4 < Back SEC Lyrical Sound Espressivo invites Musicians of All Ages to celebrate Live Music Performance by participating in the Application Deadline May 16, 2024 at 3:59:00 AM Apply Regulations Lyrical Music Competition 2023-24 What is Lyrical? Are you a Lyrical Artist? Check out the Artistic Category Description Hint: One can be a Lyrical Artist at any age and stage of learning the art of music performance! Turn to great artists for inspiration, many spoke out about Lyricism in Music: "And gentle winds and waters near, Make music to the lonely ear." — Lord Byron Competition Rounds Preliminary Round - by video submission. Selected musicians will be invited to the Final Round Final Round - Live performance on a world-wide Internet TV Broadcast. Judges from aroud the world provide on-air commentary immediately after each performance. Finalists meet the Judges and can ask questions. Musicians' supporters can write comments which will be shown onscreen Family and friends can watch and be part of your LIVE performance from anywhere in the world. Finalists receive Technical preparation session with VCHS Broadcast Directors and Engineers, in preparation for the broadcast. More about Broadcast technology for musicians here All Instrumentalists, Ensembles, and Voice performers can apply Age Groups 10 and under 11-14 15-18 Adult (19 and older) Repertory All periods and genres accepted For Preliminary Round - submit a video of one virtuoso piece Final Round - perform up to 10 min of Lyrical compositions Important DATES May 15, 2024 - Application Deadline June 2024 - Final Round of the Competition https://video.wixstatic.com/video/dfba69_54ce8936e1b247558c9cee760d8f87c1/720p/mp4/file.mp4 Laureates and Winners Cash Awards One in each Age Group: Adult (19 and older) - $300 15-18 - $200 11-14 - $100 10 and under - $50 Performance Awards One Laureate will receive a fully sponsored performance opportunity at Carnegie Laureate Gala (see details and dates here ) More performance, scholarships, recordings, web-profile, interviews, educational and partner-sponsored Awards here Career Development and Educational Awards here Teachers Receive recognition on Sound Espressivo website and in Virtual Concert Halls Broadcast programs, certificates honoring Teachers' contribution. Fees Application Fee - $50 Final Round (if selected only) - $100 Complete Regulations here Previous Next

Liang < Back Junwen Liang Jan 30 at 3:00pm EST (26+) 1). Chopin Mazurka in a minor, Op. 17 No. 4; 2). Earl Wild "Embraceable You" from 7 virtuoso etudes on Gershwin's songs; 3). Prokofiev Piano Sonata No. 8 in B-flat major, Op. 84 (2nd and 3rd movements) Chinese pianist Junwen Liang is currently completing his doctorate in piano performance at Penn State University under the tutelage of Christopher Guzman. He also serves as a graduate teaching assistant in the piano department. Junwen is a prizewinner of many national and international piano competitions, including The Princeton Festival Piano Competition, The American Prize, New York International Piano Competition, and Chopin International Piano Competition in Hartford, etc. Such achievements also led him to perform concerts in Carnegie Hall and Kimmel Center. His upcoming performance engagements will feature a concerto performance in Russia and a solo recital in Italy in 2022 - 2023. Previous Next

< Back Previous Holly Lacey Next Violinist Gala at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall November 26, 2024 WATCH VIDEO Holly Lacey studies violin with Margaret Batjer at the Colburn School Music Academy in Los Angeles, California. She performed at The Walt Disney Concert Hall in June 2024 as The Music Center’s Spotlight Competition Grand Prize Finalist and Classical Music winner. Holly has also been a winner of the 2023 and 2024 Colburn Concerto Competitions, performing as soloist with both the Colburn Youth Orchestra and the Colburn Chamber Orchestra. In addition, she was the 2024 national winner of the OPUS Music Competition and a semifinalist in the 2024 International Young Artists Concerto Competition. A dedicated orchestral musician, Holly has served as concertmaster for five seasons across the Colburn Sinfonietta, Colburn Youth Orchestra, and Colburn String Orchestra. As an avid chamber musician and member of the Nth Trio, she earned the inaugural Horszowski Trio Prize at the 50th Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition in 2023, as well as first prizes at the 2023 MTAC VOCE Chamber Music Competition, Camerata Artists International Competition, and ENKOR International Music Competition. Holly is deeply committed to community engagement, founding and serving as co-Regional Director of the Back to BACH Greater Pasadena region. She is also an inaugural fellow with National Public Radio’s From the Top: Musicians and the Environment Initiative. Over the past four summers, Holly has studied with Gerardo Ribeiro at the Meadowmount School of Music and has participated in masterclasses with Alexander Kerr, Martin Beaver, Ivan Zenaty, Catherine Cho, Kikuie Ikeda, Almita Vamos, Kelly Parkins-Lindstrom, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, and Rieko Aizawa.

