Faculty

Norma Fisher

UK

July 30th - August 7th

Norma Fisher is recognised internationally as one of Britain’s leading pianists and teachers. She has played with many of the great orchestras of the world under leading conductors and with Europe’s finest chamber-musicians.

A protégé of the eminent Greek pianist Gina Bachauer and pupil of Ilona Kabos; at the age of 21 she was a top prize winner in the Busoni International Piano Competition and the same year shared the Piano Prize of the Harriet Cohen International Music Awards with Vladimir Ashkenazy.

Her reputation as a teacher is widely established and many of her
top- prize winning students are well known on the international concert circuit. She is a Professor of Piano at the Royal College of Music, a Fellow of the Royal Northern College of Music and is invited to give master classes across the globe. She is also much in demand as a Jury member of many major international piano competitions.

She is the Artistic Director of London Master Classes whose acclaimed courses attract major international talent to work intensively with top performers/teachers in London.

Massimiliano Ferrati

Italy

July 30th - August 7th

Professor of Piano at the Conservatory "Agostino Steffani" in Castelfranco Veneto and Intenational Keyboard Institute & Festival in New York. Master classes at the  Tchaikovsky National Music Academy in Kiev, Accademia Clivis in Rome, Accademia Musicale Pescarese, Cittadella International Music Festival & Masterclass, Villa Chiericati Showa Foundation University of Tokyo, Tbilisi Piano Fest, Wuyishan International Piano Festival (China).

Appeared as soloist with the Israel Philharmonic, Calgary Philharmonic, Gli Archi della Scala di Milano, Moscow Symphony, Roma Sinfonietta, among other orchestras. Was heard in recital on prestigious stages in Europe, America, Asia and Africa. Recorded and was broadcast by TVP (Telewizja Polska S. A.), CBC Radio & Television, Canada, RTÉ (Radio Telefís Éireann), Bayerischer Rundfunk, Munich, Radio Allegro, Johannesburg, Israel Radio Voice of Music, BBC Radio, RAI, Radio, Ljubljana, Radio Classica, Radio Vaticana, Radio Nacional Clasica, Argentina. Recorded for RS, Velut Luna (Mozart Piano Sonatas) and Brilliant Classics (Respighi Violin Sonatas and Martucci Complete Music for Cello and Piano). In 2020-21 two more CDs with Prokofiev Piano Music and Violin & Piano Sonatas will be released by Brilliant Classics. Among the piano competitions he earned prizes from – Arthur Rubinstein in Tel Aviv, Dublin, Honens, Busoni, Alessandro Casagrande, Rina Sala Gallo, UNISA in Pretoria.

Studied with Mila Zamparo, Kostantin Bogino, Paul Badura-Skoda (at Accademia Chigiana in Siena) and Sergio Perticaroli (Mozarteum in Salzburg and "Santa Cecilia" Academy in Rome, where received the first-class honors diploma). Masterclasses with Fausto Zadra, Bruno Rigutto, Vladimir Ogarkov, Svetlana Bogino, Dina Joffe.

Alexander Mndoyants

Russia

July 30th - August 7th

Professor at the Tchaikovsky State Conservatory and Central Music School, Moscow. Prizewinner, Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, 1978. Performs extensively in Russia and abroad - as soloist with orchestras, recitalist and in chamber ensembles. His professional mastery, pianistic skills and sense of ensemble have been befittingly appraised by such well-known conductors as V. Gergiev V. Jordaniya, D. Kakhidze, F. Mansurov. Recorded several discs. Taught master classes in France, Brazil, Japan, Taiwan, Finland, Israel and Portugal. Among his pupils are over 30 laureates of different international and national competitions. He repeatedly was jury member and chairman of various international and national competitions. He cooperates with publishing house "Muzika” as an editor. Born in Erevan; graduated from Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, where studied with Bella Davidovich; postgraduate work at the Gnessin Institute under Alexander Yokheles. 

Yossi Reshef

Israel

July 30th - August 7th

Active as a pedagogue, concert pianist, and conductor. Presently maintains a sought after private  studio in Berlin where, besides working with his regular students, prepares visiting young pianists from around Europe and Asia for auditions and competitions.  Over the past two decades, has given numerous master classes – at the Gnessin Academy in Moscow, the Lodz Academy in Poland, Academies of Zagreb and Baku, the leading higher education institutes in South Africa and Taiwan, as well as at many venues in the US. Was a faculty member at the Apple Hill Chamber Music Festival in New Hampshire and at the Upbeat Uzma Hvar summer festival in Croatia.
In 2017 established the Berlin International Piano Master Class, of which he is the teacher and artistic director.

