Vira Zhuk & Mariam Vardzelashvili

Classical

Ukrainian violinist Vira Zhuk is a prize winner of numerous international competitions such as Oistrach International Violin Competition, Strihardz International Competition, and has performed at prestigous venues such as the Musikverein Wien, Konzerhaus Wien, ORF RadioKulturhaus, Auditorio Nacional de Musica in Madrid, Danish Royal Opera, Süreyya Opera in Istanbul, and many others.

Anna Firsanova (Austria)

Solista Rusa

Winner at the XV International Competition in Italy Pietro Argento (I Prize and the Grand Prix). Winner at the 8th International Competition. Beethoven in Austria (II prize). 2012 became the winner of 3rd Gaydamovich Chamber music Competition, Magnitogorsk, Russia (Grand Prix.)

2014 became a winner of Vienna Fidelio Competition.

Alvaro Collao (Chile)

Modern

Alvaro Collao Leon is a chilean saxophonist based in Vienna (At), Artistic director of the Tarapacá international music festival and ChileSaxFest, whose artistic studies began in the University of Chile, at the Conservatoire of Bordeaux with Marie-Bernardette Charrier and at the Music of Arts Privat University of the city of Vienna with Lars Mlekusch. He is a prize-winner of several international music competitions, such as the first Pan American Competition of Classic Saxophone Mexico D.F, the Vienna Fidelio Competition 2012 and 2014 and in the Osaka international competition 2015, the special prices Hyogo Governor awards, Vienna Performing award and "Also award" from Magazin The Sax, 2017 Michigan M-Prize competition and Startstipendium für musik und darstellende kunst 2017. He has performed in the most important venues in America, Asia, Africa and Europe, He is in cooperation with the ÖENM Österreich Ensemble für Neue Musik, Orchester Volkoper Wien, PHACE Ensemble, Klangforum Wien and the Vienna Saxophonic Orchestra, Avido duo and FIVE SAX. 

Iliyana Stoyanova (Bulgaria)

Pianist

Iliyana Stoyanova was born in 1992 in Sliven, Bulgaria. She graduated the National Highschool for  Music and Performing Arts, where she was a part of Ivaylo Velichkov’s piano class. In 2015 Iliyana recieved a Master of Arts degree for piano in the class of prof. Markus Prause at Music and Art Private University of Vienna, where she is currently continuing with her Master’s in Instrumental accompaniment and coaching degree with prof. Denise Benda.

Djordje Davidovic

Serbia

His career is characterized by numerous fascinating successes at international competitions, and some of the most important should be mentioned: Winner of International competition Akkordeon Art (Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2012), Winner at 65th Junior Coupe Mondiale (Spoletto, Italy, 2012), 2nd place at National World Trophy – as the youngest competitor in category age 18-32 (Samara, Russia, 2013), 1st place at international competition (Beltinci, Slovenia, 2014), 1st place at International competiton in Osaka (Japan 2015) in category DUO, 1st place at Vienna FIDELIO Competition (Austria 2015).

Andy Middleton

Jazz Music

ANDY MIDDLETON is one of the very top-tier saxophonists living in Europe today. Imaginative and adventurous virtuosity spans an incredibly wide breadth of expression — from fierce power to tender warmth, lyrical yet rhythmically driving, masterful and inspired. His compositions, harmonically modern and melodic yet clearly rooted in the jazz tradition, provide the perfect setting. This unique voice as a player, arranger and composer has led jazz icons such as Ralph Towner, Kenny Wheeler and David Holland to collaborate with him. He has also performed and recorded with a long list of artists including Billy Hart, Maria Schneider, Richie Beirach, Renee Rosnes, Randy Brecker, Bill Evans, Lionel Hampton, Bob Mintzer, Joey Calderazzo, John Abercrombie, Scott Colley and Adam Nussbaum. 

Joel Diegert (USA)

Solista

Joel Diegert is an internationally active saxophonist with a wide range of musical interests.

 In parallel to his active performing schedule, Joel's interest in contemporary music led him to pursue his doctoral research on the topic "Extending the Saxophone via Live Electronics." This five-year long artistic research project brought him to collaborate with composer Adrián Artacho in order to develop a performer-centric approach to working with real-time electronics processing. 

Joel was winner of the 2005 NASA classical competition, prize-winner of the 2011 Jean-Marie Londeix Competition, and prize-winner of 2011 Gaudeamus Interpreters Competition. 

Massimiliano Girardi (Italia)

Musica Clasica Italiana

Besides his saxophone study he also got his degree in Modern languages and Literature and also in Euro-American Languages and Literature with best Marks and Honours at the University of Trento and Graz (Austria). He is now doing a PhD Project at the University of Vienna and Trento, combining his musical and literal studies, researching the logical combination between the composed music and the written lyrics of the Medieval Writer composer and poet Wizlaw von Rügen. The projects is called: “The songs Wizlaw’s von Rügen: a literal and musicological analyses.”