Annabelle Wei < Back Annabelle Wei Previous Next Annabelle Wei USA VIOLINIST Annabelle Wei is a rising seventh-grader from Hockessin, Delaware. Studying with Laura Bossert and J Freivogel, she is an extraordinarily talented young violinist who made her solo recital debut at age 9 and won top prizes at the Oscar Rieding (Slovenia), Vivace International, ODIN International, the Golden Classical Music Awards, and Constantine the Great International Competitions. Her precocious composing skills were also recognized for her performance and original composition, “Midnight Storm” by the Rieding International Competition. Most recently, she performed as the associate concertmaster of the Delaware Youth Symphony Orchestra in the 2021-2022 season, and the co-concertmaster of the Delaware Orchestral & Chamber Music Institute on a leadership scholarship. When she’s not composing and performing, she enjoys running, writing, baking and gardening.

Victoria Tan < Back Victoria Tan Previous Next Victoria Tan 🇺🇸 USA VIOLINIST Victoria Tan, from the United States, plays the violin and piano, and has performed at numerous music halls, including Carnegie Hall, and was awarded many grand and first prizes in violin and piano competitions. She has performed with the Washington Heights Chamber Orchestra in New York, the NV Chamber Orchestra in New Jersey, and the Metropolitan String Orchestra in Connecticut. Besides her interest in music, Victoria loves reading and writing, and has won several contests for her poetry.

Auditions 2023-24 Laureate Ensemble Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall July 1, 2024 at 7:00pm Come to New York for three days to immerse yourself in music-making! Perform together with an International Group of Musicians, Under the tutelage of Extraordinary Artists Deadline to Apply - April 1, 2024 All-String , Flute Choir Apply Flute Choir at Carnegie Gala June 29-July 1, 2024 Application DEADLINE Intensive Flute Choir Ensemble Workshop in NY City, dedicated to preparing and performing at the Laureates Gala at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. Dates: June 29 - July 1 Rehearsals: June 29 - 30 Concert at the Carnegie Hall: July 1 at 7:00pm Ensemble Director: Rita D'Arcangelo, Berlin, Germany Guest Artis: Carla Auld, New York, USA Concert Program: TBD No Age Restrictions to Apply Application Deadline: April 1, 2024 April 2, 2024 at 3:59:00 AM Learn More All Strings Ensemble at Carnegie Gala June 28-July 2, 2024 Application DEADLINE Intensive All-Strings Ensemble Workshop in New York City, dedicated to preparing and performing at the Laureates Gala at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. Instruments accepted: Violin, Viola, Cello, String Bass Dates: June 28 - July 2, 2024 Rehearsals: June 29 - 30. Concert at the Carnegie Hall: July 1, at 7:00pm Ensemble Director: Kelly Hall-Tompkins, NY, USA Concert Program: Joseph Bologne Chevalier de Saint-George - Overture L'amant anonyme Dvorak - String Serenade Jesse Montgomery - Starburst No Age Restrictions to Apply Application Deadline: March 1, 2024 March 2, 2024 at 4:59:00 AM Learn More Castanets Choir at Carnegie Gala June 29-July 2, 2024 Application DEADLINE THIS PROGRAM IS FULL, PLEASE VISIT BACK IN SEPTEMBER 2024 TO APPLY FOR NEXT SEASON! Intensive Castanets Choir Ensemble Workshop in NY City, dedicated to preparing and performing at the Laureates Gala at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. Dates: June 29 - July 2, 2024 Rehearsals: June 30 Concert at the Carnegie Hall: July 1 at 7:00pm Ensemble Director: Teresa Laiz, Madrid, Spain Concert Program: TBD No Age Restrictions to Apply Application Deadline: November 1, 2023 See INTERNATIONAL CASTANETS COMPETITION for more details, additional Prizes and Awards, and additional opportunities to perform with the Madrid Castanets Choir November 2, 2023 at 3:59:00 AM Learn More

