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International Music Competition 2023Violin Junior - Violin Senior - Chamber MusicSEMIFINAL February 20 - 25, 2023 Visé, Belgium FINAL July 6 - 8, 2023 Liege Philharmonic hallRulesProgramDeadline December 30, 2022 Jury 2023 will be announced soonJury 2022DANIEL WEISSMANN France Daniel Weissmann is a musical expert, characterized by an extraordinary artistic expresivity, with a career which is remarkable due to its dynamism and complexity. The French musician was born in 1956 and studied violin and chamber music at the „Ecole Normale de Musique” in Paris and the „Royal Conservatory” in Brussels. His early professional experiences made him a major figure in the artistic world, both as a musician and as an artistic director. His experience as an artistic director began with his collaboration as a general delegate with the Dokhan Foundation, the main partner of the Versailles Baroque Musical Center and the Versailles Palace Musical Autumn, which functions under the auspices of „Fondation de France”. He worked for a decade as a musical expert for the Bourgogne Commission for Cultural Affairs and Music within the Culture and Communication Ministry. In 2003 Daniel Weissmann collaborated with the Denon Museum for which he conceptualized and created a Festival and an exhibit in honor of Pierre Baillot and the 19th Centrury French Violin School. Following the success of this project he created the Baillot Foundation which functions under the auspices of the Luxembourg Ministry of Culture, Research and Higher Learning. His career as a musician was launched in 1984 when he began playing the violin in the Bergonzi trio which he founded. He has a rich academic activity . In 1999 Daniel Weissmann founded “Mosaïques – Centre de création et de diffusion musicales” (Mosaics – Centre for creation and musical broadcasting). In 2007 the city of Dijon ask him to conduct the new project of a region orchestra involving Opéra orchestra and Camerata de Bourgogne ; this orchestra is now associate to the Opéra de Dijon and after this sucess, he is apointed as général manager of Liège Royal Philharmonic orchestra since 2015. As a violist the begin a collection, under the belgian label Fuga Libera-Outhere music, on the romantic viola repertoire.CHAIRMAN OF THE JURYASHOT KHACHATOURIAN Belgium - Armenia Ashot Khachatourian is considered as one of the most inspiring artist of his generation. He started playing the piano at the age of five with Valentina Melikyan and Elena Galustova at the Charles Aznavour Music School in his home country. He then continued his studies with Gerard Wyss in Basel, Switzerland, Eliso Virssaladze in Fiesole and Munich, supported and guided by Maria João Pires as a young most inspiring talent of his generation. Creator and artistic director of YSAYE INTERNATIONAL MUSIC COMPETITION. Ashot Khachatourian has particularly excelled in his interpretations of Rachmaninov’s 2nd and 3rd concertos. He won the 1st Prize of the Rachmaninov Piano Competition and the 1st Prize of the Martha Argerich Piano Competition in 2007. He is also a 2nd Prize winner of the Top of the World Piano Competition in 2011 and Concours d’Epinal in 2013. The virtuoso has been invited to perform in BBC Radio London St Luke’sand with many important orchestras such as the London Chamber Orchestra, the Norway Radio Orchestra, Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, the Basel Symphony Orchestra, the Wallonie Royal Chamber Orchestra, The Olympique Orchestra, Lausanne Sinfonietta, Lausanne Chamber Orchestra and to collaborate with masters such as Jan Caeyers, Rodolfo Fisher, Augustin Dumay, Daniele Gatti, Thomas Søndergård, Christopher Warren-Green and others. Ashot has appeared at the Salle Pleyel, Cortot, Salle Molière, Salle Gaveau, the Berliner Konzerthaus, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Flagey, Cadogan Hall, Palais des Beaux Arts, Concertgebouw Brugge, Musis Sacrum Arnhem, Saint-Petersburg Philharmonie, De Singel Antwerp, TivoliVredenburg Utrecht, Muziekgebouw Frits Philips Eindhoven, Palau de la musica Valencia, Stiftung Mozarteum Salzburg and other prestigious halls of the world. As a chamber