Competition Judges
Spring Competition 2022
Professor Jekaterina Rostovtseva, Estonia
Judge of Spring Competition 2022
Affiliation: Piano Faculty at Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (EAMT), Tallinn Music High School for gifted children, and Tallinn Old Town Music School, Tallinn, Estonia
Professor Dr. Michalis Andronikou, Canada
Judge of Spring Competition 2022
Affiliation: Professor of Composition at Ambrose University, Calgary, AB, Canada; Composer of the Canadian Music Centre; Member of several organizations such as Canadian League of Composers, Greek Composers Union, and Center of Cypriot Composers
Professor Dr. Roman Placzek, USA/Czech Republic
Judge of Spring Competition 2022
Affiliation: Professor of Cello Studies at Wells College, Aurora, NY; Faculty at Opus Ithaca School of Music; Cellist at Symphoria; Concert Artist and Cellist at Nezhdanova-Placzek Duo, Ithaca, USA
Honey Rouhani, United Kingdom
Judge of Spring Competition 2022
Affiliation: Soprano and Opera Singer; Founder and Director of a music education and performance company Miele Canto, London, United Kingdom
Professor Zhang Xiongguan, China
Judge of Spring Competition 2022
Affiliation: Professor of Jazz Studies and Jazz Guitar at Shanghai Concervatory of Music; One of the most influential jazz musicians and educators in China; Founder of Guanyu Jazz Chamber Orchestra; Active performer of such venues as Shanghai Concert Hall, Shanghai Symphony Hall, Shanghai Oriental Art Center, Blue Note Beijing, Blue Note Shanghai, Jazz at Lincoln Center Shanghai, Birdland Hamburg, the Silvana, JZ Club as well as music festivals such as Nisville Jazz Festival, Bansko Jazz Festival, Koktebel Jazz Festival, JZ Shanghai Jazz Festival; Published three highly acclaimed original albums, China
Professor Dr. Kefei Hu, China
Judge of Spring Competition 2022
Affiliation: Professor of Clarinet Studies at Shanghai Conservatory of Music, China
Winter Competition 2022
Professor Dr. Ashley Barret, USA
Judge of Winter Competition 2022
Affiliation: Professor of Oboe Studies in College of Visual and Performing Arts at University of North Carolina Greensboro; Performing Artist and Clinician of Buffet Group USA
Professor Dr. Tatiana R. Mann, USA
Judge of Winter Competition 2022
Affiliation: Assistant Professor of Practice in Keyboard Studies at Texas Tech University, TX, USA; Artistic Director of “New Deal Concert Series”, Little Rock, USA
Professor Jason Chang, China
Judge of Winter Competition 2022
Affiliation: Professor of Harp Studies at Shanghai Conservatory of Music; Vice President of Chinese Harp Society; Founder of the Shanghai Harp Center and Shanghai International Harp Festival; recipient of the "Excellent Teacher Award" of the city of Shanghai, China
Professor Tatyana Timoshenko, Russia
Judge of Winter Competition 2022
Affiliation: Violin Faculty at the String Department of Voronezh College of Music for gifted children; Head of the Voronezh Group of violinists and cellists, Voronezh, Russia
Professor Chu Weiming, China
Judge of Winter Competition 2022
Affiliation: Associate Professor of Jazz and Modern Percussion Music Department at Shanghai Conservatory of Music; won the Best Drummer award in Yamaha Music World Thunder; collaborated with Zildjian, Sabian and Ludwig, China
Olga Vasilyeva, Russia
Judge of Winter Competition 2022
Affiliation: Soloist and Actress of Musical Theatre Zazerkalie, Saint Petersburg, Russia
New Year Competition 2021
Professor Dr. Tatiana R. Mann, USA
Judge of New Year Competition Season 2021
Affiliation: Assistant Professor of Practice in Keyboard Studies at Texas Tech University, TX, USA; Artistic Director of “New Deal Concert Series”, Little Rock, USA