< Back Previous Irene Peery-Fox Next WATCH VIDEO MUSIC IS THE LANGUAGE OF THE SOUL DR. IRENE PEERY-FOX SHARES HER EXPERIENCE AND LOVE OF MUSIC WRITTEN BY SARAH OSTLER HILL Years ago, in a rural town in Canada, a three-year-old girl listened to her brother attempt to practice the piano. Feeling a pull that seemed almost physical, she climbed onto the piano bench next to him and played it for him. Thus began Irene Peery-Fox’s distinguished career in music, leading her through competitions, Juilliard, Peabody, and finally to BYU, where she is the first and only female full professor on the School of Music piano faculty. Teaching, it seems, is in her soul. “Music is a universal language,” Dr. Peery-Fox says. “Everybody naturally has a beat in their soul. No matter where people are from, they like to sing and dance in their own way. Rhythm is part of a person’s makeup.” She doesn’t really remember a time she wasn’t playing the piano. She has vivid memories of picking out songs she had heard on the radio and playing them, with her feet dangling high above the floor, on the piano her father had promised her mother, even at the expense of other furnishings in the home. “My family was very poor,” Peery-Fox recounts. “My father was an immigrant from Odessa during the Russian revolution. It was the desire of my mother’s heart to have a piano in our home, and he promised her she’d have one before her first child turned three.” Dr. Peery-Fox’s father taught five children to work hard every day but the Sabbath, and encouraged them to choose one thing in which they could excel. “You can’t practice once or twice or even four times a week,” Peery-Fox says. “Every day. Never waste a moment. My dad would say, ‘You were our farm.’ We all worked hard.” This work ethic is what has driven Peery-Fox as both a performer and a teacher. She speaks with the calm confidence of someone who has mastered their material, but with a compassion that makes someone of her ability and achievement feel approachable. “It always surprises me when people think piano performance is the easy way out,” she confides. “It’s a lot of work, and very stressful. Consider practicing at least four hours a day in a room all alone without anyone around you. It can be very lonely. Not everyone has the personality that will do it and enjoy it.” SACRIFICING TO LEARN As a young child, Peery-Fox had that personality. She began taking lessons from Thelma Smith, the only teacher in their town, who soon discovered Peery-Fox had perfect pitch. By the time she was eight, Peery-Fox was the ward organist. By the time she was 10, she was practicing four hours a day and Thelma Smith told Peery-Fox’s parents she couldn’t teach Peery-Fox anything else and suggested a new teacher. Peery-Fox’s parents began driving her 70 miles each way on Saturdays for her lessons. Around this time, Peery-Fox’s family was struck by tragedy when their home burned down. “We lost everything,” Dr. Peery-Fox says. “We didn’t have insurance. We were very poor.” Perhaps this early experience with trauma helped influence her playing. Today, Peery-Fox recognizes that deeply emotional experiences affect her ability to interpret music. “From love to hate to anger and peace, if you’ve actually felt those things, it’s easier to project them and help students project them to an audience. Young children can do what a teacher says, but to succeed later, they need to feel those things. Interpretation of music is like fruit ripening on a tree: it happens over time.” Since she had been winning festivals and competitions, and was the most advanced pianist in the town, Peery-Fox considered teaching. “I made an advertisement and got 20 students right away,” Peery-Fox remembers with delight. “I gave the money to my parents to help get another start.” A year later, her piano teacher sent her to Calgary to study with Alberta’s most prestigious pedagogue, Dr. Gladys Egbert. “This was quite a sacrifice,” Peery-Fox says. “The 150-mile trip required us to leave at 4am. Roads weren’t very good. Cars weren’t very reliable. Sometimes we’d be gone all day, getting back at midnight. But I never missed, no matter what. I really credit my parents for their dedication.” Peery-Fox won her first international competition at the age of 15, playing Rachmoninoff’s Second Concerto. She vividly remembers the dress she was wearing because the television producer for the event was particular about the shade of blue since color television was a new invention. COMING TO BYU After high school, Peery-Fox went straight to Juilliard where she received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in piano performance. She earned her doctorate from the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University, where she studied with world-renowned pianist and pedagogue Leon Fleisher. She joined the faculty soon after. During this time, her husband was working for Senator Orrin Hatch. As his contract came to a close there, he began seeking new employment. “I told him I’d go anywhere, but I just didn’t want to teach at BYU,” Peery-Fox laughs. “I’m not sure why I ever thought that!” As she tells