VIRTUOZO

Marianna Cappelliani began studying piano at the age of six and later dedicated herself to singing, starting her vocal training with the famous mezzo-soprano Fedora Barbieri. She also studied with Alain Billard and continued her advanced studies in Milan under the guidance of Gianfranco Ostini.

Throughout her career, she has performed as a soloist in many opera houses and concert venues in Italy and Europe. In 2000, she made her debut at the Teatro Massimo Bellini in Catania, participating in a production of Verdi's "Macbeth". She also performed the role of Ortlinde in Wagner's "Die Walküre" under the direction of Zoltan Pesko and in a production by Cesare Lievi. She has further collaborated with the Teatro Lirico di Cagliari, the Teatro Regio di Torino, and the Teatro Verdi di Busseto.

In 2003, she performed the role of the innkeeper in Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari's opera "Il campiello" at the Rome Opera House alongside Placido Domingo. In the same year, she also participated alongside Domingo in the "Music for Hope" concert at the Teatro delle Muse in Ancona.

In 2004, she took part in two major productions: Gounod's "Faust" at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples in the role of Martha alongside Marcelo Álvarez and Ruggero Raimondi; and Nino Rota's "Il cappello di paglia di Firenze", staged by the Teatro Regio di Torino and directed by Pier Luigi Pizzi, in the role of the Modiste.

She has also participated in numerous concerts within the framework of the Belliniani Festival in Catania, and in 2015 she participated in the Grand Lyric Gala at the Ancient Theatre of Taormina under the artistic direction of Maestro Enrico Stinchelli.

In August 2017, she performed the title role in Verdi's opera "Aida" at the Ancient Theatre of Taormina, receiving enthusiastic reviews from the audience and critics alike. In October of the same year, she performed the role of Aida again in Spain as part of Opera Fuerteventura.

In May 2018, she sang Mimi in Puccini's "La bohème" at the Teatro Garibaldi di Modica.

In September 2018, she was invited to perform in a series of concerts in Curitiba and Florianópolis, Brazil. In the same month, she performed the part of Santuzza in "Cavalleria Rusticana" at the Verghiane Festival in Vizzini alongside tenor Angelo Villari, baritone Carmelo Corrado Caruso, and actor Bruno Torrisi.

She also took part in a new project by choreographer Roberto Zappalà with the Zappalà Danza company entitled "Liederdue", in which she performed six songs by Schubert alongside pianist Luca Ballerini.

In 2019, she participated in another Zappalà Danza production, "La Nona" (Beethoven's 9th Symphony arranged for two pianos by F. Liszt), at the Elfo Puccini Theatre in Milan, and in September 2021 she returned there to participate in another Zappalà production, "Naufragio con spettatore", which opened the MilanoOltre International Dance Festival.

In July 2021, she performed at the Teatro Brancaccio in Rome in "La Nona" with Zappalà Danza and pianists Luca Ballerini and Stefania Cafaro.

In August 2021, she appeared at the Teatro della Marinella in Palermo with the project "Vissi d'arte, vissi d'amore", a journey through Puccini's world, alongside Bruno Torrisi and Angelo Villari. In the same month, she once again performed Santuzza at the Teatro Garibaldi di Modica in "Cavalleria Rusticana tra musica e parole" by G. Verga and P. Mascagni.

Marianna has performed in Zappalà Danza's "La Nona" for the Fondazione Teatro Due di Parma and at the Nervi Ballet Festival / Fondazione Teatro Carlo Felice di Genova, and has also participated in the Recital Lyrique International for Le lyrique de Cambes in collaboration with Camblanes-et-Meynac.

Most recently, she participated in the Belliniana festival with the project "Vissi d'arte, vissi d'amore", staged at the Teatro Sangiorgi in Catania.

Elena Eduardovna Yaskunkova is an Honored Artist of Russia, Laureate of international competitions, artist of the Saint Petersburg Academic Capella, associate professor at the Department of Academic Choir of SPbGIK, and a top-category teacher at the M.I. Glinka Children's School of Arts.

In 1981, she graduated from the theoretical department of the Vologda Music College, and in 1987 from the vocal department of the N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov Leningrad State Conservatory with honors (Solo Singing class under People's Artist of Russia V.V. Maksimova, Chamber Singing class under Honored Artist of Russia B.I. Vasilyev, Opera Class under Professor M.L. Heifetz). On the stage of the Conservatory Opera Studio, she performed the part of Amina in Verdi's opera "La traviata" and the part of Rosina in Rossini's opera "The Barber of Seville".