musician, Ashot Khachatourian collaborates with outstanding artists such as Misha Maisky, Maxim Vengerov, Cho-Liang Lin, Ivan Monighetti, Liana Issakadze, Zakhar Bron, Augustin Dumay, Gary Hoffman, Toby Hoffman Gerard Caussé and others. Today, Ashot Khachatourian shares his time between concerts and recordings. His first solo recording dedicated to Haydn and Beethoven was released in 2013, in 2019 his solo recording dedicated to Chopin by Azur Classical. The recording was received with critical acclaim by the international press. Ashot's next album will be released in 2022, again on Azur Classical, and feature works by Schubert and Beethoven. He regularly shares concerts in duo with Maria João Pires all over the world proving his exceptional talent and revealing a musical soul at its purest.KIRILL TROUSSOVGermanywww.troussov.com “…one of the most gifted violinists of his generation“ Süddeutsche Zeitung, Harald EggebrechtSupported and guided by Sir Yehudi Menuhin at a young age, Kirill Troussov is now widely recognised as one of the leading violinists of his generation. The international press describes his playing : “…impressive elegance, irreproachable technique, an exceptional musical sensitivity and sonorities of immaculate beauty…” Kirill Troussov is a regular guest in prestigious concert halls and renowned international music festivals all over the world.Collaboration with celebrated conductors such as Sir Neville Marriner, Vladimir Fedoseyev, Daniele Gatti, Lawrence Foster, Jiri Belohlàvek, Michail Jurowski, David Stern, Christoph Poppen, Vladimir Spivakov, Mikko Frank and Louis Langrée as well as with major orchestras such as the Staatskapelle Berlin, Leipzig Gewandhaus, Orchestre de Paris, Orchestre National de Lyon, Orchestre National de France, Radio Orchestra of Hessischer Rundfunk, Radio Symphony Orchestra of Baden-Baden, Munich Philharmonic Orchestra and Bamberg Symphony Orchestra has brought him among others to Tonhalle Zürich, Berliner Philharmonie, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Palais des Beaux Arts Brüssel, Théâtre du Châtelet, Théâtre des Champs Elysées, De Doelen, NCPA in Beijing, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Auditorio Nacional de Musica in Madrid, Verbier Festival, Schleswig-Holstein Festival and Menuhin Festival Gstaad. Passion for chamber music and friendship connects Kirill Troussov with artists like Sol Gabetta, Yuja Wang, Daniel Hope, Joshua Bell, Gautier und Renaud Capucon, Yuri Bashmet, Mischa Maisky, Elisabeth Leonskaja, Julian Rachlin, Christian Zacharias und Natalia Gutman. Kirill Troussov’s recordings - among others for EMI Classics, Warner Classics, Dabringhaus
und Grimm, Naxos and Farao Classics - have been repeatedly awarded by the international press. Furthermore he is to watch with Yuja Wang on her DVD with Kurt Masur. He completed his studies with Zakhar Bron and Christoph Poppen. His mentors
have been Igor Oistrach, Herman Krebbers und Sir Yehudi Menuhin. JUSTUS GRIMM Germany - Belgium Born in Hamburg Justus Grimm took up the cello at the age of five. Initially studying under his father’s guidance he soon went to study in Saarbrücken with Ulrich Voss and in Cologne with Claus Kanngiesser and Frans Helmerson. He won First Prizes at the Maria Canals International Music Competition and the German National Competition. As a soloist he premiered Matthias Pintscher’s cello concerto La Metamorfosi di Narciso with the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra and has performed with several orchestras including the English Chamber Orchestra, La Monnaie Symphony Orchestra, London Chamber Orchestra, Staatsorchester Rheinische Philharmonie, Brandenburg Philharmonic Orchestra and the Klassische Philharmonie Bonn. As a passionate chamber musician Justus Grimm recorded with pianist Florian Wiek cello sonatas by Beethoven, Brahms and Shostakovich. Together with flutist Christina Fassbender they form the ‘Trio Wiek’ and they recorded works by Weber, Farrenc and Mendelssohn. 