International Piano Competition Almaty

National Artiste of Republic of Kazakhstan, Professor, the laureate of State Premium of Republic of Kazakhstan, the Holder of Order of Arts and Literature, France. The outstanding Kazakh pianist, representing the culture and arts of Kazakhstan in the world. After the Grand-Prix on Margaret Long and Zhak Tibo International Competition in France (1983) and the Grand-Prix on Chamber Ensembles International Competition (1985) she started active concert life, which was enlarged after getting the independence of Kazakhstan. Jania Aubakirova regularly gives the concerts with well-known orchestras in Kazakhstan, the most famous halls in France, Great Britain, Germany, Japan, Russia, Poland, Italy, the USA, Israel, Greece, and Hungary. She played in Salle Pleyel (Paris), Salle Gaveau (Paris), Big Hall of the Moscow State Conservatory, Barbican Hall, Wigmore Hall (London), Vigoda Hall (Budapest), Moscow International Music House, Saint-Petersburg Philharmonic Hall, Concert House (Berlin).
In 1998 Jania Aubakirova found the music agency “Classica”, on the basis of which were organized the concerts in more than 18 countries all over the world, recorded over 30 CDs, were made more than 20 musical films about Kazakh artists Jania Aubakirova is one of the best experts and organizers in the sphere of Higher Education. Since 1997 she is the Rector of Kazakh National Conservatory after Kurmangazy. Under her guidance the conservatory became not only the leading musical university of the country, but the cultural and educational center of the republic. Among the results of her work are the International Program “Voskhodyaschiye zvezdy” (“Rising stars”, since 2001); college named after Jania Aubakirova (private institution, working with authentic methods and modern technologies); Master Program “Arts Management” (founded in 2004), the aim of which is to train the professional managers in the sphere of culture and arts; international piano competition and modern music festivals. www.aubakirova.kz

"His performance brought a veritable roar of approval from the audience", ", wrote the Irish Times.

Pavel Nersessian was born in 1964 and began his piano studies at the age of six. After graduating with a gold medal in 1982, Mr. Nersessian entered the Moscow State Conservatoire to study with Professor Boris Shatskes and Sergei Dorensky. Upon graduating from the Conservatoire in 1987 with maximum marks - a rare distinction - Professor Dorensky asked him to become his assistant in the Conservatoire where he currently teaches.

Pavel Nersessian has won prizes in every piano competition he has entered, including 2nd prize in the Beethoven Competition in Vienna in 1985, the International Piano Competition in Tokyo, and 4th prize in the Paloma O'Shea International Piano Competition in Santander in 1987. He began concert touring in Russia and the surrounding states from the age of eight and, since his remarkable success in international competitions, has performed extensively in Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, Hungary, Japan and USA.

The American conductor Stephen Gunzenhauser received a Bachelor of Music degree from Oberlin College, a Master of Music degree from the New England Conservatory and a Diploma from the Salzburg Mozarteum in Austria following three successive Fulbright scholarship grants. He was also awarded the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Widener University. Gunzenhauser served both Igor Markevich in Monte Carlo and Leopold Stokowski in New York before becoming Executive and Artistic Director of the Wilmington Music School in 1974.

In 1979, Stephen Gunzenhauser was appointed Conductor and Music Director of the Delaware Symphony Orchestra. Mr Gunzenhauser is also Conductor and Music Director of Lancaster Symphony in Pennsylvania.
The State of Delaware appointed Stephen Gunzenhauser to be the state's First Cultural Ambassador in 1990. In December 1999, Stephen Gunzenhauser was presented with the Order of the First State, the highest accolade awarded by the Delaware State Government.
Maestro also was Artistic Director of the first International Music Festival in Pennsylvania-The Endless Mountain Music Festival in Wellsboro Pennsylvania. During many years he is a honorable guest of different concert halls, festivals and competitions.
Stephen Gunzenhauser is a prolific recording artist and has sold over two million discs. www.lancastersymphony.org

Is a famous violinist and conductor. Since 1970 he has been a member of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. He has conducted leading orchestras in Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland. In 2000 he was awared the Golden Honorary Cross for Science and Art for his artistic achievements by the President of Austria.

His CD recordings have been awarded numerous prices including the ‘Grand Prix du Disque’ Paris, ‘Recording of’special Merit’ USA as well as the ‘Diaposon d’Or’ Luxembourg. In 2006 M.Dittrich was apointed for vice-president of the “Vienna Mastercourses”.

The Russian musicologist, the pro-rector of the Russian Gnesins' academy of music, the musical psychologist, the professor, the doctor of art criticism; director «Arts Management School» (Russia), the president of fund «Talents of XXI century».

Lives in Moscow. Dina Kirnarskaya is one of leading experts in the field of special theory and practice system of testing musical abilities, the author of numerous seminars and trainings for teachers of music in the field of psychology of music education.

Dina Kirnarskaya actively and fruitfully cooperates with the Kazakh National conservatory within the limits of the project "Strategy of music education development".

Formed in its home city of Hanover in 1995, the sensational international concert career of the Genova and Dimitrov duo began with winning all the major piano duo competitions, including the 1996 ARD Music Competition in Munich, the 1997 Murray Dranoff Piano Duo Competition in Miami, the 1996 Tokyo Piano Duo Competition and the 1995 Bellini Music Competition in Italy. Since then the duo has performed to great public and critical acclaim at many of the major concert halls of Europe, North and South America, Asia and Africa. Festival appearances include e.g. the Schleswig-Holstein, Rheingau, Ludwigsburg, Schwetzingen, Gstaad, MDR Music Summer, the La Roque d’Antheron Piano Festival and Ravello Festivals, the Music Festival of the Hamptons, the Chopin Piano Festival in Duszniki and the Lower Saxony Music Festival. In 2002 Genova & Dimitrov played at the opening of the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, and also performed for the EXPO 2000 world exhibition in Hanover.In the fall of 2008, Genova and Dimitrov will join the faculty at the Hannover State Academy of Music and Theatre to teach piano duo performance. www.genova-dimitrov.com