about how her husband applied countless places but was only accepted at BYU, her voice begins to break with emotion. “The Lord guides everything you’re supposed to do. Being on the faculty at BYU is the most wonderful thing I’ve ever done.” Peery-Fox has done some pretty wonderful things. She taught the Five Browns, famous for their television appearances and recordings, as early as four or five years old. All of them went to Juilliard. She recently coached Hilary Mahler and Tiffany Delgado through winning the prestigious United States International Duo Piano Competition in Colorado Springs as well as the National Federation of Music Clubs Ellis Duo Piano Competition in Mississippi. And earlier this year, Conlan Miller, under Peery-Fox’s tutelage, won a national competition where the prize was a Steinway piano valued at more than $25,000. Perhaps one of her most satisfying teaching accomplishments is that of teaching her own daughter, Christie Peery Skousen, until she, too, went to study with Fleisher at Peabody. Skousen has since become a successful pianist, teacher, and musician. PASSING THE TORCH Peery-Fox is often asked her secret to success. “Practice. Practice, practice, practice,” she laughs as she repeats this about 10 more times. “It’s good for the mind, good for the muscles. Practice hard, practice consistently. Practice.” Practice the music, she says, and then practice performing. “Performing is a vital part of performing,” Dr. Peery-Fox advises. “The more you perform, the more comfortable you become with performing.” When it comes to performing and teaching, she is just as adamant about spiritual preparation. “Like the scripture ‘Faith without works is dead,’ if we pray to Heavenly Father that we’ll do a good job and we haven’t practiced, we don’t have a right to ask for those blessings,” she says. “But if we’ve done the practice, the time, the work, Heavenly Father will step in and help us and we’ll feel His spirit right there with us.” She tells of a time she was playing a concerto with the Utah Symphony, led by Joseph Silverstein, an internationally acclaimed violinist and conductor. As her husband drove her to the concert, she became increasingly nervous. “I was almost shaking, thinking of the people in the hall and balconies, ” Peery-Fox remembers. “I thought, ‘I’ve done everything I could. Heavenly Father, I need your help now.’” What happened next is just one of the reasons Peery-Fox credits concerts as the source of her most spiritual experiences. “Sitting there in the car, I felt a draining,” she says, as if still awestruck at the sensation. “From the top of my head slowly receding down to my feet, it was as if the fear was draining out of me. As that feeling ended, the fear was gone and I knew Heavenly Father’s spirit was with me.” The Deseret News would review that concert and note the perfection of Peery-Fox’s performance. She humbly acknowledges the partnership between her hard work and the spirit of the Lord with her throughout that performance. Her continuing advice to students and performers is to prepare and ask in righteousness. Even with a prestigious career in music, being a celebrated faculty member and example for women in education, and having countless students who excel, Peery-Fox notes that her family is at the heart of her joy. She has four children and 15 grandchildren, all who play the piano. She doesn’t expect them to have the same drive she has had, but she is thrilled to have a shared love with them. “There are never enough hours in the day to do all the music I’d like,” she admits. “Even spending 10-12 hours a day, it’s not enough.” Her passion for music is almost palpable. Students of the BYU School of Music are fortunate to have such a gifted and talented professor to guide them in their own careers. Music is the language of Dr. Irene Peery-Fox’s soul.

< Back Previous Derek Zhang Next Gala at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall November 24, 2024 WATCH VIDEO Derek Zhang, a sophomore at Northgate High School in Walnut Creek, CA, excels in both music and sports. A first-prize winner of the North California Young Talents Competition, he has performed as a soloist with the East Bay Chamber Orchestra and participates in ASTACAP examinations. Derek toured Europe last summer as first violinist with the Oakland Symphony Youth Orchestra and is currently first violin in the Young People’s Symphony Orchestra. An accomplished pianist as well, he has earned several awards in piano competitions.