2009 saw the release of a Philippe Gaubert album, awarded with 5 Diapasons. Since 2008 Justus has also embraced the quartet repertoire with the Malibran Quartet. Justus’s chamber music career saw him perform with Abdel Rahman El Bacha, Gérard Caussé, Augustin Dumay, Benoît Fromanger, Stephen Kovacevich, Katia and Marielle Labèque and Christian Poltéra amongst others. These chamber music appearances took him to festivals all over Europe. In the Montepulciano Festival ‘Cantiere’ he has been appointed Artist in Residence since 2010. In 2012 he was the soloist with La Monnaie Symphony Orchestra in Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations under the baton of Carlo Rizzi, in a concert broadcasted live by the Flemish Television. Since 2008 Justus Grimm has been holding a professorship at the Conservatory of Antwerp.MARC BOUCHKOV Belgium Belgian violinist of Russian heritage, Mr. Bouchkov is a sophisticated musician of impeccable aplomb and has carved an international career performing with leading orchestras and conductors across Europe. His orchestral appearances include performances with the Mariinsky Theater Symphony Orchestra and Valery Gergiev, the HR-Sinfonieorchester and Christoph Eschenbach, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Mariss Jansons, and the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra and Philippe Jordan. As an active recitalist, Mr. Bouchkov has performed in many of the world’s most prestigious concert halls such as Wigmore Hall, Carnegie Hall, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Concert Hall of St. Petersburg, Tonhalle Zürich, Munich’s Prinzregententheater, Maison de Radio France, and the Konzerthaus in Berlin. A fine chamber musician, he is a regular guest of the Verbier Festival in Switzerland, at the Riga Jurmala Music Festival, and in Georgia at the Tsinandali Festival. Highlights of Mr. Bouchkov’s 2020/2021 season included appearances with Valery Gergiev and the orchestra of the Mariinsky Theater, Philippe Jordan and the Munich Philharmonic, Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider and the Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra, Stanislav Kochanovsky and the Hessische Rundfunk Orchestra, Gábor Takács-Nagy and the Verbier Festival Orchestra, as well as recitals and concerts at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Konzerthaus in Berlin, the Schubertiade in Hohenems, the Verbier Festival in Switzerland, the Riga Jurmala Music Festival and at the Tsinandali Festival, where he played five different programs including performances with the pianist and conductor Lahav Shani and with cellist Mischa Maisky. During the season 2022/2023 he will be ‘artist in residence’ at the Concertgebouw’s concerts of the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra. Marc Bouchkov recorded for Harmonia Mundi unpublished works by Eugéne Ysaÿe, and two works composed by himself. The album won a Diapason d’Or and a Diapason Découverte and was nominated for the ICMA 2018; it received tremendous acclaim on Gramophone reviews, featuring him as “One to Watch “. Winner of the Montreal Violin Competition and a silver medallist of the Tchaikovsky Violin Competition, he studied with Matthis Vaitsner, Claire Bernard, Boris Garlitsky, and Mihaela Martin. Since 2018 he is under the musical tutorship of Eduard Wulfson. He teaches at the Royal Conservatory of Liège, and at the International Music Academy in Liechtenstein. Marc Bouchkov plays a Carlo and Michelangelo Bergonzi violin from 1742-44 as a private loan on behalf of Edwulstrad RMIC Ltd.JEAN-CLAUDE
VANDEN EYNDEN Jean-Claude Vanden Eynden was only sixteen when he became a laureate of the Queen Elisabeth Competition in 1964. That highly valued honour marked the launch of a brilliant career that has taken him to the world’s finest concert halls and the most celebrated festivals, including the festivals of Korsholm (Finland), Umea (Sweden), Prades and La Chaise-Dieu (France), Delft (The Netherlands), Seoul (Korea), and Stavelot and Seneffe
