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

Boris Avramets (Latvia)

Boris Avramets (Latvia) – ethnomusicologist and music historian, professor of the Riga Highest academy of pedagogics and education management; main directions of research and teaching activity: European ancient music; modern music; musical traditions of the people of Asia and Africa.

Info: http://www.music.lv/Muzikologi/Boriss_Avramecs/default.htm

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

Stanislav Solovyov (Russia)

Stanislav Solovyov 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.

Ata Svetlova (USA)

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.

Юлия Васильева (Латвия)

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

Дайнис Медяник

Дайнис Медяник скрипач, родом из Огре, Латвия. Его первые занятия на скрипке начались с 7 лет. Учился в Юрмальской Музыкальной Школе и далее в муз.школе Эмила Дарзиня . В 2009 получил «Grand При» на международном конкурсе “Восходящие Звёзды” и был награжден участием в фестивале “Copenhagen Summer Festival 2009” (Danmark) В 2011 году поступил в Ганноверскую Музыкальную Консерваторию к всемирно известного профессора Krzysztof Wegrzyn - основателю и генеральному директору конкурса "Internationaler Joseph Joachim Violinwettbewerb Hannover" В 2013 году получил премию как лучший студент мастер-классов в Испании, Авила Награждался регулярно стипендиями как то: “Förderkreis der Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover” и “Musik braucht Freunde”. “The most prominent student of violin in Masterclass Spaincellence 2013 Avila”. “Jugendpreis der Lions Club Cloppenburg”, “Musikpreis der Lions Club Cloppenburg” “Förderkreis der Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover” и “Musik braucht Freunde С 2017 году выступает как солист и концертмейстер, участвует в туре по Китаю с "Philharmonisches Filmorchester Berlin Babelsberg". В 2015 году был награждён стипендией “Live Music Now by Yehudi Menuhin”, что позволяет концертировать по всей Германии. В этом же году стал лауреатом 54. международного конкурса скрипачей “Premio Paganini” в Генуе (Италия), вошел в 6-ку лучших скрипачей мира. В 2016 стипендиат “Gundlach Musikpreis” Дайнис концертировал в Индонезии, Китае, Испании, Англии, Дании, Латвии, Литве, Эстонии, Италии, Франции, Нидерландах, Венеции, Австрии, Швейцарии, а также в разных городах Германии. Как солист выступал с “Kammerorchester des Niedersächsischen Staatstheater Hannover”. “Orchestra della Fondazione Teatro Carlo Felice de Genova”. Брал мастер-классы у всемирно известных профессоров: Петру Мунтяну, Владимир Клочко, Феликс Аендреевский, Марина Кессельман, Маурицио Фукс, Захар Брон. Дайнис играет на скрипке Sebastian Klotz (1782) которую ему присудил Фонд "Stiftung Niedersachsen" Член жюри конкурса "Восходящие Звезды" и постоянный участник проектов, организуемых Международным центром талантов

Andrey Chystyakov (Russia)

Masterly violinist, the polystylist, the improvisator. He graduated Moscow State Conservatory of P.I. Tchaikovsky, class of professor Eduard Grach, postgraduate study in MSC of P.I. Tchaikovsky. The violinist-soloist of MKFO "Mosconcert", cooperates with the leading Moscow record companies, private recording studios and various creative academic and also Gipsy collectives. He performed the role of the Gipsy violinist in the movie of Chukhraya "The Russian game". He regularly participates in M. Kazinik's concerts.

Юлия Почкалова

Родилась 20 ноября 1980г. в республике Дагестан, город Махачкала. Закончила Махачкалинское музыкальное училище по классу фортепиано, а затем Астраханскую консерваторию по классу академического вокала и оперной подготовки (класс профессора, заслуженного артиста России Белюсенко Владимира Николаевича). В первый же год обучения в консерватории начала служить в Астраханском Музыкальном театре.

С 2007 году приглашена в Волгоградский Государственный театр «Царицынская опера». И до сего момента ведущая солистка оперы. В репертуаре: Татьяна из оперы П.И.Чайковского «Евгений Онегин», Иоланта из оперы П.И.Чайковского «Иоланта», Земфира из оперы С.В.Рахманинова «Алеко», Любаша из оперы Н.Р-Корсакова «Царская невеста», Кончаковна из оперы А.П.Бородина «Князь Игорь», Тоска из оперы Дж. Пуччини «Тоска», Кармен из оперы Ж.Бизе «Кармен», Керубино из оперы В.А.Моцарта «Свадьба Фигаро», Мими из оперы Дж.Пуччини «Богема» и т.д. А также большое количество камерных произведений и циклов различных композиторов и эпох.

Прекрасно владеет эстрадным репертуаром. Обладая уникальным голосом, исполняет партии, написанные как для драматического, так и для меццо-сопрано.

Является лауреатом Международных и Всероссийских конкурсов.