< Back Previous The Lehner Quartet Next The Lehner Quartet Gala at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall June 30, 2025 WATCH VIDEO Formed in 2020, the Lehner Quartet brings together four distinguished musicians from the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra (Washington National Opera) and the National Symphony Orchestra: violinists Natasha Bogachek and Zino Bogachek, violist Philippe Chao, and cellist Igor Zubkovsky. Each a celebrated performer with international credentials, the quartet was born from a shared passion for chamber music and a longstanding artistic collaboration. From the outset, the ensemble has earned recognition as one of the most compelling voices in today’s classical music scene, blending virtuosity, emotional depth, and artistic innovation. Between 2021 and 2023, the Lehner Quartet partnered with Virtual Concert Halls and Vox Novus to present a bold series of concerts spotlighting new works by living composers. These performances underscore the ensemble’s mission: to uphold the rich traditions of chamber music while championing diverse and forward-looking voices shaping the future of classical performance. Audiences have come to expect programs that bridge the classical canon with contemporary expression, offering performances that are as intellectually engaging as they are emotionally resonant. Building on this momentum, the quartet has appeared in multiple performances at Carnegie Hall and other leading venues throughout the 2022–2025 concert seasons. Their ongoing collaborations with composers from around the world reinforce their role as dedicated ambassadors for new music in the 21st century. In 2024, the Lehner Quartet released their debut double album, Modern Classics, on the Cicerone Music and Arts (CiMA) label. This landmark recording features original works by living composers from around the globe, further affirming the ensemble’s dedication to expanding and invigorating the contemporary string quartet repertoire. The current lineup of the Lehner Quartet includes violinists Vladimir Dyo and Yevgeniy Dyo, violist Joseph Kauffman, and founding cellist Igor Zubkovsky. Together, they are preparing for an exciting new season filled with performances and upcoming recording projects under the CiMA label, continuing their mission to champion innovative music with passion and excellence. Musicians Vladimir Dyo Violinist Since making his debut with the Kazakh State Symphony Orchestra at the age of 12, Vladimir Dyo has toured extensively and performed at prestigious venues across the former USSR, Europe, Asia, and the United States. His appearances include world-renowned halls such as Carnegie Hall, Walt Disney Hall, Seoul Arts Center, Rachmaninoff Hall, Tchaikovsky Hall, Column Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, KBS Hall, UNESCO Headquarters, and the United Nations General Assembly Hall. Vladimir’s distinctive tone and deeply personal approach to phrasing distinguish him in the world of classical music. Critics have praised his artistry with vivid admiration: “His mystic contour merged with the instrument and hypnotized the audience... The subtlety and flawlessness of Rachmaninoff’s endlessly versatile music evoked such a profound emotional response that many in the audience were moved to tears.” — N. Zemlyakova, musicologist “Dyo’s Sarasate was dazzling…” — Michael Church, BBC World Service “Vladimir Dyo is a violinist who plays with incredible energy and electricity. His rendition of my LEX was spectacular. He is a major talent with a very bright future ahead!” — Michael Daugherty, Grammy-winning composer Recognized for his electrifying performances and expressive nuance, Vladimir Dyo continues to build a remarkable international career as a leading violinist of his generation. Yevgeniy Dyo Violinist "Elegant violinist" — Luis Biava, Principal and Conductor-in-Residence Emeritus, Philadelphia Orchestra "Control, solidity and beauty — who could ask for more?" — Jeffrey Solow American String Teachers Association President "His is fine, sylvan sound, a combination of secure intonation and lithe bow arm. Throughout, Mr. Dyo's playing was elegant, subtle at times, imperious at others, dramatic, and remarkable." — Dr. David Cannata Since making his debut with the Kazakh State Orchestra at the age of nine, Yevgeniy Dyo has performed at many of the world’s most prestigious venues across the former Soviet Union, Europe, Asia, Canada, and the United States, including Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Kimmel Center, Tchaikovsky Hall, Mozarteum Wiener Saal, Meyerson Hall, and the United Nations General Headquarters. A laureate of numerous national and international competitions, he is the Grand Prize winner of the Shabyt International Chamber Music Competition in Kazakhstan and recipient of the “New Names” International Organization Award in Moscow. Dr. Dyo’s career spans performance, education, and cultural leadership. As a soloist and chamber musician, he has appeared at festivals such as Mozarteum Salzburg and co-founded ensembles and concert series including Musica D’Accordo Astana (Kazakhstan’s premier chamber ensemble), Trio Fontes, and the Solo and Chamber Music Series in New Jersey. He has premiered major works such as Karl Jenkins’ Requiem in London under the