarian concert violinist, Miklos Szenthelyi. In 2002, the renowned violinist, violist and conductor, Pinchas Zukerman invited Mr. Horvath to study with him and his associate, Patinka Kopec, at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City. During his studies in New York, Bela worked with the world`s leading violinists and pedagogues, including Zakhar Bron, Leonidas Kavakos, Jaime Laredo, Gyorgy Pauk, Ruggiero Ricci, Aaron Rosand and Joseph Silverstein.

An avid chamber musician, Mr. Horvath has played a wide range of that celebrated repertoire has been coached by chamber musicians and teachers Daniel Avshalomov, Steven Dann, Eugene Drucker, Lawrence Dutton, Timothy Eddy, Joseph Kalichstein, Robert Mann, Sylvia Rosenberg, David Soyer and Michael Tree.

Bela Horvath made his debut recital at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall in 2003. The debut of his piano quartet, Amity Players, also occurred at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall in October 2006. They have recently released a recording of two piano quartets by Brahms for the Canadian label, Marquis Music. As a soloist and recitalist, he has played numerous concerts around the world, including the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, France, England, Slovakia, Hungary, the United States and Canada. In February, 2008, he performed with Pinchas Zukerman at Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall. Mr. Horvath has appeared in Carnegie Hall`s Isaac Stern Auditorium as a soloist in June 2008.

Bela Horvath completed his Bachelors and his Master`s of Music degree at the Manhattan School of Music. He has been serving as a faculty member at the Manhattan School of Music’s Pre-College Division program since 2009.

Pianist Dr. Frank Hsieh, a native of Taiwan, enjoys a diverse musical career as an active instructor, performer, and adjudicator . As an experienced performer, he have been performing regularly at numerous places in a wide variety of forms such as solo, chamber, concerto, accompanying and lecture recitals across US, Europe and Asia.

He has studied with many world-renowned artists such as Gabriel Chodos, Robert Hamilton, Rayna Barroll- Aschaffenburg, Caio Pagano and Stewart Gordon. During his early years, Dr. Hsieh studied piano performance and composition at National Institute of Arts in Taipei, Taiwan. Later he was offered a full-tuition scholarship to study at Arizona State University where he received both his Bachelor and Master degrees in Piano Performance. He also completed a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance at University of Southern California. While studying at USC, he was honored as an assistant lecturer in the Keyboard Studies Department, teaching individual and group piano lessons as well as keyboard functional skills.

Throughout his career he has been teaching many gifted students, many of them have received full-scholarships from top schools of music all over the world, as well as been prize winners in national and international competitions. He has been invited to present lectures and master classes in USA, Taiwan and China. In addition to his teaching and performing careers, Dr. Hsieh has been frequently invited as an adjudicator in many music competitions and auditions throughout the nation. Dr. Hsieh is currently associate professor of keyboard studies at Zhaoqing University School of Music in Guangdong, China. Before coming to Zhaoqing he was assistant professor at National Chiao Tung University in Hsinchu, Taiwan.

Representative in Taiwan: Pei-Hsun Joyce Hsieh Cell: 0935720011 (Taiwan Area), Email: [email protected]

Arnold Irchai was born in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), Russia, into a musical family. His father worked at the Kirov Opera and Ballet Theater as a violinist for over forty years. His mother was a prominent piano teacher. Dr. Irchai began studying bassoon at the Leningrad Special Music School for Gifted Children and continued his studies at the State Leningrad Conservatory, USSR. At the Conservatory he received his masters and doctoral degrees. He has performed with major symphony orchestras since his school years. Throughout his career, he has gained extensive performance and teaching experience. From 1974 to 1990, he was principal bassoonist of the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra under such world-renowned conductors as Kiril Kondrashin and Dmitry Kitaenko. Dr. Irchai taught bassoon at the Gnessin Academy of Music in Moscow, Russia. Among his awards are the first prize in the All-Russia Music Competition for Woodwind Quintets and the Distinguished Artist of the Russian Federation Award. He has toured Europe, Asia and the Americas with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra and other world-class orchestras.

