www.kirovmusicfestival.org August 8-16 2019 Kirov Academy of Washington D.C. August 15 2019 The Kennedy Center Family Theater KIROV ACADEMY of MUSIC | 2 The Kirov Academy is dedicated to artistic and academic excellence and to instilling a moral education in our students. Founded 30 years ago in Northeast D.C. on universal principles of love, respect, and service, Kirov Academy believes in the importance of the arts and culture in creating a world of beauty and effectuating positive change. This year marks the inaugural occurrence of the Kirov International Music Festival and Competition, Washington, D.C.’s most significant new competition and festival. Marking the commencement of the Kirov Academy’s ongoing collaboration with the Moscow Conservatory and the debut of its new Music Department, the Kirov International Music Festival has brought students and instructors from across the globe to participate in master classes with internationally renowned musicians and masters, and to be given the opportunity to compete with their talented and dedicated peers. In addition to performing at the Kennedy Center, competition winners have been extended an invitation to perform at the Moscow Conservatory. KIROV ACADEMY of MUSIC | 3 PRESIDENT Message Distinguished Friends and Patrons of the Arts, The Kirov Academy is honored to host the 1st Kirov International Music Festival and Competition in the heart of Washington DC. Our new initiative aims to connect tomorrow’s talent with a global family of outstanding musicians who are engaged in creating a world of beauty and effectuating positive change through the arts. The Kirov International Music Festival and Competition builds on the foundation of the celebrated Kirov Academy of Ballet that enjoys a 30 year tradition synonymous with Russian excellence. Now, we are bringing this commitment of excellence to the world of music with our recent collaboration with the Moscow Conservatory. We are honored that our Competition Winners who will perform at the Winner’s Concert at the Kennedy Center will also be awarded an invitation to perform at the Winner’s Concert in the hallowed halls of the Moscow Conservatory. In the course of a week, the participants of our Festival and Competition will have a unique opportunity to be challenged and inspired by other talented musicians from around the world, empowered and supported by Great Teachers through Master Classes and Faculty Recitals, and encouraged and applauded by a team of dedicated teachers and family who have invested their time and resources into each precious student. As we look towards the 30th anniversary in 2020, we are grateful once again for the patronage of the Drs. Sun Myung Moon and Hak Ja Han Moon. Their unwavering support and commitment to the Arts have been the bedrock of many schools around the world, including Kirov Academy. They believe in the importance of the Arts in the education of our youth, and I could not agree more. The Kirov Academy is very much a family for our students. We deeply care about the success of each individual enrolled in our programs. We know that the secret to our students’ success depends on the teamwork of the teachers, the parents, and the students. We are not only looking back at nearly 30 years of excellence, but also looking forward to what we can create together here at the Kirov. Thank you for joining us in raising the next generation of leaders to live their artistic dreams and accomplish their goals. Best Wishes, Tatiana Moon Chair & President KIROV ACADEMY of MUSIC | 4 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Message Having served as a Board member of Kirov Academy of Ballet since 2012, and, more recently, as the Executive Director of Kirov Academy of Ballet since 2016, I have grown to love this school and its remarkable teachers and students. It has been a great honor and challenge to work with the staff here at the Academy and serve our new President Madame Tatiana Moon. Our talented teachers and musicians have brought all the best parts of Russian tradition and discipline to our school. It is a natural evolution that Kirov Academy expands its prestigious program to include music. By offering piano and violin lessons from Jinha Park (piano) and Emil Chudnovsky (violin), we have enriched the students’ already first class education. Through the efforts of our President, Madame Moon, we have created the most impressive Advisory Board: Sergei Dorensky, Jerome Lowenthal, Gary Graffman, and Victor Danchenko. For almost 30 years, we have educated talented, rising young dancers in the tradition of classical ballet, and we will now educate talented, rising young musicians. Pamela Gonzales de Cordova Executive Director “Creating a World of Beauty through Heavenly Art” KIROV ACADEMY of MUSIC | 5 PROGRAM Schedule Thursday, August 8 5:00 pm Orientation Friday, August 9 9:00 am Opening Ceremony 10:00 am Master Class - Carlos Cebro 2:00 pm Master Class - Yangsook Lee 3:00 pm Master Class - Emil Chudnovsky Saturday, August 10 10:00 am Master Class - Lei Weng 2:00 pm Seminar - Marian Hahn 3:00 pm Steinway Piano Sale & VIP Reception 5:00 pm Faculty Recital Sunday, August 11 10:00 am All-Day Sightseeing Tour Monday, August 12 10:00 am Master Class - Jonghwa Park 2:00 pm Master Class - Jinha Park 3:00 pm Master Class - Marian Hahn 6:00 pm Competition Preliminary Tuesday, August 13 10:00 am Master Class - Sergei Dorensky 2:00 pm Seminar - Yesook Suh 3:00 pm Master Class - Victor Danchenko 7:00 pm Group Discussion Wednesday, August 14 9:00 am Competition Final 3:00 pm Master Class - Gary Graffman 7:00 pm Group Discussion Thursday, August 15 10:00 am Master Class - Sergei Kuznetsoff 4:00 pm Kennedy Center Honor Students Recital 7:30 pm Kennedy Center Competition Winners Recital * Please note that event dates and detail are subject to change KIROV ACADEMY of MUSIC | 6 FACULTY & GUEST Artists Sergei Dorensky Sergei Dorensky is known as one of the most outstanding pianists and teachers of the former Soviet Union. He graduated from the prestigious Moscow Conservatory and in 1997 was appointed Dean of its celebrated Piano Department. Sergei Dorensky has been awarded numerous international prizes over the years and eventually went on to develop his career outside the Soviet Union. Sergei Dorensky was also named “People’s Artist of Russia” in 1989 and received the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland” in 2008. Mr. Sergei Dorensky has toured in Denmark, Norway, Hungary, Brazil, Panama and Japan and offers master classes. He often joins the jury of piano competitions, including the Leeds International Piano Competition, the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, the International Beethoven Piano Competition, the International Chopin Piano Competition and the Hamamatsu International Piano Competition. In 2015, he was part of the jury of the prestigious International Tchaikovsky competition. Gary Graffman Gary Graffman has been a major figure in the music world since his debut with Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra at the age of eighteen. His numerous recordings with the orchestras of New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Cleveland, and Chicago under such conductors as Bernstein, Ormandy, Szell, and Mehta are still regarded as touchstones. Gary Graffman lost the use of his right hand in 1979 but that did not diminish his passion for performance. Seven left-hand works have been commissioned for Graffman. In 1993, for example, he performed the world premiere of Ned Rorem’s Piano Concerto No. 4, written specifically for the left hand, and in 2001 he premiered Daron Hagen’s concerto Seven Last Words. The American composer William Bolcom composed Gaea, a concerto for two pianos, left hand for Graffman and Leon Fleisher. It received its first performance in Baltimore in April 1996. Mr. Graffman joined the faculty of the Curtis in 1980 and became its Director in 1986, and later served as President of the institution from 1995-2006. Graffman has received several honorary doctoral degrees, was honored by the cities of Philadelphia and New York, and received the Governor’s Arts Award by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Graffman remains active as a teacher and coach of piano and chamber music. His notable students include the piano virtuosos Lydia Artymiw, Lang Lang, Yuja Wang, and Haochen Zhang. KIROV ACADEMY of MUSIC | 7 Victor Danchenko An internationally renowned artist and pedagogue, Victor Danchenko was for many years a member of the Faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music and the Peabody Conservatory of Music. He now proudly makes Toronto his home and teaches at The Glenn Gould School. Recognized as one of today’s leading instructors, he has conducted numerous master classes in the U.S., Canada, Europe (including three major schools in London - Royal College, Royal Academy, and Guildhall School - Paris National Conservatory Superior and Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory), South America, and Asia. Mr. Danchenko has also frequently participated in various other summer schools and festivals around the world, such as Keshet Eilon master course in Israel, Ishikawa Music Festival in Japan, Euro Arts Festival in Germany, Niagara on the Lake International Festival in Canada, Seoul International Music Festival Academy, Summit Music Festival (N.Y.), to name a few. Carlos Cebro Carlos Cebro was born in Montevideo, Uruguay where he was taught piano by Adhemar Schenone, Hugo Balzo and Eliane Richepin. He successfully passed several competitive examinations before moving to Paris to further his education under Suzanne Roche and Vlado Perlemuter. Hired several times by the Mozarteum of Salzburg, Carlos Cebro is a member of the board examiners of several renowned international boards. Today, he is the Chairman of the “City of Montevideo” (Uruguay) competition. He is also the chair of the artistic committee of the Brest (France) piano competition, and the Artistic Director of the Maria Canals International Music Competition, as well as the President of the Jury of that competition.