From 1987 to the present day, she has been an artist of the Saint Petersburg Academic Capella.

During her work at the Academic Capella, she performed soprano parts in the following works:

Magnificat: A. Vivaldi, T. Albinoni, J.S. Bach. Masses: F. Joseph Haydn, G. Paisiello, W.A. Mozart, L.V. Beethoven, F. Schubert, L. Delibes, Y. Falik. Requiems: W.A. Mozart, G. Verdi. "Stabat Mater": G. Pergolesi, L. Boccherini, A. Dvořák, "The Bells" by S.V. Rachmaninoff, "Les noces" by I.F. Stravinsky. Leading roles in concert performances of operas: Belinda in Purcell's "Dido and Aeneas", the Snow Maiden in Rimsky-Korsakov's "The Snow Maiden", Zemfira in Rachmaninoff's "Aleko", Virineya in S.M. Slonimsky's "Virineya". Soprano solo in choral works by D. Bortniansky, A. Vedel, P. Chesnokov, S.V. Rachmaninoff, G. Sviridov, V. Gavrilin, etc.

The singer has performed a huge number of chamber music concerts and organ concerts in Russia, Malta, China, Serbia, Slovenia, France, and the Netherlands. She has collaborated with conductors: V. Chernushenko, A. Chernushenko, N. Alekseev, E. Kolobov, V. Begletsov, V. Nesterov, Alain Paris.

In 2002, she was awarded the title of Honored Artist of Russia. Since 2004, she has been a teacher of the disciplines "Vocal Training", "Solo Singing", and "Chamber Singing" at the Department of Academic Choir of the Saint Petersburg State Institute of Culture. Since 2016, she has been a top-category vocal teacher at the M.I. Glinka Children's School of Arts. In 2022, she was awarded the academic title of associate professor. Permanent member of the jury of International and All-Russian competitions.

Nikita Alexandrovich Lyutikov is a laureate of international competitions, including the International Competition "Art of the 21st Century" (Kiev–Vorszel, 2003, Grand Prix), Moscow Open Competition of Young Clarinetists and Wind Ensembles (2005, Grand Prix), E.A. Mravinsky International Youth Competition (Saint Petersburg, 2006, 1st Prize and the "Intonation" prize of the Saint Petersburg House of Music), International Wind Instruments Competition (Long Island, New York, 2007, 1st Prize), Russian-German Competition of Woodwind Performers of the Gartow Charitable Foundation (2011, 2nd Prize), International Clarinet Competition in Ghent (Belgium, 2015, 2nd Prize). Winner of the special "Verdiana Prize" for the best performance of the mandatory piece "Verdiana" by Alexey Shor at the "Winds Classic International Festival" (Cologne–Bonn, Germany, 2016).

Since 2014, he has been a soloist of the Honored Ensemble of Russia, the Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Saint Petersburg Academic Philharmonic named after D.D. Shostakovich.

He has worked with conductors such as Leo Krämer, Dimitris Botinis, Alexander Chernushenko, Maxim Alekseev, Alexey Vasiliev, Alexander Slutsky, Alexander Titov, Grigory Uglov, Anatoly Rybalko, Arkady Steinluht, Alim Shakhametiev, Vasily Sinaisky, Maxim Fedotov, Kenneth Young.

He performed as part of the Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Yuri Temirkanov within the framework of the international festival "Arts Square". He has participated in festivals of the "Musical Olympus" Foundation, Vladimir Spivakov Foundation, and has also performed as a soloist at Carnegie Hall (New York). He has toured with solo concerts in Switzerland, Germany, Japan, Italy, Spain, and the USA.

Participant in the programs of the Saint Petersburg House of Music since 2008.

Since 2022, he has been a senior lecturer at the Saint Petersburg Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory and the Special Music School of the Saint Petersburg Conservatory.

