Jury

Artistic Director of the Rachmaninoff International Competition for Pianists, Composers and Conductors
Pianist, People ‘s Artist of Russia

Born in 1975 in Irkutsk, Denis Matsuev graduated from the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, where he studied under A. Nasedkin and S. Dorensky. In 1998 he became the winner of the XI International Tchaikovsky Competition.
He performs in the best halls of the world. Among his stage partners are world-famous orchestras from Russia, Europe, Asia, North America, and the most prominent conductors of our time. The New York, Berlin, London Philharmonic Orchestras, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles Symphony orchestras, Orchestre de Paris, the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, and the BBC Symphony Orchestra are among them. D. Matsuev has close creative contacts with such conductors as V. Gergiev, Y. Temirkanov, Z. Mehta, P. Järvi, A. Pappano, C. Dutoit, A. Gilbert, R. Chailly, etc.
He also tours across Russia, takes part in regional festivals, and actively contributes to the development of philharmonic art in Russian regions. Since 1995 he has been a soloist of the Moscow State Academic Philharmonic, since 2004 he has had his annual personal subscription series there.
He is the Artistic director and inspirer of a number of music festivals and competitions: Stars on Baikal (since 2004), Crescendo (since 2005), Astana Piano Passion (since 2012), and Grand Piano Competition in Moscow (since 2016). President of the charity foundation New Names (since 2008).
The pianist’s discography includes seven RCA Records releases, seven releases by the Mariinsky label, Sony, Deutsche Grammophon, etc.
Denis Matsuev is a member of the Russian Presidential Council for Culture and Art, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, laureate of the State Prize, and the Order of Honour of Russia (2016). In 2019 he was awarded the Lev Nikolaev Gold Medal for his significant contribution to the education and popularization of science and culture.

Pianist, Honoured Artist of Russia Born in Moscow in 1969, Boris Berezovsky studied at the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory with E. Virsaladze and privately with A. Satz. Laureate of the Leeds International Piano Competition (Great Britain, 1987), winner of the IX International Tchaikovsky Competition (1990). Since then, he has been performing regularly in recital series and as a concerto soloist with the Berlin, London, Munich, Rotterdam, New York Philharmonic Orchestras; the Mariinsky Orchestra, St. Petersburg Philharmonic, the Staatskapelle Dresden, the National Academy of Santa Cecilia, NHK, Russian National Orchestra, the National Orchestra of France, etc. Collaborates with outstanding conductors, including V. Gergiev, sir A. Pappano, Y. Temirkanov, L. Segerstam, D. Kitaenko, and D. Liss. In chamber music, Boris Berezovsky played with V. Repin, J. Rachlin, A. Gindin, H. Demarquette, as well as the Borodin and Takacs quartets. For many years he was the faithful partner of Brigitte Engerer. His trio with Alexander Knyazev and Dmitri Makhtin, performed at the highest level. He is also invited to numerous festivals. In 2006 he was awarded Best Instrumentalist of the Year by the BBC Music Magazine. In 2014 he was appointed Artistic Director of the All-Russian Festival-Competition Music of the World in Moscow and St Petersburg. Initiator of the International Medtner Festival in Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Vladimir (2006-2011). His recordings received the highest awards: Diapason d’Or, Choc du Monde de la musique (France), Gramophone (Great Britain), ECHO KLASSIK (Germany). Since 2019, he has been a professor at the Gnesin State Musical College. Holds the title of Steinway Artist.

Pianist Vladimir Viardo was born in 1949 in Sochi. He graduated from the Moscow State Conservatory and followed postgraduate studies (1977) in the class of Prof. L. Naumov. He became the winner of the Long-Thibaud International Competition in Paris (1971) and received the I prize and two special prizes at the Fourth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 1973. Vladimir Viardo was a soloist of the Moscow Philharmonic; between 1975-1988 — a professor of the Moscow Conservatory. Since 1988, he has been living in the USA. He actively performs in America, Canada, Europe, Asia, and South Africa. He has performed at Carnegie Hall, the Lincoln and Kennedy Centers, the Salle Pleyel, and the Concertgebouw with famous conductors: Z. Mehta, L. Maazel, K. Kondrashin, V. Spivakov, M. Shostakovich. He has collaborated with leading world orchestras, including the Royal Philharmonic, the Moscow and St. Petersburg Philharmonic orchestras, the Israel and Prague Philharmonic orchestras, the Atlanta Symphony, and others. Since 1989 — Professor at the University of North Texas. There are about 50 laureates of the first prizes of international piano competitions among his students. He conducts master classes all over the world. Chairman of the jury of the Russian Music Competition in California and the Viardo International Youth Piano Competition in New York. Collaborated with record companies Melodiya, Pro Arte, and Nonesuch.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sport and Tourism of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Ta Quang Dong was born in 1966 in Vietnam. After studying at the Vietnam National Academy of Music, he continued his education at the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory under Professors N. Yemelyanova and V. Bunin and the Gnesin Russian Academy of Music under the guidance of professors B. Berlin and T. Rusanova. He has successfully performed solo concerts and chamber programs together with several ensembles in Russia, Vietnam, and the USA. His performances have been widely broadcast on national and international radio stations and television. Ta Quang Dong is one of the founders of several international piano competitions and festivals in Vietnam. He was vice-rector at the Hue Academy of music and rector of the Conservatory of Ho Chi Minh City. His students have won numerous awards at international and national piano competitions in Russia, the USA, France, Serbia, Austria, Italy, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, and Vietnam. The Deputy Minister of Culture, Sport and Tourism of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam since 2019.