baton of the composer himself and served as guest concertmaster with the New Jersey Capital Philharmonic. In the media, Dr. Dyo has been featured on Kazakhstan National Television and Radio, WWFM’s “Celebrating Our Musical Future”, and in publications such as The Washington Post , Korea Phila Times , Kazakhstanskaya Pravda , and Koryo Ilbo . His performance of Bernstein’s Music for String Quartet was highlighted in the U.S. premiere coverage. As an educator, Dr. Dyo has taught violin and chamber music at Temple University, The Peddie School, and given masterclasses at institutions such as the Mongolian State Conservatory and the Music School of Delaware. He is a regular adjudicator for New Jersey All-State auditions and has judged international competitions, including the GMP International Violin Competition in New York, where he also serves as Artistic Director. His leadership in arts organizations includes his tenure as President of the Philadelphia Korean Musicians Association, where he organized landmark cultural events and competitions for young musicians. He also collaborates with the Association of Modern Georgian Artists, bringing contemporary music to New York audiences. Dr. Yevgeniy Dyo continues to perform, teach, and advocate for music that connects cultures and generations across the globe. Joseph Kauffman Violist Violinist and violist Joseph Kauffman has performed in many of the world’s most prestigious concert venues, including Tchaikovsky Hall, Disney Hall, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Kimmel Center, the Mariinsky Theatre, and the Kennedy Center. He studied with renowned teachers Yayoi Numazawa (Philadelphia Orchestra), James Lyon and Max Zorin (Penn State University), and Dr. Eduard Schmieder (Temple University). Kauffman holds degrees in violin performance from Penn State University (BM) and Temple University (MM), and is currently completing his DMA at Temple. He has won numerous awards, including 1st Prize in the MTNA Chamber Music Competition, as well as the Beene, Kroulik, and Brewster Solo Competitions. He was honored with Temple University’s Albert Tashjian Prize and Max Aronoff Prize for excellence in performance and teaching, and received Penn State’s Creative Achievement Award. As a soloist, Kauffman has performed with ensembles such as the PSU Philharmonic, Williamsport Chamber Orchestra, and the Temple Symphony Orchestra. A member of ipalpiti Artists International since 2010, he has appeared on chamber music broadcasts in Philadelphia and Los Angeles, and performed in chamber concerts with artists including Branford Marsalis. In 2015, he performed for Pope Francis during his visit to Philadelphia. Kauffman performs regularly with leading ensembles including the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Virtuosi, Symphony in C, Princeton Symphony, AVA Opera, and ipalpiti Artists International. He has also recorded music for the documentary television series Philadelphia: The Great Experiment and other upcoming projects. A passionate educator, Kauffman teaches violin and viola to a studio of award-winning students and coaches chamber music at Temple University. He is the Co-founder and Co-Artistic Director of the Music Transforms concert series in Wayne, Pennsylvania, which fosters music outreach and community engagement. Igor Zubkovsky Cellist Cellist Igor Zubkovsky began his musical journey in his native Russia, making his solo debut at age twelve with the Minsk State Philharmonic Orchestra, performing Haydn’s C Major Cello Concerto. He later studied at the Moscow Conservatory under the renowned Natalia Shakhovskaya, Gold Medalist of the 1962 Tchaikovsky Competition. Zubkovsky has been recognized internationally, earning top prizes at the International Cello Competition in Minsk, Belarus (Second Prize) and the Tansman International Competition in Lodz, Poland (Grand Prix). As a member of The Brahms Trio (Moscow), he received Second Prize at the Trapani Chamber Music Competition in Italy and First Prize at the Weimar International Chamber Music Competition in Germany. Awarded a full scholarship to the Peabody Conservatory of Music, he earned a Graduate Performance Diploma and has since enjoyed a dynamic career as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral performer. Since 2003, Zubkovsky has been a member of the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra (Washington National Opera). His performance highlights include appearances at Merkin Concert Hall (NYC), the Newport Music Festival, and solo engagements with orchestras in the U.S. and abroad—most notably Brahms’ Double Concerto with the West Chester University Orchestra and Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations with the Altoona Symphony. He has also performed in chamber music series at the Moscow Conservatory’s Rachmaninov Hall, Kennedy Center, and in Paris with the Marquis Ensemble. His trio performances with Anna Ouspenskaya and Elisabeth Adkins, presented by the Levine Presents series, were broadcast on WETA, Washington D.C.'s classical music station. In addition to performing, Zubkovsky is an active arranger and editor, creating original transcriptions and adaptations for cello ensembles. He premiered the Cello Sonata by Isaac Mikhnovsky and has several acclaimed CD recordings to his credit.