(Belgium). TATIANA SAMOUIL One of the most inspiring violinists of our time, Tatiana Samouil is in constant demand as a soloist, recording artist, chamber musician and pedagogue. PHILIPPE KOCHBelgium - Luxemburg In addition to being leader of the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra, Philippe Koch is a professor of violin at the Luxemburg Conservatoire and the Liège Royal Conservatoire, a soloist, a chamber musician and a co-founder of the Koch Trio with his daughter Laurence (violon) and his son Jean-Philippe (piano): they played together all over the world, especially at the Berliner Philharmonie, in London,Tokyo, Paris, Dublin, and in many famous festivals… One of their recording was nominated at the Classical Awards. They received the distinction of "Export Artist Luxemburg" and were also chosen by the grand-ducal Court as Representative Artist for the official visit at the imperial Court in Japan. As a descendant of the famous Belgium School of Violin (H.Vieuxtemps, E.Ysaye, A.Grumiaux, H.Koch…), after perfecting his craft with master violinists C. Ferras, P. Amoyal and mostly during 6 years with A. Grumiaux, he embarked on a solo career in Europe, Japan, Canada, Korea (Center of Art), the United States and Latin America, performing concerti and other works with many famous orchestras and conductors as P. Jaarvi, Y. Ahronovich, A.Dmitriev, E. Krivine, M.Stern, B.Towey, G.Gimeno, K. Min... He played more than 30 different concerti from Bach to Korngold, through Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovski, Brahms, Dvorak, Kachaturian, Piazzola, Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy and concerto. He has recorded more than 35 CDs, many of which have won prestigious awards (including twice the Diapason d’or, Choc de la musique, Recommandé par Répertoire, Classica and Pizzicato). He has served as a judge at the Concours Grumiaux, Concours Vieuxtemps and twice for the famous Queen Elisabeth Competition (violin). Philippe Koch is also chamber musician, performing with the Trio Grumiaux, the Brussels String Quartet, the Quatuor Louvigny, G. Caussé, A.R.El Bacha, F.Moguilevski, J.C.Vanden Heyden, S. Wieder-Atherton, P. Gililov, L. Devos, M. Kliegel, and many others. As a teacher he regularly gives master classes around the world (Japan, Korea, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Latin America…) and a lot of his students are now members of different orchestras in many countries (Belgium, Holland, Chile, Germany, Japan, France, Italy, Luxemburg) or teachers through Europe, Asia and South America. Philippe Koch is also "Chevalier avec la Couronne de l’Ordre civil et militaire de la famille de Nassau" and "Officier de l’Ordre de Léopold" (Belgique). JOHAN SCHMIDTBelgiumJohan Schmidt, one of Belgium famoust pianists, acquired his reputation through his virtuosity as much as through his sensitiveness. Pupil of Master Eduardo del Pueyo, he then improved his talent with Master Karl-Heinz Kämmerling.
Johan Schmidt has been awarded the Rotary Club’s Leonardo da Vinci Prize for young Europeans. Apart from being a frequent guest of the best Belgian orchestras (Belgian National Orchestra, Liège Philharmonic and Royal Flemish Philharmonic), Johan Schmidt also performs with the New Japan Philharmonic, the Athens Philharmonic, the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Ukraine Symphony, the RTL Orchestra and the “Orchestre National de France” conducted by P. Bartholomée, J. Semkov, K. Takaseki, T. Bloomfield, K.A. Richenbacker, F. Schipway, P. Daniel, G. Neuhold and J.C. Casadesus. His reputation as a soloist has taken him to such prestigious venues as the Gasteig in Munich, Schauspielhaus in Berlin, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Châtelet in Paris, Suntory and Casals Halls in Tokyo, Symphony Hall in Osaka, Rachmaninov Theater in Moscow, Herode Aticus Theater in Athens, Bozar in Brussels, the Tel Aviv Museum and the Shanghai Expo 2010, Shanghai Oriental Art Center, Dailan Grand Théâtre, Quindao Grand Théâtre, Paris Théâtre de la ville, Nice Monastère de Cimiez,.. His chamber music partners are Augustin Dumay, the Malher Piano Quartet, the American String Quartet, Eyal Shiloach, David Cohen, Ronald Van Spaendonck. Johan Schmidt has made a number of CD recordings for EMI, Fontec (Japan), EMS, Musica Numeris (Cyprès), Azur Classical, Le Chant de Linos... His favorite repertoire includes Franz Liszt, the Russian composers and Beethoven. His performances have been broadcasted nationwide by the American Public