1. Mikhail Kazinik (Sweden) – the full time chairman of the jury of the competition, the violinist and the pianist, the outstanding public figure, the educator, the art critic, professor of Drama institute of Stockholm and the Higher school of business of Scandinavia, honorary professor of RISEBA, the researcher in the field of music therapy, the director and the actor of the Stockholm theater Teatrstudio Lederman, the author of articles and studies on musical perception issues. Member of International association of writers and publicists, expert of the Nobel concert. He is among hundred persons who, in the context of 30th parallel project, make the greatest contribution to creation or description of the universe, concern of peace and life as such, and mankind in general by their daily activities.
Info: www.kazinik.ru

2. Mikhail Svetlov (USA) —The distinguished bass Mikhail Svetlov is known for the unique range and beauty of his voice as well as for his outstanding acting ability claimed The New York Times “The evening, indeed, was rich and deep voice..first rate” and La Presse (Monteral): “Mikhail Svetlov was a sensation!”
Mr.Svetlov’s international career began with a successful debut at the Wexford Festival. He is a winner of Viotti International Competition and was nominated for a Grammy award and was also honored with two Telerama Awards on Le Chant du Monde for the world premiere of works by Rakhmaninov . A principal soloist of the legendary Bolshoi Theatre of Moscow and Metropolitan Opera of New York he also has been an acclaimed guest the many of the world’s opera companies, festivals and orchestras having also performed at leading venues such as: Carnegie Hall, Arena di Verona, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Hamburg Staatsoper, Teatro Colón, the Salzburg, Edinburgh, Bregenz, Santa Fe and Britten festivals, Genoa’s Teatro Carlo Felice, New York City Opera, San Diego, Florida Grand operas, Opera de Bellas Artes.
Recent and future engagements include Police Inspector Lady Macbeth for Covent Garden Royal Opera House, Archibaldo L’amore dei tre Re and Il Cieco Iris, Dikoy Katya Kabanova for Opera Holland Park, London, Boris Boris Godunov and Don Basilio Il barbiere di Siviglia Chaliapin Opera Festival in Russia, Stravinsky’s Les Noces with the Orchestra of Santa Cecilia, Rome, Fiesco Simon Boccanegra with Kentucky Opera, Mephistopheles in Faust, Palm Beach Opera.
www.mikhailsvetlov.com

3. Stanislav Solovyov (Russia) — was born in St.-Petersburg. He graduated from St.-Petersburg State Conservatory in 2003 where he had studied with Prof.Alexander Sandler and Prof.Natalia Arzumanova. Stanislav frequently appears with solo recitals, concerts with orchestra and in chamber music programms on stages of the major concert halls of Russia and Europe.

In April 2001 he gave a debut solo recital in the Concertgebouw (Amsterdam,The Netherlands).

Performed recitals in Latvia, Germany, Sweden,The Netherlands, Austria, Serbia, France, Poland, Greece, South Korea, Finland, Spain.

In December 2001 Stanislav recorded CD with St.-Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra (Rachmaninov- Piano Concerto N 2).

The prizewinner of many competitions such as:

1994-Moscow,National Competition of Chamber music (1st prize)

1995-St.-Petersburg,International Competition of Piano Duo (1st prize)

1996,Praha,International "Concertino-Praha" Competition (3d prize)

2002-Riga,4th International Jazeps Vitols Piano Competition (1st prize)

2005-Wroclaw,3d International Franz Liszt Piano Competition (1st prize)

2011-St.Petersburg,XIV International Tchaikovsky Competition (diploma of the best accompanist)

2013-Minsk,III International Elsky Competition (diploma of the best accompanist)

Stanislav played with such orchestras as "Congress-Orchestra", St.-Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Capella Orchestra, Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, St.-Petersburg University Orchestra, St.-Petersburg State Orchestra, Volgograd Philharmonic Orchestra, Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra, Wroclaw Philharmonic Orchestra, 'Classic-Orchestra' and many others.

In March 2004 Stanislav recorded solo CD in Germany (Beethoven,Scriabin,Liszt,Prokofiev).

Since 2006 Stanislav is a Chamber Music Professor at St.-Petersburg State Conservatory.

Since 2003 he has been a guest accompanist at Summer Academy for Young Artists (Marktoberdorf, Germany).

Among his stage partners wellknown St.-Petersburg's artists such as Sergey Slovachevsky (cello) Alexey Massarsky (cello), Galina Sidorenko (mezzo-soprano), Mikhail Svetlov (bas), Denis Gonchar (viola) and many others.

In June 2015 Stanislav played with Dmitry Ganenko Recital of Chamber Music at XXIII Festival of Maestro Valery Gergiev 'Stars of the White Nights' ( Concert Hall of Mariinsky Theatre).

Annually he is a member of the Jury of the contest "Rising Stars" and a participant of all the concerts of the "Kazinik’s Week" in Riga.