Tamara Yusman, Israel
Judge of New Year Competition Season 2021
Affiliation: Concert Pianist, Soloist of Ashkelon Chamber Orchestra; Piano Faculty at Modus Music School, Ashkelon, Israel
Mikhail Knyazev, Russia
Judge of New Year Competition Season 2021
Affiliation: Concert Pianist, Artist of Voronezh Philharmonic Orchestra, Voronezh, Russia
Violeta Arakelova, USA
Judge of New Year Competition Season 2021
Affiliation: Distinguished Pedagogue and Pianist; Founder of Royal Music Academy, Buffalo, NY, USA; Author of Helping Beginner Teachers; Member of Piano Teachers of Western New York; Adjudicator of multiple international music competitions, NY, USA
Professor Anastasia Timoshenko, Russia
Judge of New Year Competition Season 2021
Affiliation: Professor of Violin Studies at State Music and Pedagogical Institute named after M.M. Ippolitov-Ivanov and Music School after A. Lyadov, Moscow, Russia; Artist of State Symphony Orchestra "New Russia", Moscow, Russia
Dr. Roman Placzek, USA/Czech Republic
Judge of New Year Competition Season 2021
Affiliation: Cello Faculty at Opus Ithaca School of Music; Concert Artist and Cellist at the Orchestra of Central New York "Symphoria"; Artist at Nezhdanova-Placzek Duo, Ithaca, USA
Laura Chambers, Canada
Judge of New Year Competition Season 2021
Affiliation: Concert Flautist and Pedagogue; Principal Flute at London Symphonia, Toronto Canada
Elena Starkova, Russia
Judge of New Year Competition Season 2021
Affiliation: Soloist of Voronezh Philharmonic Orchestra, Voronezh, Russia
Fall Competition 2021
Olga Alino, USA
Judge of 2021 Fall Competition
Affiliation: Pianist, Founder and executive director of Masters Institute of Music; Best Teacher 2019 of Crescendo International Competition; Best Teacher 2015 of AADGT, New Jersey, USA
Karine Harutyunyan, Armenia
Judge of 2021 Fall Competition
Affiliation: Pianist and Honored Pedagogue of the Republic of Armenia; Piano Faculty at Yerevan Specialized Music School named after Alexander Spendiaryan; Methodist of the Fund for Cultural Assistance to Musical Schools of Armenia
Dr. Jorge Ramos, USA/China
Judge of 2021 Fall Competition
Affiliation: Pianist, Guest Lecturer/Professor at Guangxi Arts University, Guangxi, China
Professor Irina Bortnikova, Russia
Judge of 2021 Fall Competition
Affiliation: Violin Faculty at the String Department of Voronezh College of Music for gifted children; Director of the string ensemble, Voronezh, Russia
Professor Zeng Cheng, China
Judge of 2021 Fall Competition
Affiliation: Concert Violinist and Pedagogue; First violin at China Philharmonic Orchestra; Artist of German Chixiong Music Publishing House; Artist of Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra, Qingdao Symphony Orchestra, Shaanxi Symphony Orchestra, Xi'an Symphony Orchestra, Hebei Symphony Orchestra, and Guiyang Symphony Orchestra, China
Professor Vladimir Naumenko, Russia
Judge of 2021 Fall Competition
Affiliation: Choral Director; Vice President and Professor of Choral Studies Department at State Music and Pedagogical Institute named after M.M. Ippolitov-Ivanov, Moscow, Russia
Alexandra Zaryankina, Russia
Judge of 2021 Fall Competition
Affiliation: Soloist of the Saint Petersburg Chamber Theater of Classical Operetta, Saint Petersburg, Russia
Anthony Thompson, Canada
Judge of 2021 Fall Competition
Affiliation: Concert Clarinetist and Pedagogue; Artist of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Toronto Concert Orchestra; founding member of the Blythwood Winds woodwind quintet, Toronto, Canada
Luisa Mintsaeva, Russia
Judge of 2021 Fall Competition