Broadcasting Service Network, German ZDF, Japanese NHK, the Belgian Flemish and French-speaking channels (VRT and RTBF) and the French channel TV5. Johan Schmidt is also a very appreciated teacher. Professor in the Royal Brussels Conservatory (Belgium) and Senzoku University in Tokyo, he regularly gives Master Classes in several European countries and in China (Qingdao University of Science & Technology),Shanghai, Japan ( sendai piano forum,Tokyo,Nagoya )Croatia(laus academy )france (académie d’été du grand nancy,académie d’hiver du grand paris )Belgium (the international piano week in wavre ), Académie international d’été de Nice, Académie d’été du grand Nancy, Luxembourg masterclass. Several recording projects will be soon available, in particular for his 2018 China Tour; a CD will be dedicated to Schumman and Lizst and will be on sale in China (march). In 2018, the Label Azur Classical will released a CD dedicated to Poulenc four hands works with the pianist Jun Kano. GEORGE TUDORACHE Romania - BelgiumGeorge Tudorache is Konzertmeister of the Royal Philharmonic orchestra of Liege and "Guest Leader" of the London Symphony Orchestra. He began studying the violin at the age of 5 with Stefan Gheorghiu, Elena Baltaga and Magdalena Ursu, at the "Dinu Lipatti" National College of Arts in Bucharest. In 2007, he continued his study at the National Conservatory of Music and Dance in Paris under the leadership of Jean Jacques Kantorow and Svetlin Roussev. Winner of numerous international competitions: Rodolfo Lipizer, Colmar, Flame, Bucharest and in 2015, he is semi-finalist of the Queen Elisabeth Competition, where he was hailed by international critics as well as by the public. He is invited to perform as a soloist and Konzertmeister in several orchestras such as the London Symphony Orchestra, the London Philharmonic, the BBC Philharmonic, the BBC Symphony, the City of Birmingham Orchestra, the Orchester Philharmonique de Radio France, the ''Orchestre National de Lyon", the Deutsches Sinfonier Orchester Berlin, the WDR Sinfonier Köln, the Orchester Capitol de Toulouse, the Orchestre National de Bordeaux, the Opera of Valencia ... under the direction of prestigious conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle, Zubin Mehta, Valery Gergiev, Bernard Haitink, Antonio Pappano, Riccardo Chailly, Kirill Petrenko, Gianandrea Noseda, Myun-Whun Chung. He performs in the most important halls of the world such as the Berlin Philharmonic, the Paris Philharmonic, the Hamburg Elbphilharmonie, the Vienna Musikverein, the Barbican Hall, the Royal Albert Hall, the Atheneum Hall in Bucharest, the Amsterdam Concertgebow, Munich Philharmonic, etc. He is also Principal Violin Professor at the Namur Institute of Music and Pedagogy (IMEP). He regularly gives Masterclasses in Europe and Asia. His recording of Philippe Boesmans’s Violin Concerto with the OPRL and Gergely Madaras has won numerous prizes including 5 Diapasons. George Tudorache is playing the Tommaso Balestrieri violin 1750 « Ex Grumiaux « kindly loaned by the « Arthur Grumiaux Fondation «ALBERTO MENCHEN Spain Alberto Menchen is considered as one of the most renowned Spanish violinists of his generation He began his musical studies in Seville, before continuing them at the famous Reina Sofía school in Madrid with teachers such as Zakhar Bron, Sergei Fatkulin, Rainer Schmidt, Marta Gulyas, Eldar Nebolsin and José Luis García Asensio, receiving the diploma of the best student in violin and chamber music. After the decisive meeting with his teacher Boris Garlitsky, one of the last students of the great Yankelevich, first at the Conservatoire National Superieur in Paris and later at the Hochschule für Musik in Hamburg and at the Folkwang Universität der Kunste in Essen, where he was graduated with the best mentions, the talent of this young violinist is beginning to be recognized since he obtains numerous scholarships and prizes in competitions for young artists. He received advices from great violinists and conductors, having the opportunity to immerse himself in contemporary music by repeatedly creating certain works composed and dedicated to him. He participated as a soloist in many