Pianist Freddy Kempf was born in 1977 in London. He studied at the Royal Academy of Music. The victory at the BBC Young Musician of the Year Competition (1992) brought the young pianist national fame and a debut at Carnegie Hall. Russian music occupies a special place in his piano repertoire. The Third Prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow (1998) brought Freddy Kempf great popularity in Russia. He regularly performs not only in Moscow and St. Petersburg but also in many large and small cities of the country: Yekaterinburg, Omsk, Voronezh, Novosibirsk, Tyumen, Perm, Kazan, Chelyabinsk, Barnaul, Samara, Izhevsk, Ryazan, Alapaevsk, Kamensk-Uralsky, Chernogolovka, etc. He participated in many Russian music festivals and competitions, including Platonov Arts Festival, Musical Collection, Alyabyevskaya Musical Autumn, dedicated to S. V. Rachmaninoff, White Lilac, Eurasia. Freddy Kempf has collaborated with such conductors as N. Järvi, Ch. Dutoit, W. Sawallisch, R. Chailly, V. Ashkenazy, V. Petrenko, E. Davis, J. Bělohlávek, Y. Temirkanov. He has performed with the London, Dresden, and St. Petersburg Philharmonic orchestras, the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra, the Orquesta Filarmonica de Buenos Aires, the Tonhalle Orchester, the La Scala Philharmonic, the Gothenburg, San Francisco, Philadelphia orchestras, NHK Symphony, etc. He has given concerts in the best concert halls in Russia, Europe, the USA, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, and Taiwan, including the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, Konzerthaus Berlin, Concertgebouw, Barbican Hall, Sydney Opera House, Suntory Hall, and many others. Exclusive recording artist for BIS Records.

Pianist Liu Shih Kun was born in 1939. He graduated from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and continued his studies at the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory under the guidance of Prof. Samuil Feinberg. Laureate of the Liszt International Piano Competition in Hungary (1956), the I International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow (II prize). He has performed with many prestigious orchestras conducted by K. Kondrashin, S. Ozawa, L. Maazel and others. His recording of Liszt Piano Concerto No. 1 performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by S. Ozawa became a bestseller. Since 1964, the musician has been the Representative of the National People’s Congress (Parliament) and Deputy Chief of the Art Council of China`s Cultural Department, where he served for many years. Currently, he is a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Council, Standing Director of the Chinese Culture Promotion Society, President of Hong Kong Literature and Art Association and Honorary professor at the Central Conservatory in Beijing, the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and other conservatories in China. He was the chairman of many national piano competitions in China, a member of jury of international piano competitions, including the Liszt Competition, the Tchaikovsky Competition and the Van Cliburn Competition. He led an extensive touring, giving more than 70 concerts a year. In the last two decades, Liu Shih Kun has also dedicated himself to the musical education of the China`s youth. There are more than a hundred educational centers named after him (Liu Shih Kun Piano & Arts Centers), eight art and music kindergartens around China.

Pianist Maxim Mogilevsky was born in Leningrad in 1968, a fourth- generation hereditary musician. At the age of 13, he made his debut with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Dmitry Kitaenko. Graduated from the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory (class of Prof. L. Naumov). In 1990, he interned at the Juilliard School under the guidance of B.Davidovich and took lessons from M. Argerich. Since 1992, he has been a student and assistant to A. Toradze at Indiana University in South Bend. From 1996 to 2001, he was a visiting professor at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music (Ohio, USA). Winner of International Piano Competitions in Tokyo (1989), Pretoria (1992), Porto (1995), the Angel Awards at the Edinburgh Festival (1997), and the Rachmaninoff Foundation Prize. He regularly gives solo concerts in the best music halls of Europe, Asia, Australia, North and South America and performs at major festivals. As a soloist, he has performed with the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony, the Russian National Orchestra, the Mariinsky Orchestra, the Orchestre National de France, the USA Symphony Orchestras (New York, Pittsburgh, Florida, Seattle, New Jersey), and other orchestras of Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Argentina, etc. He collaborates with such conductors as V. Gergiev, M. Pletnev, A. Dmitriev, S. Ozawa, G. Mark, L. Segerstam, J. Schwartz, J. Revzen, G. Steel, H. Earle, P. Järvi, J.-C. Casadesus. His chamber program co-performers are V. Repin, I. Handel, St. Petersburg, and Tokyo string quartets. Active participant of Russian youth educational projects of Yuri Bashmet, visiting professor at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, conducts master classes at leading educational institutions in the USA, Japan, Colombia, Belgium.