Affiliation: Concert Harpist; Principal harp at Moscow State Symphony Orchestra; Artist of Pyotr Fomenko Workshop Theatre, Moscow, Russia; Visiting harpist at Nordic Pulse Ensemble directed by Kristian Jarvi, State Opera of Tatarstan, and National Symphony Orchestra of The Republic of Bashkortostan
Professor Xu Dongliang, China
Judge of 2021 Fall Competition
Affiliation: Professor of Percussion instruments at China Conservatory of Music; Director of International Percussion Education Association (IPEA), China
Summer Festival 2021
Professor Dr. Meiling Jin, USA
Judge of 2021 Summer Festival
Affiliation: Founder of Taichi and Piano Study; Visiting Professor at Guangxi Arts Institute, Nanning, China; Former Piano faculty at Lubbock Christian University, TX, USA
Professor Yana Lisak, Russia
Judge of 2021 Summer Festival
Affiliation: Concert Pianist; Professor of Piano Studies at Voronezh State Academy of Arts, Voronezh, Russia
Professor Tatyana Timoshenko, Russia
Judge of 2021 Summer Festival
Affiliation: Violin Faculty at the String Department of Voronezh College of Music for gifted children; Head of the Voronezh Group of violinists and cellists, Voronezh, Russia
Dr. Mikhail Johnson, Jamaica
Judge of 2021 Summer Festival
Affiliation: Composer and Pianist; Owner of a publishing label "Johno Muzik Publications", Jamaica
Dr. Roman Placzek, USA/Czech Republic
Judge of 2021 Summer Festival
Affiliation: Cello Faculty at Opus Ithaca School of Music; Concert Artist and Cellist at Nezhdanova-Placzek Duo, Ithaca, USA
Anna Rakhmanova, Austria/Russia
Judge of 2021 Summer Festival
Affiliation: Founder and CEO of "Grand Event Projects" Music Agency, Moscow, Russia; Concert Pianist and Music Manager, Vienna, Austria
Rachel Boyd, USA
Judge of 2021 Summer Festival
Affiliation: Jazz Vocalist; Producer, KTTZ-FM, Texas Tech Public Media, Lubbock, Texas, USA
Spring Competition 2021
Dr. Charles Whitehead, USA
Chief Judge of 2021 Spring Competition
Affiliation: Concert and Jazz Pianist; Former Adjudicator for the Texas Tech Jazz Festival
Professor Valentina Yablonskaya, Russia
Judge of 2021 Spring Competition
Affiliation: Assistant Professor of Piano Studies at Belgorod State Institute of Arts and Culture; Artist of Belgorod State Philharmonic Orchestra, Belgorod, Russia
Professor Lubov Skorobogatova, Russia
Judge of 2021 Spring Competition
Affiliation: Violin faculty at the String Instruments Department of the Voronezh music school; Director of the strings ensemble Caprise, Voronezh, Russia
Professor Tianqi Luo, China
Judge of 2021 Spring Competition
Affiliation: Associate Professor and Director of Modern Instrumental Music and Percussion Studies Department at Shanghai Conservatory of Music; Vice President of China Music National Percussion Association; Deputy Director of Percussion Professional Committee at Shanghai Association of Musicians; Executive Director of IPEA International Percussion Education Association, China
Professor Xiaochuan Li, China
Judge of 2021 Spring Competition
Affiliation: Professor of Trumpet and Jazz Studies at Shanghai Conservatory of Music; Winner of Best Jazz Album of the 1st CMA music awards; Winner of Best Instrumental Album and Best Studio-Recording Album of the 1st JZ Awards, China
Professor Dr. Kevin Zhao, China
Judge of 2021 Spring Competition
Affiliation: Visiting Professor of Piano at the Music Performance Department of the Preschool Education College, HN, China
Alexandra Zaryankina, Russia
Judge of 2021 Spring Competition
Affiliation: Soloist of the Saint Petersburg Chamber Theater of Classical Operetta, Saint Petersburg, Russia
Sviatoslav Moskalenko, Russia
Judge of 2021 Spring Competition
Affiliation: Artist and Head of the Clarinet Division of Voronezh State Philharmonic Orchestra; Co-Founder of "Voronezh Woodwind, Brass, and Percussion Society", Voronezh, Russia
Winter Festival 2021
Professor Dr. Xin Wang, China
Judge of 2021 Winter Festival
Affiliation: Assistant Professor of Piano and Piano Pedagogy at Zhengzhou University School of Music, China
Professor Anastasia Timoshenko, Russia
Judge of 2021 Winter Festival
Affiliation: Professor of Violin Studies at State Music and Pedagogical Institute named after M.M. Ippolitov-Ivanov, Moscow, Russia; Artist of State Symphony Orchestra "New Russia", Moscow, Russia
Professor Dr. Gregory Brookes, USA
Judge of 2021 Winter Festival
Affiliation: Associate Professor of Voice at Texas Tech University, TX, USA
Dr. Elena Nezhdanova, USA
Judge of 2021 Winter Festival
Affiliation: Piano faculty at Cary School of Music and UNCSA Community Music School, North Carolina
Dr. Catalin Iacob, USA
Judge of 2021 Winter Festival
Affiliation: Piano faculty at Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Marija Maksimova, Macedonia
Judge of 2021 Winter Festival
Affiliation: Piano faculty at National Music Educational Centre named after Sergej Mihajlov, Macedonia
Maise Au, Hong Kong
Judge of 2021 Winter Festival
Affiliation: Founder of Hong Kong Creative Association, Mentoring in Motion; Performer and Honored pedagogue of Harp Studies
Lola Smolokowski, Switzerland
Judge of 2021 Winter Festival
Affiliation: Founder of "HomeOrchestra", CEO of Smolokowski Music Management, Canton of Zoug, Switzerland
Fall Competition 2020
Professor Dr. Tatiana R. Mann, USA
Chief Judge of 2020 Fall Competition
Affiliation: Assistant Professor of Practice in Keyboard Studies at Texas Tech University, TX, USA; Artistic Director of “New Deal Concert Series”, Little Rock, USA
Professor Svetlana Pilchena, Russia
Judge of 2020 Fall Competition
Affiliation: Head of the String Department of the Moscow children’s music school named after Anatoly Alexandrov, Moscow, Russia; Vice President of International Music Project Gilels-Kogan
Professor Maria Rybina, Russia
Judge of 2020 Fall Competition
Affiliation: Professor of Piano and Organ Studies at State Music and Pedagogical Institute named after M.M. Ippolitov-Ivanov, Moscow, Russia
Dr. Charles Whitehead, USA
Judge of 2020 Fall Competition
Affiliation: Concert and Jazz Pianist; Former Adjudicator for the Texas Tech Jazz Festival
Professor Zhang Xiaolu, China
Judge of 2020 Fall Competition
Affiliation: Professor and Director of Jazz Studies at Shanghai Conservatory of Music; Endorsing Artist for YAMAHA Saxophones and Rico Reeds
Professor Sergei Skorobogatov, Russia
Judge of 2020 Fall Competition
Affiliation: Head of Woodwind and Brass Department at Voronezh Musical College; Professor of Trombone at Voronezh State Academy of Arts; Artist of Voronezh State Opera and Ballet Theatre, Voronezh, Russia
Spring Competition 2020
Professor Maria Agibalova, Russia
Chief Judge of 2020 Spring Competition
Affiliation: Professor of Chamber Ensemble and Collaborative Piano at Voronezh State Academy of Arts, Voronezh, Russia
Olga Kirianova, Russia
Judge of 2020 Spring Competition
Affiliation: Artist of Maly Theatre in Moscow; Visiting artist at Moscow State Symphony Orchestra, Moscow, Russia
Professor Dr. Sun Yong Hwang, USA
Judge of 2020 Spring Competition
Affiliation: Professor of Piano Studies at the University of Texas Permian Basin, Odessa, Texas, USA
Spring Competition 2019
Valentina Ignatova, Russia
Chief Judge of 2019 Competition
Affiliation: Artist of Opera and Ballet Theatre; Artist of Voronezh Symphony Youth Orchestra, Voronezh, Russia