Dr. Irchai has been performing solo recitals as well as chamber music recitals throughout the United States and the world for many years. His recent solo performances include appearances at the Lincoln Center, NY; Kennedy Center, Washington, DC; the Lyceum, Alexandria, VA; the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theater, Rockville, MD; Strathmore Hall, MD; Lyceum of Arts, St. Petersburg, Russia; Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, Italy; and at other venues.

Dr. Irchai’s performances have been widely reviewed and featured in local, national, and international mass media. His performances elicited admiring comments that “Irchai … was impressive not only for flexibility of his performance which audience have come to expect, but also for his tone quality – sweet but not cloying, with an even focused vibrato in the lyrical passages and deep tones that resonated with warmth” and “bassoon at its best” in the Washington Post. Mount Vernon Gazette rightly praises Irchai as “a master of his instrument” having “singing tone and superb technique”.

Dr.Irchai was the Principal Bassoon of National Philharmonic Orchestra and on the faculty of Washington Conservatory of Music, Washington, DC, Columbia Union College, Takoma Park, MD, and University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.

Currently, Dr. Irchai is on the faculty at the International Academy of Music, St. Petersburg, Russia, and Castlenuovo di Garfagnana, Italy, as well as at the Summit Music Festival, Manhattenville College, NY, and Burgos International Music Festival, Burgos, Spain. and the Principal Bassoon of the Ocala Symphony Orchestra, and The Gainesville Orchestra,

He is a founding member (with Dr. Tama Kott) of the DT Duo, a group dedicated to commissioning and performing contemporary music for two Bassoons. Their first CD, Duettino, was recently released and features mainly commissioned works. Dr. Irchai arrangements have been published by TrevCo Music.

Dr. Irchai has been a Fox Products Corporation Performing Artist, and, recently became a Moosmann Performing Artist-Bernd Moosmann, Germany,and also represent Miller Marketing, USA.

Dr. Irchai performs on Moosmann Bassoon 222-CL.

Pianist Donald Isler is the founder of KASP Records (www.kasprecords.com), which has produced recordings of his performances of music by Schnabel and Spohr, as well as music of Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert and Schumann, music of the American composer, Louis Pelosi, and performances by great pianists of the past.

The New York Times has written of him “His ability to keep momentum alive through long movements makes him a most satisfying sonata player” and “Listening to Donald Isler in Schubert’s rarely-heard B Major Sonata, one thinks ‘What a marvelous piece!’” The Classical Music Guide wrote “Donald Isler brings forward the traditions of great piano playing.”

His book “Afterthoughts of a Pianist/Teacher – A Collection of Essays and Interviews” has received rave reviews from the American Record Guide, the American Music Teacher Magazine, and elsewhere. Jed Distler, who writes for Gramophone Magazine, has compared it to Abram Chasins’ book “Speaking of Pianists.” Those interviewed in the book include at least six people who have performed at the Summit Festival. 

A graduate of New York’s High School of Music and Art, he received his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Manhattan School of Music, and his teachers included Bruce Hungerford, Constance Keene, Lilian Kallir, Eleanor Hancock, Zenon Fishbein and Sina Berlinski.

Donald Isler teaches at the Hackley School Music Institute, and has served on the faculties of the Brooklyn College Preparatory Center, and many other schools. He has been an adjudicator for the Pre-College Concerto Competition at the Juilliard School, and a member of the Bruce Hungerford Award committee at the Young Concert Artists Competition.

He has written many reviews for the Classical Music Guide, and regularly writes articles about teaching and music on his Facebook page, entitled Isler’s Insights.

“Itin’s is a rare and exciting artistry indeed … Poised, pure, and ravishing in its range of colour, Itin’s playing is a prime example of a superb technique put at the service of an inquiring and imaginative mind.” Daily Telegraph, London

Since capturing the Gold Medal, BBC Audience Award, and Contemporary Music Prize at the Leeds International Piano Competition in 1996, Ilya Itin has performed throughout the world to rave reviews and sold-out houses. His unique artistry has long inspired the admiration of renowned colleagues in the music world.