Vadim Yakovlevich Pavlov studied from the age of six at the Music School-Ten-Year School at the Conservatory, which he graduated from in 1978 in the class of Prof. Z. Fishman. Then he entered the N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov State Conservatory, graduating in 1983 with honors in the class of Prof. S. Roldugin. From the early years of his career, he was regularly invited to participate in festivals dedicated to D. Shostakovich, A. Schnittke, P. Casals and other events organized by the Union of Composers and the Leningrad Philharmonic. In 1986, he recorded J.S. Bach's Suites in the original edition for the Glinka Central Museum of Musical Culture. The famous musicologist B.V. Dobrohotov was captivated by the cellist's playing and, as a sign of respect for his musical talent, presented him with a Brescian school cello from the early 18th century. In 1987, Vadim Pavlov was an assistant (at the Gnesin Music and Pedagogical Institute in Moscow) to Prof. V. Berlinsky, founder of the Borodin Quartet and chairman of the Artistic Council of the Moscow Philharmonic. Vadim Pavlov founded the chamber ensemble "Anton Quartet", a string quartet with which he won the International Competition "Prague Spring" (1988) and toured in Russia and abroad. In 1989, Vadim Pavlov, at the invitation of the outstanding Russian composer, Honored Artist of Russia, head of the Krasnodar Regional Branch of the Union of Composers of Russia V.V. Magalitsa, became a soloist of the Krasnodar Regional Philharmonic. Since 1990, the cellist has lived and worked in Italy.

Immediately noticed by the major musical organizations of this country, he made a name for himself as a remarkable cellist and organizer with chamber concerts in the best halls of Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Switzerland and other European countries, as well as the USA and Japan. Vadim Pavlov regularly participates in international chamber music festivals "Die Schubertiaden" (Germany), "Suoni delle Dolomiti", "Le Belliniadi", "Notturni Classici in Corte" (Italy), etc. Over the years, he has founded ensembles such as "Quartetto d'archi Ars Nova", "Trio Siciliano", "European Piano Quartet", "Quartetto d'archi Vincenzo Bellini di Catania" and others, as well as, as artistic director and conductor, the orchestra "Violoncelli del Teatro Bellini", with which he has repeatedly toured in Europe and Japan.

As a soloist, Vadim Pavlov has performed with orchestras such as the Sicilian Symphony Orchestra, the Teatro Massimo Bellini Orchestra, "Filarmonica Franco Ferrara", "Filarmonica Nissena", "A.S. Classic", the Enna Chamber Orchestra, the Chelyabinsk Chamber Orchestra, etc. He has collaborated with conductors – G. Kuhn, Shu Chong, D. Rorio, Z. Stir, Z. Freshis, N. Manuli, A. Veronesi, A. Galea Cavallacci, L. Sferrazza, etc., pianists – A. Ugorski, S. Fiozzi, F. Nicolosi, N. Didenko, V. Voskoboinikov, A. Ferraris, L. Ballerini, A. Zenciper, violinists – D. Berlinsky, I. Konovalov, C. Sivkovic, L. Klychkov, A. Unger, V. Imperato, M. Taube, violists – B. Boano, A. Dogadin, V. Bukach, cellists – B. Pergamenschikow, A. Rudin, L. Gorokhov, etc.

He is a laureate, both as a cellist and as a conductor, of the All-Union "4 Strings" (Togliatti, 2022) and numerous international competitions, including competitions in Modica ("Città di Modica" 1995, Grand Prix), Catania ("Magma" 2003, Grand Prix), King's Peak International Music Competition (USA, 2021, 1st Prize), Prague ("Prague Spring" 1988, 2nd Prize and special prize), Tortona ("Città di Tortona" 1993, 3rd Prize), Perugia ("Perugia Classico" 1997, 3rd Prize), etc.

In 1994, he was awarded the title of Professor of the International Federation of Music Schools in Geneva and was elected Knight of the International Order of Musical Sciences in Geneva (Switzerland).

Vadim Pavlov is constantly invited to conduct master classes in Russia (Khabarovsk, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk), Italy (Sicily, Calabria, Piedmont) and other European countries. Maestro Pavlov is a member of the jury of European and international musician-performer competitions. His playing has been reviewed by musicians such as Z. Mehta, M. Shostakovich, R. Barshai, A. Vakulovsky, D. Nazaret, B. Agrea, P. Strauss, R. Tureck, M. Murvitz and many others.

Having gained recognition, Vadim Pavlov was invited over the years as principal cello in the Saint Petersburg Music Chamber Theatre, Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana (Palermo), Orchestra del Teatro Maggio Musicale Fiorentino and Orchestra Regionale Toscana (Florence), Filarmonica del Teatro Massimo Bellini, Philharmonic Orchestra of A Coruña (Spain), Centurion Orchestra (Osaka), etc.

Among the various compact discs recorded by the cellist, one can point out CDs released by "Pentagramma" and "VideoRadio Nuova Carisch", awarded the "Quattro stelle" rating in the magazine "Amadeus". Recently, his new CD was released – 12 Caprices by A. Piazzza and Sonata-Fantasia by A. Khachaturian, released by Hungaroton (Hungary), representing a rare recording.