< Back Previous Zoran Velić Next Gala at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall February 16, 2026 WATCH VIDEO Zoran Velić (Split, 1985) graduated in 2008 from the Academy of Music in Zagreb in the class of Prof. Đorđe Stanetti and guest professor Karl-Heinz Kammerling. He continued his postgraduate studies with Prof. Kammerling at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg, completing them in 2009. His earlier piano education took place in Split at the Josip Hatze Music School in the class of Prof. Kosovka Čudina. Already at a young age, he distinguished himself as an award-winning pianist. He is a two-time laureate of the Daleki akordi Competition (Split, 1996 and 1998), a winner of national competitions for solo pianists in Sisak (1997) and Dubrovnik (2003), and—together with Marin Limić—a prizewinner at the Piano Duo Competition in Vinkovci (2001). He also won prizes in his categories at the Zlatko Grgošević International Competition (Zagreb, 2000 and 2002), was the absolute winner of the Etide i skale International Competition (Zagreb, 2002), a first-prize winner at the National Competition in Dubrovnik (2005), and the recipient of the Yamaha Award at the Academy of Music in Zagreb (2005). Among his numerous concert performances, notable appearances include concerts in Zagreb (graduation recital at the Croatian Music Institute, recitals at the Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall and Matica hrvatska), Split (recitals and performances on the main stage and in the foyer of the Croatian National Theatre, as well as the Meštrović Gallery), Osijek (Darko Lukić Memorial), Zadar (Donat Evenings), Rijeka, and Samobor (Samobor Music Autumn). In December 2012, he performed at the charity event Concert with the President for the association Most at the Croatian National Theatre in Split. In April 2014, he appeared as soloist in Mozart’s Piano Concerto in A major, K. 414, at the Croatian National Theatre in Split under the baton of Pavle Dešpalj. In December 2018, he performed Chopin’s Andante spianato and Grande Polonaise brillante in E-flat major at the New Year’s concerts of the Croatian National Theatre in Split, accompanied by the orchestra conducted by Hari Zlodre. In November 2020, he gave a recital within the Pleyel Cycle of Svetislav Stančić in Zagreb, followed by a recital at the Croatian House in Split in November 2021. In August 2022, he performed at the 68th Split Summer Festival as a member of the piano quintet Arthesis, presenting works by contemporary Split composers. In June 2024, he gave a solo recital at the Croatian House in Split. In May 2025, together with Katja Repušić, he performed Mozart’s Concerto in E-flat major for Two Pianos with the Zadar Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Ivan Repušić in Zadar. In January 2026, he again appeared in solo recital at the Croatian House in Split. He has performed with the Split Chamber Orchestra conducted by Ivan Repušić, the Zagreb Philharmonic under Vjekoslav Šutej, and the HRT Symphony Orchestra under Tomislav Fačini, and has also appeared as a soloist with the Zagreb Soloists. He has further refined his artistry in masterclasses with distinguished pedagogues, including Karl-Heinz Kammerling, Konstantin Bogino, Vladimir Krpan, Đorđe Tikvica, Aleksander Valdmaa, Darko Cikojević, Ivan Kordić, and Cezary Stańczyk. Since 2010, he has been engaged as a piano professor at the Josip Hatze Music School in Split. Since 2014, he has worked as a répétiteur at the Vocal Department of the Academy of Music in Split, and since 2024, he has served as a piano professor at the same institution.

