OUR JURY
MikhaÏl Bezverkhni
Mikhail Bezverkhni, violinist, painter, actor and composer was born in Leningrad (USSR). He studied art for 14 years under Vladimir Rajkov, a student of Robert Falk. Has exhibitions in several countries and in private collections.
Along with his artistic life he has forged an impressive career as a solo violinist. He has made numerous international tours and is laureate and prize winner of various international competitions.
In 1976, Mikhail won the Grand Prix D’Elisabeth, the first prize in the violin edition of that year at the Queen Elisabeth International Musical Competition in Brussels.
This highly prestigious recognition took place during a time in which he was free to travel outside the USSR. Even though he made numerous concert tours and performances within the USSR, he was prevented from travelling for longer periods in and out of the West starting in 1976. After the Fall of the Wall in 1990, Mikhail settled permanently in Belgium.
In addition to the numerous recordings he has made for such labels as Melodya , Pavane, La Campanella a.o.He has also earned his spurs as a conductor, actor and composer of soundtracks, among other types of music. His soundtrack along with the production of “Suite Gambrinus” won the first Prize during the International Film Festival of Valencia in 1992.
As latest achievement there is the successful acquisition by the Raccolta Lercaro, museum of modern art Bologna/Italy, of three paintings by Mikhail Bezverkhni to its collection [see link] on July 2011.
Roby Lakatos
Born in 1965 into the legendary family of Romani violinists descended from János Bihari, ‘King of Gypsy Violinists’, Lakatos was introduced to music as a child and at the age of nine he made his public debut as first violin in a Romani band. His musicianship evolved not only within his own family but also at the Béla Bartók Conservatory of Budapest, where he won the first prize for classical violin in 1984. Between 1986 and 1996, he and his ensemble were the house band at a Brussels restaurant, where he attracted the attention of Sir Yehudi Menuhin, passing in search of a meal after performing at the nearby Bozar concert hall. At the end of the set, Menuhin asked him to perform a Liszt piece from the score, and heard it played in a very authentic but very different style from the habitual classical interpretation, and was astonished to hear that the Lakatos family, who taught the young Liszt, had preserved the tradition. He therefore promoted Lakatos as a historically informed performer adding a valuable new insight into the style which inspired Liszt, Brahms and their musical descent.
In March 2004, Lakatos appeared to great acclaim with the London Symphony Orchestra in the orchestra’s ‘Genius of the Violin’ festival alongside Maxim Vengerov.
Roby Lakatos has released five albums for avanticlassic to date: Prokofiev project with Christian Poltéra and Martha Argerich; Fire Dance; Klezmer Karma with the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra, Yiddish singer Myriam Fuks and accordionist Aldo Granato and; Roby Lakatos with Musical Friends with Stéphane Grappelli, Vadim Repin, Randy Brecker, Tony Lakatos - his brother and established jazz musician in his own right, Marc Fosset and the Vieuxtemps Quartet. La Passion live at Sydney Opera House.
Pali Szomora
Pali Szomora, born in Budapest in 1976, became at age 6 soloist in front of a more than 30 musicians strong gipsy-orchestra.
While playing world tours with them to, among others, Japan, Europe, Maimi, Latin - America, Bankok, he got his trade from father to son, as his family did for already many generations.
He studied in Budapest at the Rajkó Orchestra, a school specialized in traditional gipsy music, after which he went the Ferenc Liszt Conservatory.
Arriving in Belgium, Ghent, in 1996, he went to the Royal Conservatory of Ghent, where he got his final degree studying under the direction of Rudolf Werthen and Mikhaïl Bezverkhni.
After two years in the Belgian Radio & Television orchestra, (1998- 1999) Pali continued as first violin and soloist in the Gipsy ensemble " Kalinka".
Olga Zolotareva
Olga Zolotareva graduated violin with “distinction” at the Moscow State Conservatory in 1982.
After graduating from the Moscow State Conservatory she has performed as a soloist with a Philharmonic Minsk, Minsk Chamber Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Minsk State Conservatory.
In 1996 she moved to Belgium. Since 1996 she works in “Prima la musica” orchestra, Belgium. She also played with the great musicians as Mikhail Bezverhnij and Ivry Gitlis.
Professor Zolotareva is laureate of international competitions and produced 8 Laureates of international and national Belgian competitions, she is the professor of Szomora Pal Laszlo, 1st prize of Furioso competition, 2018.
Since 1999 she is a professor in Gent’s Conservatory (now – Art School by the High School Consortium Gent), and she also holds master classes in Belgium, in Hungary and in Germany.
Since 2002 she works as a juror in many international competitions (“Märkische Musiktage”, Berlin, Germany; “Nights in Madrid”, Madrid, Spain, International Violin Competition "St. Hedwig Prize", Strzegom, Poland).
Behind the Scenes
Emmanuel Luciano Crombeen
Emmanuel Luciano came into contact with classical music thanks to his father and first mentor Marc-Anton Crombeen, who was assistant-conductor of Igor Markevich, during Markevich period as conductor of the Lamoureux orchestra, Marc Anton was also the founder of the “L'octuor de cuivre de Paris”, and graduated with Nadia Boulanger, among others.
Emmanuel started his violin lessons with Walter Lievens, Paul Klinck, Eric Sluys, Olga Zolotareva, Jerrold Rubenstein.
He completed his Master's degree at the Royal Conservatory in Gent with Lilia Umnova (certified by M. and S. Rejson Snitkovsky) and Alessandro Moccia.
After obtaining his Master's degree in 2014, Emmanuel completed his violin playing with maestro Mikhail Bezverkhni.
Currently, Emmanuel gives recitals, works in orchestra's and teaches, as well as gets his advice from Mischa Bezverkhni, which brought Emmanuel already three international prizes (Rome, Salzburg and Padua).
Along the course of this competition, Emmanuel functions as secretary to ensure for the competitors, the jury, and the organizers a smooth and beautiful experience.