Ilya’s repertoire and artistry are wide-ranging, garnering abundant praise from music critics. He is equally at home playing music from Bach to Cage. “I’d go to hear him play the phonebook,” remarked BBC TV’s Ian Burnside. International Piano Magazine heralded Ilya’s playing as “borderline unbelievable in its combined power and accuracy, which is achieved with the minimum amount of effort,”; [It is] “remarkable, which all readers should experience at least once.”

Ilya Itin has collaborated with many of the world’s great conductors including Sir Simon Rattle, Neemi Jarvi, Christoph von Dohnanyi, Yakov Kreizberg, Vassily Sinaisky, Valery Polyansky, Mikhail Pletnev, and William Noll. Ilya has been a much-lauded soloist with orchestras such as the Cleveland Orchestra, the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, the Tokyo Symphony, the National Symphony, and the London Philharmonic.

Ilya’s 2010 concert season has been highlighted by sold-out recitals in China, Japan, and the USA. He opened the 2010 Masters Series of the Miami International Piano Festival with two historic solo recitals featuring an all-Prokofiev program in the afternoon and the 24 Preludes of Rachmaninov the same evening. A live recording of these performances is scheduled to be released on the VAI label in the winter of 2011.

Recently, Ilya opened the 2010-2011 concert season of the Rochester Philharmonic with an acclaimed performance of Liszt’s First Piano Concerto. His touring schedule has also included debuts with the China National Symphony playing Rachmaninov’s 3rd Piano Concerto, Prokofiev’s 2nd Piano Concerto with the Bilkent Symphony of Ankara, Brahms’ 2nd Piano Concerto with the Symphony Orchestra of India, and Prokofiev’s 3rd Piano Concerto with the Mexico City Philharmonic.

Ilya Itin’s growing discography highlights his exceptional pianism, delighting listeners with recordings that include Beethoven’s Second Piano Concerto with the Jerusalem Camerata on the JDR label, and Prokofiev’s Sixth Sonata and Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” on VAI. His commitment to the performance of little-known and well-known chamber music has produced numerous recordings such as the newly-released DVD of Beethoven’s “Spring” Sonata, Brahms Viola Sonata, Martinu Double violin Sonata, and Piazzola “Spring/Autumn in Buenos Aires” with Igor and Vesna Gruppman. Also available on DVD is Ilya’s full recital with renowned violinist Ida Haendel at the Miami International Piano Festival.

Born in Yekaterinburg, Russia, Ilya’s early piano study was guided by Natalia Litvinova at the Sverdlovsk School for the Gifted. He went on to work with legendary teacher Lev Naumov at the Moscow Conservatory, graduating with Highest Honors in 1990. Ilya won his first major piano competition while at the Conservatory, taking second place in the 1990 Russian National Rachmaninov Competition. He won top honors in the William Kapell Competition the same year. In 1991, Ilya took First Prize and the Special Chopin Prize at the Casadesus Competition (The Cleveland International Piano Competition), and was awarded Best Performance of a Work of Mozart, Best Prokofiev Performance, and Third Prize at the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition.

Ilya Itin resides in New York City. He is on the teaching faculties of the Graduate Program at CUNY and the Golandsky Institute at Princeton. He is a frequent guest teacher in the piano department at The Juilliard School and Peabody Conservatory. Ilya Itin is a grateful recipient of support from the Patrons of Exceptional Artists.