performances, radio and television programs. Alberto Menchen's talent has been rewarded in almost all the competitions in which he has participated, such as the Lipizer, Sarasate, or Elise Meyer competitions. He also received scholarships from most Spanish musical institutions and cultural prizes such as the one granted by the Berenberg Bank of Germany. He began his solo violin career at the Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra and later at the Cologne WDR Radio Orchestra where he currently works. A sought-after partner in chamber music at international festivals, he is also part of the prestigious orchestra of the Bayreuth Festival. In 2020 he was appointed concertmaster at the Orchester Philharmonique Royal de Liège. LUC BAIWIR Belgium Composer of the compulsory piece for Violin category.No man is a prophet in his own country’. But we will have to revise this statement. Indeed, Luc Baiwir is not just an artist. He is the Mega Performer in Belgium, no less. He conjures up imposing new age-music from his synthesizers and surrounds it with a show of crazy light effects, swinging fountains and everything he deems necessary to attract the public in his fantasyland. He gave a lot of concerts in Paris, Brussels, London, Shanghai, Rabat, Antibes, Liege... He compose for television and movies. Luc Baiwir show us his vision on water, sea, animals or nature, subjects he certainly knows after having provided music for tens of documentaries.. With his band, he knows how to present this theme like no one else. A true extravaganza of light and music you will reflect on for a long time. But Luc Baiwir is born in the classical world. First at all, he learned piano in the Liege Conservatory. Than he began to compose classical music. Early, he gives some piano recital with his own music. Today, Luc Baiwir is one of the Belgian composer the most required to produce scores and original works for soloist, strings and symphony orchestras. (USA Today - Concert at Fayetteville - North Carolina) « Transiting between classic and modern, BAIWIR shows itself as a full composer today. Approaching uninhibitedly all these music styles, his wide palette of creation show considerable qualities of a composer in full maturity, a musician of our time and an artist that cannot be ignored at the beginning of the 21th century » (A.Riedes, Nice Matin, 2000) ALEKSEY SEMENENKOUkraine The New York Times The refined, passionate and commanding playing of Ukrainian violinist Aleksey Semenenko identify him as inheritor of the great Odessa violin tradition and earnt him places on both the BBC New Generation Artists scheme and Young Concert Artists in New York, bringing him to the attention of audiences across Europe and the US. He has given recitals at Snape Maltings, Wigmore Hall, the Kennedy Center and Alice Tully Hall, and performed concertos with orchestras including BBC National Orchestra of Wales, BBC Philharmonic, Deutsches Symphonie- Orchester Berlin, Seattle Symphony, Orchestra of St Luke’s, National Orchestra of Belgium, Ulster Orchestra and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. His festival performances include invitations at the Hay, Cheltenham and Edinburgh festivals. The most recent addition to Semenenko’s discography is his new album ‘Crossroads’ on BIS, with pianist Artem Belogurov, featuring sonatas by Previn, Schemmer and Gay. The launch of the album was marked by a Wigmore Hall recital in which the duo performed a selection of American works. Semenenko began his violin studies at the age of six with Zoya Mertsalova at the Stolyarsky School, making his solo debut with orchestra only a year later with the Odessa Philharmonic. He completed his studies with Zakhar Bron and Harald Schoneweg at Cologne’s Hochschule für Musik and was a prize winner in the 2015 Queen Elizabeth Violin Competition. Alongside his performing career, Semenenko is Violin Professor at the Folkwang Universität der Künste. He is kindly supported by the Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben. PHILIPPE LEHAEN Director of the Royal Academy César FRANCK of Visé and composer. PrizesMore then €14,000 of PRIZES will be awarded Special prize « Ysaye prize » €500 |