Pianist, People ‘s Artist of Russia, professor Born in 1958 in Bashkiria. Graduated from the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory (class of Prof. A. Nasedkin). Laureate of International Piano Competition in Montreal (1980), the VII Tchaikovsky Competition (Moscow, 1982), winner of the Leeds Piano Competition (Great Britain, 1987), followed by his triumphant debut in London. Soloist of the Moscow State Philharmonic since 1995. He has performed in cities of Russia, Europe, and the USA with solo programs and gave concerts with major orchestras, including the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia; the Royal Philharmonic, Royal Scottish National, and BBC Symphony Orchestras, the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, the symphony orchestras of Chicago, Montreal, Zurich, Tokyo, Hong Kong. He performed with such conductors as E. Svetlanov, sir G. Solti, G. Rozhdestvensky, V. Gergiev, J. Conlon, M. Jansons, N. Järvi, V. Fedoseyev, V. Poliansky. His festival appearances include the Edinburgh and Cheltenham Festivals, BBC Proms (Great Britain), and the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival (Germany). He has an extensive solo repertoire and tours in the best halls of Russia, Europe, and the USA. He taught piano at the Royal Northern College of Music in the UK (1993-1996), and since 1996 — at the Moscow Conservatory (prof. since 2015). Director of the Central Music School (2011-2016). Since 2001, he has been an invited professor at Kurashiki Sakuyo University (Japan), since 2005 — a professor at the Faculty of Arts at Lomonosov Moscow State University. Member of the jury of many prestigious competitions, including the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, the Vianna da Motta International Music Competition, Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition, RTNA in Tokyo.

Rector of the Central Music School of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Honoured Artist of Russia, professor

Valery Pyasetsky was born in 1961 in Moscow. He graduated from the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory (class of Prof. A. Nasedkin). Between 1994 and 2017, he worked at the Piano Division at the Moscow Conservatory and became a professor in 2009. Since 1984, he has been teaching at the Central Music School of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, headed the Piano Department in 2001, and since 2016 — Rector of the Central Music School.
As a concert pianist, he performed in almost all major cities of the USSR as well as Austria, Hungary, Germany, Serbia, France, Switzerland, Japan etc. Valery Pyasetsky is an acknowledged chamber performer: for many years, he has been a frequent collaborator of M. Khomitser, People’s Artist of Russia. He also performed with People’s Artists of Russia V. Ivanov and M. Yashvili. He is a famous teacher who gave the world a constellation of bright, charismatic pianists. The students of Prof. V. Pyasetsky became laureates of international and all-Russian competitions about 150 times. Denis Matsuev, People’s Artist of Russia, laureate of the State Prizes, and the Winner of the XI International Tchaikovsky Competition (1998), stands out in that row.
V. Pyasetsky’s teaching assets include victories and laureate awards at major youth competitions: Eurovision, the International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians, the International Vladimir Krainev Young Pianists Competition, the International Chopin Piano Competition, the International Television Contest for Young Musicians Nutcracker of the Russia-Kultura Television Channel, the all-Russian competition for young musicians Constellation, etc.
Valery Piasetsky worked on the jury of the Grand Piano Competition, Astana Piano Passion, and the International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians.

Honored Art Worker of Russia, professor Vladimir Tropp was born in 1939 in Moscow. Graduated from the Gnesin Russian Academy of Music and postgraduate studies (class of prof. T. Gutman). For almost 60 years, V. Tropp has been working at the Piano Division at the Gnesin Academy of Music; the head of the department since 1997; Professor at the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory since 2002. Among his numerous students, there are many concert pianists and winners of prestigious competitions, professors of the Moscow Conservatory, the Gnesin Academy of Music, and other conservatories in the world. In 1970, Tropp became a laureate of the George Enescu International Competition. Since then, he has constantly performed as a soloist and ensemble player and offered masterclasses in Russia, Europe, the USA, Japan, China, South Korea, etc. The principal part of his repertoire is romantic music with acclaimed performances of R. Schumann, F. Chopin, F. Liszt, and J. Brahms. His special creative achievements are linked to the works by P. Tchaikovsky, S. Rachmaninoff, A. Scriabin, and N. Medtner. V. Tropp has a wide range of interests. For many years he has been studying the Rachmaninoff’s heritage. For several years was in correspondence with the composer’s first biographer, S. Satina. He examined almost all available archives of Rachmaninoff in Russia and abroad, published several works, and recorded a series of radio broadcasts. Vice-President of the Rachmaninoff Society in Moscow. He regularly serves on juries of international piano competitions. Among them are the F. Lamond International Competition (Glasgow), the All-Russian and International Rachmaninoff Piano Competition in Moscow; several times he was the chairman of the International Rachmaninoff Competition for Young Pianists in Veliky Novgorod.