Kalin Ivanov, cellist, is a prominent soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, and recording artist. Compared by the press to Rostropovich, Yo-Yo Ma, Piatigorsky and Jacqueline du Pré he is quickly gaining recognition as an artist whose “dramatic urgency and expressive tone” (The STRAD, New York) is matched by “His deep, emotional, and poetic performing style” (Moscow North). The former music critic of the New York Times, Harris Goldsmith states that”…Ivanov presents himself as a player with a fine grained, luscious tone…” (New York Concert Review). The WORLD PANORAMA (Bulgaria) wrote: “…Kalin Ivanov is a phenomenon in the palette of the most talented musicians” and Musical Opinion (UK) confirmed:  “one of the most celebrated cellists of his generation.” A native of Bulgaria he began studying cello at age of six with his father. Mr. Ivanov holds BM and MM degrees from Academy of Music and Dance Arts, Bulgaria, State Academy of Music, Bulgaria and Conservatory of Music at Brooklyn College, CUNY where he studied cello with Marion Feldman. He has studied and participated in master classes given by distinguished cellists such as: David Soyer, Nathaniel Rosen, Steven Doane, Laurence Lesser, Andre Emelianoff, Anatoli Krastev and others. In 1999 Mr. Ivanov won the C.W. Post Chamber Music Festival Concerto Competition. Ivanov’s young career of charismatic performances led him from the concert halls of Bulgaria to Greece, Austria, Switzerland, France, England, Italy, Russia, Czech Republic, Caribbean Islands, and of course the United States, including recent appearances as soloist with Prague Sinfonietta, Sofia Philharmonic, Sinfonietta Sofia, Varna Philharmonic, Plovdiv Philharmonic, Bulgarian Virtuosi Orchestra, Sliven Symphony,  Pazardjik Symphony, Vidin Philharmonic, Academy Chamber Orchestra, Moscow Chamber Orchestra “Cantus Firmus”, New York Chamber Players Orchestra, Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra, Southern Arizona Symphony, North Shore Symphony, Manhattan Virtuosi Orchestra, and Ensemble Du Monde Orchestra, among others. Mr. Ivanov performed over 20 times at Carnegie Hall, New York (Weill Hall and Stern Auditorium) as soloist, principal cellist and chamber musician. His recordings include broadcasts for WNYC radio, New York, WWFM CLASSICAL Radio, NJ, Voice of America, Voice of Russia, Radio Free Europe, WNYE Radio, New York, WSTA Radio, WVWI AM 1000, CUNY TV, WNYE TV, NTD-TV, New York, Eurocom TV, Bulgarian National Radio and TV. Mr. Ivanov is the subject of one-hour film biography by Bulgarian National TV, broadcast in Bulgaria and internationally and was the featured performer in an Emmy Award-nominated short film “Study with the Best” by CUNY TV. In July 2007 Mr. Ivanov recorded music to the Motion Picture Film: “LUST, CAUTION” (Oscar-winning Director Ang Lee). He has recorded three CDs. The latest one was released on MSR Classics. In the spring of 2003 Mr. Ivanov, along with Natalia Gutman, Alexander Kniazev, Boris Pergamenstikov, Peter Bruns, Tomas Stral, and recent winners of the Tchaikovsky competition, was selected to perform in the International Music Festival in commemoration of Daniel Shafran, sponsored by Moscow State Philharmony and the State Institute of Arts. The Music Life magazine, Moscow called him: “…recognized master of the cello.”

Mr. Ivanov currently teaches cello and chamber music at Brooklyn College, CUNY. In the past years he performed and gave master classes at the London Festival of Bulgarian Culture, UK, Festival of the Gulf, ITALY, Spring Music Academy, BULGARIA, International Music Festival, St. Petersburg, RUSSIA, Summit Music Festival, (NY), Portland Conservatory International Music Festival (ME), Rondo Music Festival (VT), Long Island Conservatory International Music Festival, (NY), Youngstown University, (OH) and others. He has also taught at Adelphi University, Conservatory of Music at Brooklyn College, CUNY, Long Island Conservatory, SUNY, Empire State University, SUNY, Brooklyn-Queens Conservatory, Manhattan School of Music Summer Music Camp, Manchester Music Festival and others. He led cello and chamber music master classes and was a judge of international competitions in the US and Europe. Mr. Ivanov is a founding member of The Forte String Quartet, New York Empire Trio and Ivanov-Antimova Duo. He is a recipient of the Chancellor’s Award and Cultural Achievement Award for teaching and performing in the U.S., as well as a career development grant by the Artist Fund of the New York Foundation for the Arts. Ivanov is presented by BV Artists International – www.BVArtistsInternational.com. More info: www.KalinIvanov.com