Ivars Bezprozvanovs

Was born in 1969 in Liepaja to the musicians' family.
Cello started learning at age 5. The first teacher was a legendary personality - Karl Bunka, the first conductor, cellist, arranger of Liepaja Symphony Orchestra.
By studying in Liepaja, I.Bezporozvanovs has participated in many concerts in the cities of Kurzeme. There are plenty of prizes at Republic-wide competitions. In Liepaja started cooperation with violinist Yuri Savkin, with whoom continues to perform regularly in trio at the Latvian National Opera Beletage Hall and other places in Latvia.
In 1989, he entered the Latvian Academy of Music in Jāzeps Vītols, where he studied prof. Elionor Testeleca class. During the studies participated in the Jāzeps Vītols State Competition - 2nd place, in the International Competition in Chisinau, Moldavia - 2nd place. During the Independence of Latvia in 1992 - at the International Cello Competition in Minsk, Belarus - 2nd place.
Already during the studies, active collaboration with the composer, pianist Pēteris Plakids, who gave an in-depth understanding of the language of music. With P. Plakidis in 1992, Talivaldis Kenin's piece for cello and piano "Talks with the Homeland" on Imanta Zemzara's theme was premiered in Latvia.
In 1991, together with American clarinettist Erik Paul Mandat, a Transatlantic trio was founded, with the O. Mesiāna Quartet "Time to End" in the same year in Latvia with the guest violinist Inese Milzarāja. Followed many concerts in Latvia, USA, Canada, England, etc.
From 1991 to 1994, worked at State Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Toviy Lifšic.
Since 1997, Concertmaster at the Latvian National Opera Orchestra. Since 2003, teacher at Emile Darzins Music School.
Many Latvian and foreign compositions have been recorded in Latvian Radio for a variety of chamber music compositions.
He has had lasting cooperation with the "Birds" vocal group under the guidance of Antra Drege. Many vocal instrumental pieces by Latvian composers have been premiered (Juris Ābols, Indra Riše, Kristaps Pētersons, Mārtiņš Viļums, Valts Pūce and many others).
Significant and especially creative was the collaboration with Canadian Latvian pianist Arturu Ozolins: 2004, 2006 Solo concert in Wagner Hall, Liepaja Piano Stars Festival; 2010 - Concert at the Glenn Gould Hall in Toronto.
Regular stage performers have been pianists Pēteris Plakidis (RIP), Herta Hansen, Aldis Liepiņš, Dzintra Ērliha, Valdis Jancis (RIP), Agnese Egliņa.
Since 2014, often performed in concert with the famous Latvian pianist Liene Circene: six two-part concerts have been played in Liepaja, Kuldiga and Riga.
Mention musicians - think members Uldis Lipskis, Jānis Bulavs, Ilona Meija, with whom together concert programs have been made. The successful collaboration with the concert master Alexei Lundin, violinist, chamber orchestra "Moscow virtuosos", and working in the workshops of the Salacgriva classical music festival. 2012 was in the project of International Center of Talents Demon by Lermontov, director Rustem Galich.

Lisa Racolta

Boston native, rising Mezzo-Soprano, Elisabeta Racolta, started her performing journey early, appearing before and during her student years in two productions as Cherubino in ‘Le Nozze Di Figaro’, and as the title role and Mercedes in Bizet’s ‘Carmen’ with Mediterranean Opera Studio and Festival under the baton of Leonardo Catalanotto and Emanuele Andrizzi in Italy. She also appeared as Dritte Dame, Dritter Knabe in Die Zauberflote with FAVA William Lewis Mozart Academy in Salzburg, Austria, as Venere in Francesco Cavalli’s ‘L’Egisto’, Mercedes in Bizet’s ‘Carmen’ and Rosalia in Leonard Bernstein’s ‘West Side Story’ concert versions in NEC summer opera festival in Boston. In the beginning of her performing journey in 2014-2016, she performed in Carnegie Hall several times winning early acclaim at International Music, Vocal and Concerto competitions.

An avid recitalist, Elisabeta sung as a guest artist with Music in the Alps Festival in Austria, the Concert Festival Winner’s tours in Portugal, France and Russia, and in Lincoln Center in New York. She is a winner of many voice competitions and award, including the Grand Prix of Rising Stars European competition in Latvia, The Friedrich and Virginia Schorr Memorial Award for Women in Opera and a merit scholarship from the FAVA William Lewis Mozart Academy. In 2021, she won the prestigious National Society of Arts and Letters Shirley Rabb Winston Scholarship in Classical Voice Competition and was a finalist of the National Teachers Association competition as an Emerging Professional.

Elisabeta completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Voice Performance with Opera Emphasis Cum Laude at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, 2021, and continues her opera training with the Master’s Opera Performance Program at the Butler School of Music in Austin, a student of William Lewis. Her broad repertoire spanning the 16th to 21st centuries includes opera arias, cantatas, oratorio, folk, Zarzuela and art songs in eight languages