Jury members

Jury Chairman. A prize-winner at several of the world's most prestigious international piano competitions including the Leeds, the Van Cliburn, the Guardian Dublin, the William Kappell, the Gina Bachauer, and the World Piano Competition, Armen Babakhanian has captured the imagination of the audiences and the critics alike through the intensity and honesty of his performances. Mr. Babakhanian has given recitals in the USA, Canada, Japan, the UK, Germany, Austria, Italy, France and Spain. He has appeared as soloist with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Irish National Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra (USA), Dallas Symphony, Utah Symphony, with Saint Petersburg Philharmonic under Yuri Temirkanov, with Moscow Philharmonic under Valery Gergiev, Russian Philharmonic Orchestra under Yurovsky, Slovenian Philharmonic and Israel Philharmonic among others.

Paolo Baglieri is one of the most prominent personalities of his generation. Acclaimed as “a pianist that perfectly mixes his personal view with the composer's ideas”, he is the winner of many international piano competitions. He has performed in Italy, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Austria, Palestine, Israel and Chile for over 300 concerts in some of the most important concert halls: Taormina, Catania, Lucca, Rome, Turin, Pistoia, Bologna, Verona, Castle of Galeazza, Salzburg, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Paris, Brussels, Castle d'Ursel, Haifa, Jerusalem, Madrid, Santiago of Chile among others.

Ratko Delorko discovered the piano as his favorite toy at the tender age of three. It took him another three years to discover the piano as a creative tool for writing his youthful compositions. Mr. Delorko's professional background - his formative years - were shaped by studying piano, composition and conducting in Cologne, Düsseldorf and Munich. Ratko Delorko has had the privilege of performing in such varied venues as the Berlin Philharmonie, the Tonhalle in Düsseldorf, the Cologne Philharmonie, the Gasteig in Munich, the Philharmonie in Essen, Hamburg's Musikhalle, the Glocke in Bremen, London's St. Martin in the Fields, Paleau de la Musica in Valencia, Beijing's Concert Hall, Shanghai's Oriental Arts Center and others.

Valerian Shiukashvili started taking piano lessons at the Z. Paliashvili Central Music School at the age of 12. Shortly aſter, he performed Mozart's Piano Concerto N. 23 with an orchestra. This appearance was highly acclaimed by music critics. In 1992 Valerian became the winner of the All Union Competition in Russia, which brought him one year invitation to study at the Moscow School-Studio “Young Talents”. A year later he was accepted to the Moscow Central Music School.

Vladimir Ovchinnikov continues the traditions of the world known G. Neighaus Piano School. The pianist is a graduate of the famous Central Special Music School (the class of A. Artobolevskaya) and the Moscow Conservatoire (class of Prof. A. Nasedkin). The only pianist ever to win the top prizes at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow (1982) and Leeds International Piano Competition (1987), Ovchinnikov is also a laureate of the Concours International de Montreal (Canada, 1980, 2nd Prize), and the International Chamber Ensembles Competition in Vercelli (Italy, 1984, 1st Prize). It was his success at Leeds, however, which established his international career, a triumph which was followed by a triumphant début performance in London in the presence of Her Majesty the Queen.

Jury Chairman. A prize-winner at several of the world's most prestigious international piano competitions including the Leeds, the Van Cliburn, the Guardian Dublin, the William Kappell, the Gina Bachauer, and the World Piano Competition, Armen Babakhanian has captured the imagination of the audiences and the critics alike through the intensity and honesty of his performances. Mr. Babakhanian has given recitals in the USA, Canada, Japan, the UK, Germany, Austria, Italy, France and Spain. He has appeared as soloist with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Irish National Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra (USA), Dallas Symphony, Utah Symphony, with Saint Petersburg Philharmonic under Yuri Temirkanov, with Moscow Philharmonic under Valery Gergiev, Russian Philharmonic Orchestra under Yurovsky, Slovenian Philharmonic and Israel Philharmonic among others.

Paolo Baglieri is one of the most prominent personalities of his generation. Acclaimed as “a pianist that perfectly mixes his personal view with the composer's ideas”, he is the winner of many international piano competitions. He has performed in Italy, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Austria, Palestine, Israel and Chile for over 300 concerts in some of the most important concert halls: Taormina, Catania, Lucca, Rome, Turin, Pistoia, Bologna, Verona, Castle of Galeazza, Salzburg, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Paris, Brussels, Castle d'Ursel, Haifa, Jerusalem, Madrid, Santiago of Chile among others.

Ratko Delorko discovered the piano as his favorite toy at the tender age of three. It took him another three years to discover the piano as a creative tool for writing his youthful compositions. Mr. Delorko's professional background - his formative years - were shaped by studying piano, composition and conducting in Cologne, Düsseldorf and Munich. Ratko Delorko has had the privilege of performing in such varied venues as the Berlin Philharmonie, the Tonhalle in Düsseldorf, the Cologne Philharmonie, the Gasteig in Munich, the Philharmonie in Essen, Hamburg's Musikhalle, the Glocke in Bremen, London's St. Martin in the Fields, Paleau de la Musica in Valencia, Beijing's Concert Hall, Shanghai's Oriental Arts Center and others.

Valerian Shiukashvili started taking piano lessons at the Z. Paliashvili Central Music School at the age of 12. Shortly aſter, he performed Mozart's Piano Concerto N. 23 with an orchestra. This appearance was highly acclaimed by music critics. In 1992 Valerian became the winner of the All Union Competition in Russia, which brought him one year invitation to study at the Moscow School-Studio “Young Talents”. A year later he was accepted to the Moscow Central Music School.

Vladimir Ovchinnikov continues the traditions of the world known G. Neighaus Piano School. The pianist is a graduate of the famous Central Special Music School (the class of A. Artobolevskaya) and the Moscow Conservatoire (class of Prof. A. Nasedkin). The only pianist ever to win the top prizes at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow (1982) and Leeds International Piano Competition (1987), Ovchinnikov is also a laureate of the Concours International de Montreal (Canada, 1980, 2nd Prize), and the International Chamber Ensembles Competition in Vercelli (Italy, 1984, 1st Prize). It was his success at Leeds, however, which established his international career, a triumph which was followed by a triumphant début performance in London in the presence of Her Majesty the Queen.