A winner of many prizes and scholarships, his performances have been received with critical acclaim in USA, Britain, Denmark, Israel, Italy, Germany, Poland, Croatia, Spain, Bulgaria, Russia, South Africa, Azerbaijan,The Philippines, and Taiwan.
As a chamber musician has collaborated with such artists as cellist Nino Ruzevic, violinist Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider, violist Yuval Gotlibovich, cellist Jonathan Gotlibovich, violinist Dora Schwarzberg, the Serenata of Santa Fe wind players, and the Apple Hill chamber players.

Reshef holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Southern California, where he was the student and teaching assistant of Prof. Norman Krieger. Earlier studied in Israel with the legendary Prof. Pnina Salzman, and with Prof. Jonathan Zak at the Rubin Academy, Tel Aviv University. He started his studies with Martha Even Shushan in his hometown Holon, Israel.

Oxana Yablonskaya

Russia/USA/Israel

July 30th - August 7th

Professor of Piano, the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, Mme Yablonskaya formerly taught at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory and, after emigrating to the USA, at the Juilliard School in New York (for more than a quarter of a century). In addition, she has been guiding outstanding young artists in festivals and master-classes the world over.  Prize-winner at Vienna Beethoven Competition,  Rio de Janeiro Piano Competition, and the Long-Thibaud competition in Paris; in constant demand as a juror by world’s leading competitions – Leeds, Hamamatsu, Liszt Competition in the Netherlands, Prokofiev in St. Petersburg, Vladimir Horowitz in Kiev, and others.  Recipient of Grand Prix du Disque from the Liszt Society in Budapest for the recording of music by Liszt and Schubert-Liszt, her performances are featured on Melodiya, Connoisseur Society, Naxos, Bel Air, Pro Piano labels. Studied at the Moscow Central Music School with Annaida Sumbatian and at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory with Alexander Goldenweiser, Dmitri Bashkirov, and Tatiana Nikolaeva.

Denis Burstein

Russia

July 30th - August 7th

Professor of Piano, Russian Gnessin Academy of Music in Moscow; formerly guest professor, KBS Conservatory in Seoul, Korea.  Taught master classes throughout Russia and in USA (Florida International University); Kagnam University, Korea;  Malaga Conservatory, Spain; and Parma Conservatorio Arrigo Boito, Italy.  Participated in Kuhmo (Finland) and Davos (Switzerland) festivals.  His debut recital took place in the Rachmaninoff Hall of Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory. Recitals in Steinway Halls in Berlin, New York and London as well as in Italy (Verdi hall in Milano conservatory) and Japan follwed. As soloist with orchestras appeared, besides Russia, in US, Italy, Switzerland and Romania.

Born into family of musicians, Denis Burstein studied first with his father and then, at Moscow Gnessin Institute, with Professor Vladimir Tropp, graduating with the DMA degree. In 2004/5 worked with Prof. Bernd Goetzke at University of Music and Drama in Hanover, Germany.

Aviram Reichert

Israel/S. Korea

July 30th - August 17th

Professor of Piano, Seoul National University College of Music. Master-classes in Japan, Korea, South Africa, Israel, USA. 
Prizewinner in numerous international competitions, including Bronze medal at the 10th Van Cliburn Competition in Fort Worth. Performed with such conductors as Sergiu Commissiona, James Conlon, James De Priest, David Lockington, Leon Botstein, Emmanuel Krivine, Michele Carulli, among others. Was heard in recital throughout USA, Europe, Far East, South Africa, and Israel. Among festivals he took part in: the Ruhr, Epinal, Ravinia, Gilmore, Fontana, Tokyo. 
Was heard in chamber music with Anne Akiko Meyers, Yuri Gandelsman, Guy Braunstein, Dylana Jenson, Philippe Quindt, and others. Started his piano studies with Hadassah Ben Haim; later worked with Arie Vardi at Tel Aviv University Academy of Music. 

Emanuel Krasovsky

Israel

July 30th - August 17th

Professor of Piano, Buchmann-Mehta School of Music, Tel-Aviv University;  Barenboim-Said Academy, Berlin (2018-2020). Born in Lithuania; studied with Mindru Katz, Ilona Kabos, Guido Agosti, Aube Tzerko, and Ania Dorfmann. Doctor of Musical Arts degree, Juilliard School. Soloist with Israel Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein, Carlo Rizzi, Sidney Harth and others, as well as with other Israel’s orchestras. Recitals in USA, Europe, and Israel. Recorded on CD late piano sonatas by Schubert. Collaborated in concert with Isaac Stern, Natalia Gutman, Ileana Cotrubas, Vera Vaidman, among others. Taught master-classes at Juilliard, New York International Keyobard Festival, Paris Conservatory, London Royal Academy of Music, Royal College, and Guildhall School, Queen Sofia School in Madrid, Berlin Universität der Künste, Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, among many others. Jury member at international competitions: Arthur Rubinstein, Leeds, Dublin, Iturbi (Valencia), Honens, Horowitz (Kiev), Maj Lind (Helsinki), Konzerteum (Greece), Tbilisi, Bremen, Takamatsu, Canberra, Pinerolo, Sennigalia, Cincinnati, and others.

Matti Raekallio

Finland

August 9th - August 17th

Prof. Raekallio has had a 45-year career of faculty positions at several top schools in the world, including the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, the Hochschule in Hanover, Germany, and New York’s Juilliard School, in which he taught for 14 years. His students include several first-prize winners in major international competitions. He regularly serves as a juror in them, and gives master classes in the USA, Europe and Asia. In 2022 Mr. Raekallio retired from his faculty positions at Juilliard and at the Sibelius Academy and presently concentrates on free-lance work as a teacher, adjudicator, and pianist.  He has performed complete cycles of the piano sonatas by Beethoven, Scriabin, and Prokofiev, as well as altogether 62 piano concertos. Recorded about 20 CDs, including an acclaimed set with the complete Prokofiev Sonatas.
 

Studied first in his home country and then with Maria Curcio in London, with Dieter Weber at the Vienna Academy of Music, and at the Leningrad Conservatory in Russia. He earned his Doctorate at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki.

Jeffrey Swann

USA

August 8th - August 17th

Professor of Piano at New York University and Distinguished Artist-in-Residence at Northern Arizona University, he is the winner of the first prize in the Dino Ciani Competition, sponsored by La Scala in Milan, a gold medal at the Queen Elisabeth in Brussels, a bronze medal at the Van Cliburn, and top honors at the Warsaw Chopin, Vianna da Motta and Montreal competitions, as well as the Young Concert Artists auditions in New York City. His large and varied repertoire includes more than 60 concertos and solo works ranging from Bach to Boulez. Has been heard as soloist with the orchestras of Pittsburgh, Seattle, Indiana, Dallas, Saint Louis, Phoenix, Houston, Baltimore and Minneapolis; in Europe, with the orchestras of Rotterdam, The Hague, Belgian National and Radio, Santa Cecilia, La Scala, Maggio Fiorentino (Florence), RAI Turin and Rome, Südwest Rundfunk, Bayerischer Rundfunk, the Prague Philharmonic, Radio France de Montpellier, and the London Philharmonia, among others.

Has made recordings for Deutsche- Gramophon, RCA-Italy, Replica, Fonit-Cetra, Music & Arts, Ars Polona and Agorá. His CD, “The Virtuoso Liszt” (Music & Arts) won the Liszt Society’s Grand Prix, and his first volume of the Complete Beethoven Sonatas (Agorá) was chosen one of the Best of the Year by Fanfare magazine.

In addition, Jeffrey Swann is an internationally renowned Wagner scholar. He lectures throughout the United States, illustrating from the piano, and is a frequent guest of the Bayreuth Festival. Has written extensively on Wagner, most recently an article on Wagner and Proust, published by Oxford University Press.

Studied with Alexander Uninsky at Southern Methodist University in Dallas and with Beveridge Webster and Adele Marcus at The Juilliard School, where received his B.M., M.M. and D.M.A. degrees.

Tomer Lev

Israel

August 8th - August 17th

Professor of piano, Buchmann-Mehta School of Music, Tel Aviv University; formerly Head of the School. Maintains a versatile career as soloist, chamber musician, and pedagogue.  Performed throughout Europe, North America, South America, the Near East and the Far East. As soloist collaborated with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London, the English Chamber Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic, the symphony orchestras of Hamburg, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Tanglewood Festival, Varna Festival, Colorado, Quebec, Kiev and others, including all major Israeli orchestras. His series as soloist with Israel Philharmonic were under the baton of Zubin Mehta, Yoel Levi, Jerzy Semkow, among others. Has been presented at the Lincoln Center in New York, the "Philharmonie" Hall in Berlin, "Teatro Colon" in Buenos Aires, the Beijing Concert Hall, the Municipal Theater of Shanghai, Hamburg's "Musikhalle", the "Rudolfinum" in Prague, "Sala Sao Paulo", "Glen Gould Hall" in Toronto, and in all Israel’s concert halls. Has recorded for UK labels ASV/Sanctuary Records and Champs Hill Records. In 2020  slated to release 3 new albums for "Hyperion" and "Naxos".  An enthusiastic chamber musician, he was a member of the Israel Piano Trio and toured with the ensemble Europe and South America.         Graduated from Thelma Yellin High School for the Arts; studied the piano with his mother, pianist Naomi Lev, and composition with  Tzvi Avni.  Completed his B.Mus and M.Mus degrees at the Rubin Academy of Tel Aviv University, under Arie Vardi and Victor Derevianko. His Doctorate, under the guidance of Gilbert Kalish,  is from the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

Asaf Zohar

Israel

August 8th - August 17th

Chair, piano faculty, the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music, Tel Aviv University.  Formerly dean, performing arts faculty, and piano department chair, Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance. Graduated from Givatayim Conservatory, Rubin Music Academy at Tel-Aviv University, and Indiana University (Doctor of Musical Arts degree). Studied with Hanna Shalgi, Arie Vardi, Menahem Pressler, Leonard Hokanson, and Michel Block. Prizewinner, Casadesus competition in Cleveland and contests in Vienna, Sydney and Pretoria. Has performed with Israel’s leading orchestras, including Israel Philharmonic, under Zubin Mehta, David Robertson, Urs Schneider, Mendi Rodan, Noam Sheriff, David Shallon, and others. Concertized in Austria, Germany, France, England, Spain, Italy, Russia, Georgia, USA, South Africa, Australia, and Japan. Edited, presented, and performed in concert series, featuring collected sonatas by Beethoven, concertos by Mozart, piano works by Chopin, Brahms, Schumann and other composers.

Dror Semmel

Israel

August 8th - August 17th

Faculty member,  Buchmann-Mehta School of Music, Tel Aviv University, and the Israel Conservatory in Tel Aviv; previously taught at the Levinsky Teachers College and the Jerusalem Conservatory, where headed the piano department. Artistic director of Eden-Tamir Music Center in Ein Kerem, Jerusalem, he also directs the Kan Voice of Music Young Artists Competition and, together with Lea Agmon, the programs of Edward Aldwell Institute in Jerusalem. His students won prizes in competitions and perform with orchestras in Israel and abroad.
Dror Semmel has appeared extensively in Israel, Europe and North America as soloist with orchestras, recitalist, chamber musician and pedagogue. With his sister, Shir Semmel, co-founded the Jerusalem Piano Duo.
Studied at the Jerusalem Academy with Bracha Eden and Alexander Tamir, continued in NYC with Victor Rosenbaum and Jacob Lateiner, and completed doctorate as a student of Gilbert Kalish. He also worked regularly with Richard Goode.

Yoni Farhi

Israel

July 30th - August 17th

Pianist and conductor Yoni Farhi has served as assistant to the music director of Haifa Symphony Orchestra (2006-2013).  Presently faculty member,  Levinsky College of Education Master’s program; head, Bachelor’s of Music Education program. Faculty, conducting and composition department, Rimon School of Jazz and Contemporary Music.  Winner of the 2006 Gina Bachauer Award by the America-Israel Cultural Foundation; has performed as piano soloist and conductor with Haifa Symphony, Jerusalem Camerata, Israel Chamber Orchestra, Israel  Netanya Kibbutz Orchestra, Ra'anana Symphonette,   Tel-Aviv Soloists' Ensemble.  Appeared in Britain, Germany, Austria, Poland and Belgium.   Studied conducting with Noam Sheriff, composition with Sergiu Natra, and piano with Hadassa Biribis, Emanuel Krasovsky and Pnina Salzman.  Between 2011-2013 worked under the guidance of Daniel Barenboim at Berlin Staatsoper. Master of Music degree from the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music, Tel-Aviv University.  Music Producer, Tel Hai International Piano Master Classes, since 2002.

Yuval Admony & Tami Kanazawa

Israel

July 30th - August 17th

The Piano Duo of Tami Kanazawa and Yuval Admony has been awarded The First Prize in five international competitions: 2008 Oslo Prize in Grieg Competition, 2005 Menuhin Gold Prize in Osaka International Competition, 2002 Ibla Grand Prize in Italy, 2001 Rome Prize, and the 2000 Tokyo Duo Competition. In Israel they are the recipients of The Ministry of Culture Award for a Permanent Chamber Group. Piano Duo professors at The Buchmann-Mehta School of Music, Tel Aviv University, they gave piano-duo master classes in Rimsky Korsakov Conservatory in St. Petersburg, The Norwegian Academy of Music, Korean National University of Arts, Pacific Rim Festival in Canada, Japan National Piano Teachers Association and elsewhere. The duo appeared in over 30 countries and in prestigious halls, including Carnegie Hall in New York, Argentina Theatre in Rome, Tokyo Metropolitan Festival Hall, Warsaw National Radio, Congress Hall in Budapest and others. International festivals include Duet at the Baltic Sea in Russia, Budapest Spring Festival, Klavierduo Festival in Germany, Odessa Dialogues in Ukraine, Asian Music Festival, Felicja Blumental Festival, Upper Galilee, and Israel Festival. Broadcasts by BBC in London, CBC in Canada, Tokyo FM, NHK in Japan, BNR in Bulgaria, Budapest National Radio, Radio New Zealand, Israel's "Voice of Music". Performed with Israel's leading orchestras including Israel Symphony Orchestra, Rishon Lezion, Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Tel Aviv Chamber Orchestra, Beer Sheva Sinphoietta, Raanana Symphonette and others.Their Symphonic Poems by Liszt on Naxos label was acclaimed in Fanfare and International Piano magazines. Other releases of the Duo include Rhapsodies for Two Pianos, issued by Romeo Records.

Ido Ariel

Israel

August 11th - August 16th

The Israeli pianist Dr. Ido Ariel is an accompanist, vocal coach, conductor and a lecturer, one of the leading figures in the field of Art-Song in Israel. Since 2013 he is the head of the vocal department at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance. Since 2012 he is the director of "Shira-Shir" concert series, dedicated to the classical as well as the Israeli art-song in collaboration with prominent Israeli singers. Has accompanied many acclaimed singers in Israel and abroad; he has directed "Singing Words" concert series at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, and has artistically advised to related concert-series. A former member of the musical staff at the New Israeli Opera. His activity as lecturer includes master-classes in Europe, the US and Israel. Has won many prizes and awards during his studies in Beer-Sheva Conservatory, The Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance and the Royal College of Music, London, where he won the Director's award for his research and performance of the songs of Arnold Schoenberg.

Guy Mintus

Israel

August 6th - August 8th

A trained concert pianist with the energy of a rock-star and a jazz musician’s sense of adventure, the celebrated Israeli pianist, composer, vocalist and educator is equally at home  sharing the stage with jazz legends, composing for classical orchestras and collaborating with masters of traditional music, working with children or appearing as a soloist with Ska-Punk band Streetlight Manifesto at a sold out New York Beacon Theater. Coming from a mixed heritage of Iraqi, Moroccan & Polish Jews, his music is a meeting point between different rivers of inspiration flowing freely into each other.

Recipient of the “Leonard Bernstein Award” by ASCAP and the Bernstein Family Foundation and  Prix du Public at the Montreux Jazz Festival’s solo piano competition, his debut record, “A Home in Between”, has been selected as DownBeat Magazine’s Editor’s Pick, while his most recent release, “Connecting the Dots”, has been celebrated in concerts throughout the US, Canada, France, Switzerland, Germany, Israel, Turkey and Kazakhstan, including a CD release of a New York  concert that has been recommended by the New York Times.  In 2018, he performed Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with the Bavarian Philharmonic.

Guy Mintus has been commissioned to compose works for the American Composers Orchestra, the Jerusalem Symphony  and  Jerusalem East & West Orchestra. In 2018,  composed music for Miracle of Miracles, the new documentary about Fiddler on the Roof by HBO director Max Lewkowicz, and premiered his First piano concerto with the Israel Chamber Orchestra. 

Vera Vaidman

Israel

July 30th - August 9th

Her performance of the complete works of Bach for unaccompanied bowed instruments (the cello suites, on viola) in New York in March 2018 hailed as a "colossal achievement" by New York Concert Review, Vera Vaidman is among Israel's foremost violinists, violists and chamber-music players. Has performed as a soloist with all Israel's orchestras, conducted by Zubin Mehta, Gerard Schwarz, Andre Kostelanetz, Rudolf Barshai, Sidney Harth, Lucas Foss and others. Participated in the Marlboro Chamber Music Festival, where she performed and recorded with Rudolf Serkin, Andras Schiff, Philipp Naegele and Felix Galimir among others; the Esbjerg Chamber Music Festival in Denmark; the Gotland Festival in Sweden; Kfar Blum Festival in Israel.

Served as leader and soloist of the conductorless Ramat Hasharon Camerata Women's String Orchestra as well as the first violinist of the Gertler String Quartet, Tel Aviv. A graduate of Moscow's Tchaikovsky Conservatory, where studied with Boris Belenky and David Oistrakh.