Since 1999, he has been a permanent soloist of the orchestra of the Teatro Massimo Bellini in Catania.

Since 2004, he held positions as professor at the Higher Music Institute "V. Bellini" in Caltanissetta, professor at the State Conservatory "F. Cilea" in Reggio Calabria, professor at the Volgograd Institute of Arts and Culture (VGIIC) (in distance learning format). Students of the cello and chamber ensemble class of Prof. V.Ya. Pavlov have repeatedly been awarded prizes at international and national competitions in Italy and Russia.

Since 2023, Maestro Pavlov has been the conductor of the Tsarskoye Selo Chamber Orchestra, Pushkin.

He is the Artistic Director of the International Chamber Music Festivals "Le Belliniadi" and "Notturni Classici di Corte" in Catania, as well as the Summer International Music Academy "Suoni delle Dolomiti" in Petralia Sottana. Official website: https://accademiarchipetralia.jimdofree.com/

In 2003, for his artistic merits, the Pro Canale – Onlus Foundation in Milan entrusted Vadim Pavlov with the David Tecchler cello of 1700 for perpetual use.

In 2014, Maestro Vadim Pavlov became a laureate of the prestigious International Award "Domenico Danzuso" for artistic merits and contribution to the culture of Italy.

Alexander Vasilyevich Makarov is an Honored Artist of Russia, Laureate of the All-Russian Competition, professor. He is a graduate of the M.I. Glinka Minsk Music College (class of L.F. Bulygo) and the N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov Leningrad State Conservatory (class of Prof. I.I. Shitenkov).

His victory at the 2nd All-Russian Competition of Folk Instruments Performers (St. Petersburg, 1979), where Alexander Makarov was awarded the title of Laureate (2nd prize), opened new creative paths for the musician. From this moment on, the young artist's active concert activity began. Numerous performances at prestigious city venues, recordings on radio and television, and the first tours across cities in Russia and Belarus followed. During this period, A.V. Makarov closely collaborated with the V.V. Andreev Russian Folk Instruments Orchestra of the Leningrad Radio Committee and the Leningrad Chamber Orchestra of "Early and Modern Music". Together with these ensembles, between 1980 and 1986, under the baton of remarkable conductors: V. Popov, E. Serov, R. Martynov, N. Kalinin, V. Gamaley, A. Sitnikov, P. Bubelnikov, Makarov created numerous archival recordings of music for solo domra with orchestra, including concertos by N. Budashkin, B. Kravchenko, G. Gausman, I. Rogalev, A. Tikhomirov; works by S. Slonimsky, A. Tsygankov, A. Lyadyev, N. Rimsky-Korsakov. Three discs have been released by the "Melodiya" firm. From 1988 to 1990, A. Makarov was a member of the Russian folk instruments ensemble "Balalaika", which included leading artists of the V.V. Andreev Orchestra. Over its four-year existence, the ensemble toured Germany, France, Poland, Brazil, and Great Britain.

In 1998, Alexander Makarov was awarded the honorary title of "Honored Artist of Russia". His pedagogical career at the Department of Folk Instruments of the St. Petersburg State Conservatory named after N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov began in 1985. For almost 30 years, the musician has shared his mastery with students and colleagues while continuing to actively concertize both in Russia and abroad. Audiences in Baltimore, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Würzburg, Freiburg, Hamburg, Wrocław, Hiroshima, and many other countries have heard and fallen in love with the sound of the Russian domra thanks to Alexander Makarov's talent. The musician has traveled half the world, with tours in the USA (1994, 1999), Japan (2001, 2002, 2005), Germany (1989, 1996, 1997), Finland (1998), Poland (1995, 1996, 2001), South Korea (2003, 2008, 2013), Denmark (1995, 2000, 2001), Scotland (1993), and other countries.

He has given solo concerts at festivals such as "Ohrid Summer", "Skopje Summer" (Macedonia, 2002), "Seoul City Festival at Noam 2006" (South Korea), the 12th International Arts Festival (Sofia, 2007), and the 43rd International Chamber Music Festival (Plovdiv, 2007). Alexander Makarov is a participant in many international music festivals: Linköping (Sweden, 1996, 1997), "Musical Spring" (St. Petersburg) repeatedly, "Easter Festival" (St. Petersburg, 1995, 1996), Harbin (China, 2004), "Gavrilin Festival" (St. Petersburg, 2004), "Names of Petersburg" S. Slonimsky (St. Petersburg, 2006), "Constellation of Masters" (Moscow, 2008). In 2013, Alexander Makarov was invited to South Korea to the Seoul International Digital Forum as a participant in the concert program. This annual international conference gathers a large number of influential people from around the world in industry, economics, politics, and science to explore the progress of the digital revolution and cooperation in shaping the future of all humanity.