4. Dainis Kalns (Latvia) – the founder and the organizer of the International opera holiday in Sigulda
Info: opersvetki.lv

5. Ata Svetlova (USA) – guimbard class teacher, the giving concerts musician. Management in the field of music education in the USA. Performances in New York, Washington. She worked in the Moscow chamber theater of B. A. Pokrovsky before moving to the USA.

6. Dainis Medjaniks Dainis Medjaniks was born in 1993 in Latvia into a family of musicians. He received violin lessons with Galina Aleksandrowna at “Jurmalas Muzikas Vidusskola”, Ludmila Girska at “Emila Darzina Speciala Muzikas Vidusskola”. Since 2011 he is a student at “Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover” under the guidance of Prof. Krzysztof Wegrzyn.

During christmas and new year of 2016/2017 he took a place as a soloist and concertmaster at “Philharmonisches Filmorchester Berlin Babelsberg”, and made a tour around China within 10 concerts.

Dainis has gained international attention becoming a Laureate of the 54th International Violin Competition "Premio Paganini" in Genova, Italy in March 2015. He has been succesful winning prizes at various international competitions from early age: 2nd Prize in the 6th International August Dombrovski Competition and 3rd Prize in Latvian Music School Competition in Riga, Latvia (2008), 2nd Prize at String Instrument Chamber Music Competition (2004), held by Latvian Music School in Riga, Latvia.

In 2013 he was named “The most prominent student of violin” at the Spaincellence - Masterclass 2013 in Avila, Spain.

In the year 2009 he won Grand Prix Prize and took a part at “Copenhagen Summer Festival”.

In 2016 Dainis won the prestigious scolarship “Gundlach Musikpreis”. Young violinist is beeing supported by “Förderkreis Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover”, “Musik braucht Freunde”. He is also a Youth Prize holder of Lions Club Cloppenburg, Germany. Since 2015 Dainis is a scholar of LiveMusicNow Hannover, a foundation inspired by legendary Yehudi Menuhin.

Dainis gave concerts in Europe, Indonesia, China, Spain, England, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia and Germany.

7. Monique McDonald Monique McDonald's dynamic stage presence and stunning vocal gifts have established her as one of the most beloved sopranos of our time. Her powerful and moving performances have captivated audiences and critics alike, drawing praise from The New York Times, The LA Times, and Opera News among others. She is known as one of the prominent Verdi Sopranos of her generation

New York City Opera debut in the role of Donna Anna in Mozart's Don Giovanni and Seattle Opera debut in the title role of Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos.

Ms. McDonald can be heard as the soprano soloist in the Grammy-nominated recording of Ned Rorem's Evidence of Things Not Seen, recorded live at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. and in the role of Serena in DECCA's Grammy-nominated recording of Porgy & Bess. On the concert platform, McDonald has appeared as soloist at Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, Library of Congress, New York Festival of Song, The Marilyn Horne Foundation, Caramoor Music Festival, Spoleto Festival USA, Santander and Verrano en La Villa Festivals-Spain, Italian Embassy in Paris (Italian and American Ambassadors in attendance), and commanded solo performances for the Prince of Monaco and the King of Belgium. Works performed include Verdi Requiem, Dvorak Requiem, Dvorak Stabat Mater, Brahms Requiem, Mozart Requiem, Mozart’s C Minor Mass, and Exultate Jubilate with conductors that include Maestros Anton Guadagno, Pier Giorgio Morandi, Paolo Arrivabeni, Christopher Hogwood, Lorenzo Muti, John Mauceri, Gerard Schwarz, and Skitch Henderson.

A native New Yorker, Ms. McDonald has been a life-long student of her mother, Betti McDonald. In addition to being accepted into The Juilliard Opera Center, other honors include the Sullivan Foundation Award, the first Leonie Rysanek Award in the George London Competition, first prize winner of the Palm Beach Opera Competition, and first prize winner in the Eleanor McCollum Competition at Houston Grand Opera.

Ms. McDonald has sung in opera houses all over the world including Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Japan. She now resides in NYC and in addition to performance, is sharing her talents with the next generation of young artists through private sessions and masterclasses.

8. Юлия Васильева Юлия Васильева, солистка Латвийской национальной оперы, сопрано. Выпускница Латвийской Музыкальной академии классов Аниты Гаранчи и Лилии Грейдане. Участница оперных фестивалей в Парме и Сигулдле. Среди ролей: Донна Анна, Джильда, Сюзанна, Маргарита, Волетта, Маргарита. Свое вокальное мастерство дополняет занятиями у прославленного педагога Маргариты Груздевой. Юлия является постоянным членом жюри многих юношеских вокальных конкурсах, а также вокальным педагогом и музыкальным продюсером студии Антекс (Рига). Среди учеников студенты Латвийской Муз. Академии, Гитис'а, ИСИ в Москве