피아니스트 주은영은 오스트리아 비엔나 시립음대에서 레오니드 브룸베르크 ( Leonid Brumberg ) 교수와 빈 전통의 프리드리히 굴다 계보의 롤란드 바틱( Roland Batik)교수 그리고 모스크바 그네신 아카데미에서 세르게이 생코프 (Sergei Cenkov) 교수를 사사, 박사학위(DMA)를 취득했다.

비엔나 “푀르더”상 ( 2000 ) 수상, 비엔나 알레그로 비보 (A llegro Vivo ) 국제 피아노 콩쿨에서 1위 입상했다.

독주회와 실내악을 비롯한 모스크바 비발디 쳄버 오케스트라, 러시아 내셔널 필하모닉 오케스트라, 빈 아카데미 쳄버, 체코 야나첵 쳄버, 코리안 심포니 오케스트라, 서울 신포니에타, 호찌민 심포니 오케스트라(HBSO), 사이공 심포니 오케스트라등과 정기적인 협연, 프랑스 뉴파리윈드퀸텟과의 베트남 순회공연, 플룻티스트 미셸 모라게스, 클라리넷티스트 파트릭 매시나 등과 듀오했다.

영국 런던 에비로드 (Abbey Road) 스튜디오 1에서 녹음한 데뷔 음반을 필두로 베트남 국영 방송 VTV, HTV, VTC10에서 정기 방송 프로그램과 다큐멘타리에 매년 출연하고 있다.

2008년 이후 현재 호찌민 국립음대 대학원 정교수로 재직 중이다. 2017년 베트남 문화체육관광부 장관 훈장을 수훈했다.

Pianist Eun-Young Joo graduated with distinctions from the Vienna State Conservatory in 2000 under the guidance of Professor Leonid Brumberg who was an assistant of the great Russian pedagogue Heinlich Neuhaus, Professor Roland Batik, and Professor Paul Gulda, son of Friedrich Gulda who was a fine representative of the Viennese musical tradition. In 2007 she earned her doctoral degree with highest marks from the Moscow Gnessin Academy under Professor Sergei Cenkov. Her doctoral thesis entitled “The Practical Analysis of Alban Berg’s Piano Sonata No. 1”.

Eun-Young Joo was a prize-winner at the Erika Chary Foerder Competition in Vienna in 2000, the International Music Festival Competition “Allegro Vivo” in Vienna in 2001, and the Korean Piano Society Competition in 2002. She has appeared as soloist with diverse repertoires like Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Saen Saint, Tchaikowsky, Gerschwin, Schostakovic, Connesson etc. with Vivaldi Chamber Orchestra(Moscow), Russian National Philharmonic Orchestra (Moscow), Wien Academy Chamber Orchestra (Vienna), Janacek Chamber Orchestra (Czech), Korean Symphony Orchestra(Seoul), KBS Philharmonic Orchestra(Seoul), and Seoul Sinfonietta(Seoul) and HBSO(Hochiminh City Ballet Symphony Opera) in Vietnam. She has given many solo recitals in Seoul, Europe, USA, and Vietnam. Every year, she participated in the KFE charity concert with the Vietnam Red Cross to benefit disabled people from the Viet Nam war. As a chamber music artist, she has collaborated with the New Paris Wind Quintet, members of CNSM de Paris, and Michel Morages and Patrick Messina in a trio concert in Seoul, concerts with UNT faculties in Vietnam in 2014.

Her debut CD album, recorded in Studio 1 Abbey Road London, was released in September, 2008. She has made many recordings for HTV, VTC10, Tuoi Tre TV (TV documentary “Joo Eun Young” in Vietnam)

Since 2008, and at present, she is a professor of post-graduate courses at the Ho Chi Minh City Conservatory of Music. She was medal awarded the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam in 2017.