Graduated from the St. Petersburg Mussorgsky Music College in 2003 and the Leningrad State University named after A.S. Pushkin in 2010 with qualifications as an orchestra artist, instrument teacher, and accompanist.

She has been working at the Vsevolozhsk Children's School of Arts named after M.I. Glinka since January 3, 2001, as agusli teacher, holding the highest qualification category. Since 2013, she has been the head of the Russian folk instruments department.

V.V. Biryukova has been a teacher at the "Teremok" creative school (Terem Quartet) for many years.

Based on her gusli class, several creative projects are implemented aimed at popularizing folk performance among various segments of the population and fostering interest among the younger generation in gusli performance and native culture: "In a Certain Tsardom" — a program aimed at preschool children; "Gusli – History and Modernity" — lecture-concerts aimed at a wide circle of listeners, including stories about the origin and development of gusli performance with live musical illustrations by young performers; "Gusli Art Workshop" — creative meetings with students from other art schools to exchange experiences, build friendly and creative ties, and involve them in the life of the class.

Since 2021, V.V. Biryukova has also regularly given master classes within the framework of the "Teremok" International Creative School and speaks as a presenter at various forums and master classes.

V.V. Biryukova is the head of the "Russian Fairy Tale" gusli ensemble, founded at the school in 2013, which successfully represents the school at events of various levels and is a laureate of district, regional, all-Russian, and international competitions.

V.V. Biryukova is the winner of the regional stage of the "Best DSHI Teacher" (2021), Laureate of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation Award for the best teachers of additional education institutions for children with special names ("children's art school", "children's music school", "children's choral school") for achievements in pedagogical activity in additional pre-professional programs in the field of musical art (2022).

Olga Vladimirovna Shaikhudinova was born in Leningrad into a family of musicians. She graduated from the Ten-Year School at the Saint Petersburg State Conservatory (class of V.V. Suslov and T.V. Granquist). She is a graduate of the Saint Petersburg State Conservatory (class of Professor O. Malov, G. Seleznev, and Professor E. Nuridjanian). She is a Grand Prix winner and Laureate of International and All-Russian competitions, both as a solo pianist and as a pianist in chamber ensembles, and has also repeatedly been awarded diplomas as the best accompanist in competitions. From 1997 to 2004, she worked as an accompanist for the Mariinsky Theatre opera troupe. She has collaborated with vocalists such as Placido Domingo, Thomas Hampson, Sergei Murzaev, Ildar Abdrazakov, Galina Gorchakova, Anna Netrebko, and others. She has participated in master classes by Galina Vishnevskaya, Tamara Sinyavskaya, Elena Obraztsova, Alexandrina Milcheva, Matti Palm, Viktor Chernomortsev, and others.

From 1999 to 2004, she was a soloist with the Mariinsky Theatre Youth Orchestra. Since 2004, she has been a soloist with the Mariinsky Theatre Grand Symphony Orchestra – artistic director and chief conductor Valery Gergiev. She has worked with directors such as Marta Domingo, Andrei Konchalovsky, Timur Chkheidze, David Freeman, Arnaud Bernard, David McVicar, Walter Le Moli, Elijah Moshinsky, and others. As a principal accompanist, she participated in the preparation and staging of operas "Motya and Savely - Mozart and Salieri", "Tsar Nikita and His 40 Daughters" by composer Alexander Tchaikovsky, in collaboration with the "Terem Quartet", "Procession to Execution" by M. Goldman, "Amphitryon" by O. Vecchi, "Alcides" by A. Bortniansky, "The Barber di Seville", "Andrea Chénier", "Jalil", "Pagliacci", "Cavalleria Rusticana", "Samson and Delilah". She performs solo parts in opera and ballet performances and symphonic works on the celesta, piano, organ, harpsichord, harmonium, keyboard bells, and other keyboard instruments. Together with the Mariinsky Theatre Stradivari Ensemble, under the direction of Lorenz Nasturica-Herschovici, she participated in the performance of Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" in Saint Petersburg and across Russian cities within the framework of the "Moscow Easter Festival". She is the premiere performer of Sofia Gubaidulina's oratorio "St. John Passion and Easter", Alexander Smelkov's opera "The Brothers Karamazov", Sergei Slonimsky's ballet "The Magical Nut" ("Princess Pirlipat"), "Symphonic Diptych", Rodion Shchedrin's operas "The Enchanted Wanderer", "Left-Hander", and "Christmas Tale", Moisei Karetnikov's "Mystery of the Apostle Paul" (piano), Marcelo Gomes's ballet for solo piano "Tous les jours", Max Richter's "Infra". In 2005, she was invited to the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm as a coach for the production of Tchaikovsky's opera "The Queen of Spades". She participated in the filming of documentaries about the work of Sergei Slonimsky and Gennady Selyutsky. Since 2022, together with harpist Sofia Kiprskaya, she has been the organizer of the project "Musical Dynasties of the Mariinsky Theatre".

As part of the Mariinsky Theatre orchestra, she has participated in tour and festival cycles across numerous cities and countries in Russia, Europe, China, Japan, Mexico, Israel, UAE, Australia, and the USA. She has worked with conductors such as Valery Gergiev, Justus Franz, Gianandrea Noseda, Yuri Bashmet, Christoph Eschenbach, Mariss Jansons, Maxim Shostakovich, Christian Knapp, Zubin Mehta, Ernst Van Till, Alexander Rahbari, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Paavo Järvi, and many others.

Since 2008, she has been the artistic director and jury member of the Sergei Rachmaninoff International Music Competition; since 2010, artistic director and jury member of the Fryderyk Chopin International Competition. In 2012, she was invited to the jury of the E. Mravinsky Young Musicians Competition. Since 2013, she has been an organizer and jury member, and since 2019, honorary chairman of the commission of the annual World Music Art International Music Competition in Helsinki (Finland). Since 2026, she has been invited as a jury member for the Virtuozo competition. She performs in charity concerts at concert venues across Russia.

In 2012, she was awarded an honorary diploma for high achievements in the field of culture of Saint Petersburg. In 2013, she was awarded a special prize for the best work as a performing arts organizer and received a diploma for the high artistic significance of the musician's activity (Rome, Italy).

Angelo Valastro received his education in bassoon at the Vincenzo Bellini Conservatory in Palermo and in trumpet at the Vincenzo Bellini Conservatory in Catania.

He then perfected his skills under the guidance of Evandro Dal Oca and participated in Orchestral Advanced Training Courses in Lanciano conducted by Alfio Poledgi and Santi Romano.

In 1989, he won the competition for primo Fagotto at EAR Teatro Massimo Bellini di Catania, a position he held until 2023.

He has conducted concert activities with soloists of the Teatro Massimo Bellini in Catania with the Belliniano Wind Quintet and the Belliniano Ensemble, a formation with which he has given solo concerts for major theaters and musical associations in Italy, Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, Japan, Indonesia, Lithuania, Norway, Spain, Sweden, USA, and Turkey.

He was invited to participate in productions with the orchestra and philharmonic of La Scala di Milano under the direction of Daniele Gatti and Daniel Barenboim.

Until 2022, he taught bassoon at the Vincenzo Bellini Conservatory in Caltanissetta.

Vladimir Valeryevich Bystritsky is a member of the Russian Musical Union, a member of the All-Russian Federation of Arts, a laureate of international competitions, a member of the Neva String Quartet, and deputy director of the S.V. Rachmaninoff Children's School of Arts. He is a member of the expert group of the City Methodological Association of String Orchestra Teachers of the St. Petersburg RMC for Education Development in Culture and Art; 2006–2023 – associate professor at SPbGIK; the first performer of several dozen compositions by members of the Union of Composers of Saint Petersburg, as well as foreign authors.

Gioacchino Pantò graduated in violin in 1992 at the Vincenzo Bellini Musical Institute in Catania. He brilliantly completed his education and demonstrated a refined talent from a young age. A student of Maestro R. Zanettovich (Trieste Trio) at the School of Music in Fiesole, he perfected his skills under artists such as S. Girshenko, M. Frinchenlager, and A. Vismara.

Passionate about chamber music, he attended P.N. Masi's classes at the Imola Piano Academy and K. De Bussy, and subsequently actively performed in chamber ensembles: trios (Offerta Musicale Ensemble, cello, clarinet, and piano), string quartet (Quartetto Viotti), piano quintet, and other chamber formations.

As part of this activity, he won several competitions and participated in major festivals. With the Viotti Quartet, he toured Italy, Belgium, Germany, and Austria. He has a notable solo career to his credit. Currently, he is a violin teacher at the "V. Bellini" Conservatory in Catania.

Giuseppe Infarinato holds degrees in piano and composition, and has also studied with Teresa Procaccini in Rome, Boris Petrushansky in Imola, and Roberto Negri in Genoa. He has worked as an accompanist and assistant to Gustav Kuhn at the Erl Tirol Festival, as well as at the Montegral Academy in Lucca. In addition, he has collaborated with Claudio Desderi and Tito Ceccherini.

He has also collaborated with Franco Battiato and many theaters, among which are "Stabile del Veneto", "Stabile di Catania", and the Roman theater "Eliseo". Currently, he regularly performs with the quintet of the Teatro Massimo Bellini in Catania.

He has over 400 concerts to his credit in major Italian theaters (Politeama Rossetti in Trieste, Massimo Bellini in Catania, courts of Genoa, Argentina, and Eliseo in Rome, Verdi in Padua, Biondo in Palermo, Goldoni in Venice, Comunale di Treviso, Bellini in Naples, Comunale di Vicenza, Arena di Verona, Morlacchi in Perugia, Alfieri in Cagliari, Comunale di Bolzano, etc.).

He has collaborated with composers such as Marco Betta, Germano Mazzocchetti, Antonio Di Pofi, and Lucio Gregoretti, performing their works in premiere concerts. Currently, he teaches theory, rhythmics, music perception, and semiotics of modern music at the Alessandro Scarlatti Conservatory in Palermo.

Raffaella Cardaropoli was passionate about playing the cello from an early age and already at 14 received a diploma from the "Giuseppe Martucci" Conservatory in Salerno under the guidance of Liberato Santarpino. She continued her studies with Giovanni Sollima at the National Academy of Santa Cecilia in Rome and with Natalia Gutman in Fiesole at the School of Music.

In 2019, she received a Master's degree in musical performance from the Hochschule der Künste Bern in Antonio Meneses's class, and in 2021 she received an Artist Diploma from the Barenboim-Said Academy in Berlin, perfecting her skills with Frans Helmerson.

Winner of numerous national and international competitions, including the Antonio Janigro Cello Competition in Poreč, the Abbado Prize, the Giorgetti scholarship from Milan's La Scala Theatre, the eMuse Competition in Athens, the Stockholm International Music Competition, the New York International Strings Competition, and the Grand Prix of the London Virtuoso Music Competition. In 2020, she was also awarded an honorable mention at the Pablo Casals Competition.

During her concert career, she has performed as a soloist and chamber musician in prestigious halls and international institutions, including Carnegie Hall in New York, the Pierre Boulez Saal in Berlin, the George Enescu Philharmonic Hall in Bucharest, the Royal Albert Hall in London, the San Carlo Theatre in Naples, the Politeama Theatre in Palermo, the Sala dei Giganti in Padua, the Piatti Hall in Bergamo, and the Shigeru Kawai Center in Madrid. In the 2019/2020 season, she was a guest artist at Milan's Società dei Concerti. Since 2021, she has regularly performed at the Pierre Boulez Saal in Berlin as a graduate of the Barenboim-Said Academy, participating in projects where her partners included Sir Antonio Pappano and Michael Wendeberg, among others.

As a soloist, she has performed with numerous orchestral groups, including the Arezzo Symphony Orchestra, the Neapolitan Orchestra "Nuova Scarlatti", the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the Abruzzo Symphony Orchestra, the Petruzzelli Theatre Orchestra in Bari, and the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Verdi Theatre in Salerno, where she played under the direction of Daniel Oren. In 2016, she performed as a soloist with the JuniOrchestra of the National Academy of Santa Cecilia at the Chamber of Deputies, in a concert broadcast on Rai 2. In the same year, the musician was awarded the medal of the Chamber of Deputies in recognition of her creative path, and in 2019 she participated in the multidisciplinary project "Moving Lights" at the Hanover State Opera.

In addition, she has performed as principal cellist with various orchestras, including the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Giuseppe Verdi Theatre in Salerno and the Orchestra of the Carlo Felice Theatre in Genoa.

During her studies, she participated in master classes and musical meetings with prominent figures such as Rocco Filippini, Natalia Gutman, Michael Flaksman, Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt, Frans Helmerson, Daniel Barenboim, and Sir András Schiff. In 2018, she was selected as an active participant in cello master classes at the Kronberg Academy.

Alongside her concert activity, she is actively engaged in teaching. Since 2022, she has been teaching cello at the "Domenico Cimarosa" Conservatory in Avellino, combining pedagogy with concert, chamber, and performance mastery. Raffaella Cardaropoli plays a Gaetano Antoniazzi cello from 1864, provided to her by the Milanese Pro Canale Foundation.

Alexander Vladimirovich Ziva graduated in 2011 from the Special Music School of the Saint Petersburg State Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory in bassoon (class of Professor K.B. Sokolov).

Even while studying at the Conservatory, from 2014 to 2016, he studied in the Master of Musical Performance program of the orchestral department of the Department of Music and Dance at the University of Stavanger, Norway, in D. Arseniev's class.

In 2019, he graduated from the Master of Musical Performance Art program of the Norwegian Academy of Music, Oslo, Norway, in the class of Professor Dag Jensen.

In 2019, he entered the Advanced Performance Mastery program at the University of Music Mannheim, Germany, in the class of Professor Ole Kristian Dahl.

Since 2019, he has been the Principal Bassoon of the Honored Ensemble of Russia, the Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Saint Petersburg Shostakovich Philharmonic.

Since 2022, he has been a teacher at the Mussorgsky Music College in Saint Petersburg, and since 2023, at the Glinka Children's School of Arts in Saint Petersburg.

Laureate of international competitions, he conducts active solo activities, performs in ensembles, and gives master classes.

Ivan Gennadievich Alexandrov is a pianist, composer, laureate of international and all-Russian competitions. He is a member of the board of the Union of Composers of Saint Petersburg and the Interregional Union of Concert Figures. Associate Professor at the Saint Petersburg State Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory.

Born on January 22, 1987, in the settlement of Mikhailovka, Zheleznogorsk District, Kursk Region. Graduate of the Orel Music College in piano (class of Honored Teacher of Russia T.N. Perelygina) and in academic singing (class of G.N. Znamenskaya).

In 2011, he graduated from the Saint Petersburg Conservatory in piano in the class of Professor, People's Artist of Russia E.A. Murina and in composition in the class of Professor, People's Artist of Russia S.M. Slonimsky. In 2011–2014, he continued his postgraduate studies at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory (class of Professor E.A. Murina).

From 2010 to 2019, he was a soloist with the State Philharmonic of Saint Petersburg for Children and Youth. From 2014 to 2020, he was an accompanist at the Department of Musical Theatre Directing of the Saint Petersburg Conservatory (class of Professor, People's Artist of Russia S.L. Gudasinsky). From 2017 to 2021, he was a soloist with the Saint Petersburg State Academic Symphony Orchestra.

In 2017–2019, he taught an elective composition course at the Special Music School of the St. Petersburg Conservatory. Since 2019, he has been a teacher at the Special Piano Department of the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, and since 2024, an associate professor.

Ivan Alexandrov pays great attention to chamber music and working with singers. Among his permanent creative partners are violinists M. Gintz and C. Osmanov, cellist A. Ivanov, opera singers V. Baykov, P. Kurennaya, D. Rositskaya, D. Sedov, M. Gavrilov.

The pianist has participated in concerts and master classes in many cities in Russia, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Latvia, China, South Korea, Singapore, Japan, and other countries. He has collaborated with orchestras under the direction of A. Anikhanov, Y. Bashmet, S. Kochanovsky, A. Rybalko, L. Segerstam, E. Serov, M. Tatarnikov, A. Titov, Z. Khakhanazarov, and others.

His extensive repertoire features a special place for music by Leningrad composers of the 20th century, including B. Arapov, V. Veselov, M. Gnesin, B. Goltz, Y. Kochurov, P. Ryazanov, V. Salmanov, S. Slonimsky, V. Shcherbachov, and many others. Ivan Alexandrov is conducting extensive work on collecting information and performing music by composers of besieged Leningrad. Currently, a "Biographical Reference Book" and a multi-volume "Anthology of Vocal and Piano Music by Composers of the Besieged Period" are being prepared for publication.

World premieres of Sergei Prokofiev's early fugues, Georgy Sviridov's Four Preludes, Vladimir Shcherbachov's First Sonata, and many works by Sergei Slonimsky and other composers have been performed by the pianist.

In 2025, Ivan Alexandrov reconstructed from drafts and partially orchestrated Georgy Sviridov's Symphony for Strings and Percussion (1940, 1980–1990). The world premiere of the composition took place on September 30 at the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall of the Moscow Philharmonic performed by the "New Russia" orchestra under the direction of Yuri Bashmet. The score was published with the support of the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives by the publishing house LLC "Pancher" in 2025.

He is the author of symphonic, chamber, and vocal compositions successfully performed in Russia and abroad.