Season 2023-24 AWARDS Album Production and Distribution Contract Cicerone MA Streams Independent Label for Publishing and Distributing Classical, Blues & Jazz Music is sponsoring THREE Album Publication Awards For the Top Participants who receive the title of the Artist of the 2023-24 Season Winners are to be selected from the pool of musicians - participants in the 2023-24 season of Sound Espressivo and collaborative Competitions and Auditions. Prize Winners will be invited to Italy for a recording session at one of Cicerone professional recording Studios. Worldwide Album distribution contract. Learn More The Price Award Premium international Artist management service for a rising performing artist in development stage of career Learn More James Adler Audience Favorite Awards James Adler and the AdlerOaks Library are sponsoring Awards for Pianists and Composers. Audience members are invited to vote for their favorite musician on the Laureate Gala program. The Winners are announced based on the number of votes received. James Adler Audience Favorite Awards will be presented throughout 2023-24 season - $250 each J&S Honorable Mention Awards - $100 each Learn More Four Scholarships to attend Talent Summer Music Courses Festival 2024 Sound Espressivo and Pianist Avguste Antonov are sponsoring Awards to Pianists. To be considered for this Award, Candidates must fill out Letter of Intent Form attached. Four Full Scholarships will be awarded to selected Winners: Rachmaninoff Auditions - Two Scholarships Artistic Categories Lyrical and Virtuosity - One Scholarship will be awarded in each of these Auditions Learn more Virtual Concert, Broadcast Worldwide Virtual Concert Halls sponsors Performance Awards for the Laureates and Winners Auditions and Competitions organized by Sound Epsressivo and partner companies Selected Laureates will be awarded a production of a personal Virtual Solo Recital. Selected Winners will be awarded participation in Virtual Concerts. Learn More Laureates Gala Sponsorship Laureate Gala will sponsor a limited number of Awards to soloists, piano, instrumental and vocal, for a performance at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. These Awards are provided by progressive Musicians and Virtual Concert Halls. The Award includes a fully sponsored performance on the Gala program of up to 5 minutes, plus: A Carnegie Hall Archival DIGITAL VIDEO of performance (see Regulations for acceptable uses as per by Carnegie Hall rules) Medals; Certificates Full color brochure (digital and printed) Complimentary tickets Winners will be interviewed by Steve Robinson, a world renowned producer of classical music radio shows Photos Learn more Bach GERS Cello Scholarship Award Two Full Cello Scholarships (each is worth ca. $500) Online Summer Cello Master Classes will be awarded to the best cello finalists of the Sound Espressivo Competitions and Auditions 2023-24. These Scholarships are made possible curtesy and through the generosity of Czech Cellist František Brikcius and the BACH FESTIVAL GERS Learn More Brilliant Talent Discovery Awards Two Scholarship for any instrumentalists to take part in immersive cultural tour in Europe Dates TBD Munich-Fussen-Insbruck-Liechtenstein-Zurich Details TBC Two Scholarships for Pianists Masterclasses with professors in one of the leading music institutions in Germany Performance opportunity in one of the castles/venues (again, details TBC) Dedicated cultural tour/itinerary that involves visits to various cultural sites, concerts and/or opera theatres Learn more Recognition Award iClassical Academy provides Recognition Awards to Winners and Participants of Sound Espressivo Auditions and Competitions "We believe that anyone, at any time, should have access to the wonderfully beautiful world of music Our mission is to provide new generations of musicians, from any part of the world, the possibility to improve their skills and enjoy a wide audience" iClassical Academy is based in Switzerland and works with clients globally. Learn More Career Coaching A six month membership to Fast Forward, from The Fearless Artist Mastermind Our membership for classical musicians at The Fearless Artist Mastermind will allow you to meet musicians from around the world who understand you and the unique challenges you face on a daily basis. You'll be included in our amazing community and get feedback on your most important career topics to help propel you forwards. With twice a month Zoom calls and an active community on Slack, you'll also be able to set clear goals and get the accountability you need to reach them. The Fearless Artist Mastermind is based in Netherlands and works with clients globally Learn More Walham Forest Cello Scholarship Award Two Full Cello Scholarships (each is worth ca. $500) Online Summer Cello Master Classes will be awarded to the best cello finalists of the Sound Espressivo Competitions and Auditions 2023-24. These Scholarships are made possible curtesy and through the generosity of Czech Cellist František Brikcius and the WALTHAM FOREST CELLO FEST in London. Learn more Colburn School Colburn School will sponsor a Scholarship for One Pianist, to attend the Colburn Summer Seminar, dates TBD Learn More

< Back Previous Kaiden Griggs Next colORCHESTRA and Gala at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall Soloist with Orquesta Filarmónica Municipal de Guayaquil WATCH VIDEO Kaiden Griggs is a young rising star pianist residing in Vienna, Virginia. He began studying piano at age six, and he has studied with Dr. Anna Ouspenskaya since 2019. In November 2024 Kaiden made his debut at Carnegie Hall in New York City, performing the Saint-Saens Concerto Number Two with the Orchestra Manhattan, conducted by Karim Said. He is excited to perform internationally with the Guayaquil Municipal Philharmonic Orchestra. Kaiden is a freshman at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Virginia. He participates in mathematics competitions and is a C-rated epee fencer. Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. Soloist - Kaiden Griggs. Orchestra Manhattan, conducted by Karim Said. Saint-Saens, Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor