Jury members list (preliminary) VERSION 1 - Last update: 1 May 2015 12:00CEST Country Allocation First name Middle name Last name Commonly known as Gender Age Occupation/profession Short biography (un-edited, as delivered by the participating broadcasters) Albania Backup Jury Member Altin Goci male 41 Art Manager / Musician Graduated from Academy of Fine Arts for canto. Co founder of the well known Albanian band Ritfolk. Excellent singer of live music. Plays violin, harmonica and guitar. Albania Jury Member 1 / Chairperson Bojken Lako male 39 TV and theater director Started music career in 1993 with the band Fish hook, producer of first album in 1993 King of beers. In 1999 and 2014 runner up at FiK. Many concerts in Albania and abroad. Collaborated with Band Adriatica, now part of Bojken Lako band. Albania Jury Member 2 Klodian Qafoku male 35 Composer Participant in various concerts and contests, winner of several prizes, also in children festivals. Winner of FiK in 2005, participant in ESC 2006. Composer of first Albanian etno musical Life ritual. Worked as etno musicologist at Albanology Study Center. Albania Jury Member 3 Albania Jury Member 4 Arta Marku female 45 Journalist TV moderator of art and cultural shows. Editor in chief, main editor and editor of several important magazines and newspapers in Albania. Albania Jury Member 5 Zhani Ciko male 69 Violinist Former Artistic Director and Director General of Theater of Opera and Ballet of Tirana. Former Director of Artistic Lyceum Jordan Misja. Artistic Director of Symphonic Orchestra of Albanian Radio Television. One of the most well known Albanian musicians. Armenia Backup Jury Member Arevik Yuri Udumyan Arevik Udumyan female 31 producer, host Arevik Udumyan is a famous producer and host in Armenia. She is a creator of more than 7 programs. She is also the diractor of Sirusho production from 2009. Armenia Jury Member 1 / Chairperson Grigor Dzhumashutov Nazaryan Grigor Nazaryan male 44 producer, musical producer Grigor Nazaryan was born in 1970 in Yerevan. He graduated fromYerevan State Medical University after Mkhitar Heraci. He worked as a producer at Sharm company from 1991-2003 and also as a director of <<Kentron>> TV (2002-2004) .He is a founder of TATA production. Armenia Jury Member 2 Nune Martik Yesayan Nune Yesayan female 45 Singer Nune Yesayan is a popular Armenian pop singer who began singing with an Armenian jazz band in the early 1990s . She has more then 10 CDs and more then 20 video-clips. Nune had many concerts both in Armenia and in the whole world. She is an honorary artist of Armenia from 2006. Armenia Jury Member 3 Leyla Andranik Saribekyan Leyla Saribekyan female 51 Singer, Composer Leyla was born in Tbilisi, Georgia and started her music education there attending music school and children vocal arrangement ensemble. She is a famous singer in Armenia.Leyla is an Honored Artist of Republic of Armenia. Armenia Jury Member 4 Aram Avetiq Sargsyan Aram MP3 male 31 Singer-songwriter, comedian and showman Aram Sargsyan, better known by his stage name Aram Mp3 is an Armenian singer-songwriter, comedian and showman. He represented Armenia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 in Copenhagen, Denmark with the song "Not Alone" Armenia Jury Member 5 Aren Norayr Bayadyan Aren Bayadyan male 33 Director Aren Bayadyan is a very popular and required diractor in Armenia. He is a director of more than 50 video-clips. He graduated from Yerevan State institute of theatre and cinematography. Australia Backup Jury Member Chris Holland Chris Holland male 31 Radio Announcer and Music Director Chris is a multiple award winning commercial radio programmer and announcer. He is a radio host and network Music Director with Australia’s largest broadcasting company, Southern Cross Austereo, programming music for over 30 radio stations across all states of the country. Australia Jury Member 1 / Chairperson Amanda Pelman Amanda Pelman female 61 Music & Concert Producer Amanda has a distinguished career in Australian music. She has worked at record labels where she signed a young Kylie Minogue, cast leading musicals (Priscilla Queen of the Desert), produced live events (Long Way to the Top) and judged music television programs (It Takes Two). Australia Jury Member 2 Richard Wilkins Richard Wilkins male 60 Radio DJ / entertainment journalist A trained violinist Richard is known as a television/radio host and performer (Grease: The Arena Spectacular). With 27 years in the Australian music and television he is a Member of the Order of Australia for services to the community through the entertainment industry. Australia Jury Member 3 Danielle Spencer Danielle Spencer female 46 singer/songwriter Danielle began singing and learning piano at aged 4. As an adult she worked in film, television and theatre before releasing her debut album White Monkey in 2001. She toured internationally after the release of her second album in 2010 and is currently working on a new album. Australia Jury Member 4 Ash London Ash London female 28 Radio Broadcaster / TV Presenter Ash is a popular radio and TV music presenter, co-hosting Take 40 (Australia’s longest running radio chart show) as well as the Shazam Top 20. On TV Ash co-hosts The Loop, a music video show currently in its third season. Australia Jury Member 5 Jake Stone Jake Stone male 35 songwriter/performer Jake boasts a varied and successful music career as a music journalist (The Sydney Morning Herald, Rolling Stone Australia), performer (with his band Bluejuice), radio host (Triple J), songwriter and event host (MusicNSW, Vivid Festival). Austria Backup Jury Member Raoul Herget male 57 musician, musical director, musical educator Raould Herget studied Jazz at the Vienna conservatory, worked with the Vienna Symphonics and did concerts with Friedrich Gulda, Gil Evans and Michael Mantler. Austria Jury Member 1 / Chairperson Gary Lux male 56 musicproducer, wirter, composer, singer, musician Gary Lux participated for Austria at the ESC three times, once with his band "Westend"and twice as solist - very successfully (8.) with his song "Kinder dieser Welt". Beside that he was Musical director for many TV-Shows. Austria Jury Member 2 Manuel Ortega male 35 singer-songwriter Manuel represented Austria at the ESC in 2002. He is a singer-songwriter, won an Amadeus Music Award and also won the famous Austrian TV-Show "Dancing Stars". New Album came out lately. Austria Jury Member 3 Christian Deix male 50 singer-songwriter, producer, arragner, actor, journalist Singer-Songwriter für the Austrian Pop-Rockgroup "Espresso" with 3 Albums and several chart-hits, Nomination für Amadeus Musicaward, supprt act for James Brown, Level 42 and The Beach Boys Austria Jury Member 4 Vanessa Legenstein Como female 33 singer-songwriter, composer, pianist, musician 4 Charts Singles in Austria Top 40 official Charts, 2 Top 20 Hits , massive radio support, 3 Nominations for Austrian Music Award, currently producing next album, new single coming up on April 17. Austria Jury Member 5 Franziska Trost female 37 music journalist Head of Music department of one of Austria's biggest tabloids , "Kronen Zeitung" since 2003. Did interviews for example with Robbie Williams, Metallica, Tina Turner and lots of others. Azerbaijan Backup Jury Member Azer Zeynalov male 50 opera singer Azer Zeynalov (born december 13,1964) is a opera singer. He graduated State Culture and Art University. Azer Zeynalov is a soloist State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre. He also finished Italian State Conservatory named after Agostino Steffani. Azerbaijan Jury Member 1 / Chairperson Zumrud Dadashzade female 52 musician and pedagogue, member of Azerbaijan Composers Union Zumrud Dadashzade (born June 2, 1962) is an musician and pedagogue. She is member of Azerbaijan Composers Union since 1987. Zumrud Dadashzade graduated Baku Music Academy,faculty of history-theory. She is author a number of scientific works. Azerbaijan Jury Member 2 Tunzale Agayeva female 38 singer and composer Tunzale Agayeva (born october 21, 1976) is a popular singer and author of popular songs. She graduated Baku Music Academy. Tunzale Agayeva participated in number of national and international song contests and became winner. Azerbaijan Jury Member 3 Fidan Haciyeva female 38 opera singer Fidan Haciyeva (born september 7,1976) graduated Baku Music Academy, faculty of vocal. She is soloist of State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre. Fidan Haciyeva also graduated special course of Music Academy in Italy. Azerbaijan Jury Member 4 Faig Agayev male 43 singer Faig Agayev is a famous Azerbaijani singer. He graduated Azerbaijan State Culture and Art University in 1993. Faig Agayev, winner of local song competitions- "Baku Autumn 88" and "Golden Autumn 89". He also won international song competitions such as "Vitebsk 90" and "Yalta 92". Azerbaijan Jury Member 5 Samira Allahverdi female 35 singer,choreographer Samira Allahverdi(born 25 August,1979) famous Azerbaijani singer graduated Azerbaijan State Culture and Art University. She participated in a number of local song competitions. Belarus Backup Jury Member Drimry Karas Drimry Karas male 39 TV presenter, producer TV presenter<br /> Host of concerts and entertainment programs Belarus Jury Member 1 / Chairperson Nataliya Marinova Nataliya Marinova female 35 Director of TV Channel "Belarus 2" TV journalist, director of the youth entertainment channel "Belarus 2" Belarus Jury Member 2 Vitaly Karpanov Vitaly Karpanov male 33 singer, composer, showman 10 years in show business. Lead singer of "Blackbird" author and host of many of own projects on television and on Internet.<br /> Graduated from the School of Music and the Academy of Music in the class of balalaika. Belarus Jury Member 3 Oksana Artushevskaya Oksana Artushevskaya female 39 Expert in the field of culture and art Chief Specialist of the concert and festival activities<br /> Department of Arts <br /> Graduate National State Academy of Arts and has a Diploma as a producer<br /> For 10 years was workingas a the producer of the show "Queen of Spring".