STUDIES / DEGREE

Thomas Kreuzberger, born in Vienna, studied piano with Hans Petermandl and Frieda Valenzi at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Further studies with Alexander Jenner, master classes with Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Wilhelm Kempf and Grigori Sokolow. In addition, he graduated from the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna in music education (teaching qualification test with unanimous distinction).

VITA

Since 1993 professor at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, 2004 appointment as university professor and appointment to the board of the Institute II for Music Conducting at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Head of a concert class at the Music and Art Private University of the City of Vienna.

As a federal advisory board, he represents the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna at the largest competitions for young musicians (prima la musica and Gradus ad Parnassum). Thomas Kreuzberger is a lecturer and board member of the Wiener Musikseminar, holds master classes in Japan, China and the USA and is a member of the jury at numerous international competitions. Concert activity in Europe, America, China and Japan, special focus: contemporary and virtuoso literature.

PUBLICATIONS

CD recordings with works by Liszt, Schumann and Eröd as well as four-handed literature together with Elisabeth Eschwé and Krassimira Jordan.

MUSIC AND ART PRIVATE UNIVERSITY OF THE CITY OF VIENNA

since 1980

Elena Bagrova is a professor at The Gnessin Russian Academy of Music, where she teaches piano duet and chamber ensemble.

She was born in Moscow and studied piano at the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music under the guidance of prof. Lina Bulatova. Early on she devoted herself to performing and teaching chamber music and piano duet, performing in Russia, France, Germany, Norway, Italy and Lithuania, and winning 1st Prizes at numerous piano duet competitions in Russia and Lithuania. After graduating with honours she began her career at the Gnessin Academy as a teacher and accompanist.

As a professor of chamber music Prof. Bagrova has taught students from Russia, Bulgaria, Japan, Croatia, China, Korea, USA and France, with her students winning more than 100 awards at prestigious International competitions, including in Russia, Italy, UK, France, Greece, Portugal and Lithuania.

Prof. Bagrova regularly gives ensemble and music stylistics master-classes and courses and has been a jury member at various regional and international music competitions in Russia, Italy and Lithuania.

Daniel Dodds is an inspiring musical force. His enthusiasm and compelling energy on stage elicits “joie de vivre” in fellow musicians and audiences.

Concerts have led Daniel Dodds to major classical music venues in all inhabited continents, as Artistic Director of Festival Strings Lucerne, as a soloist together with conductors such as Zubin Mehta, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Oksana Lyniv, Alexander Briger and Stanley Dodds, and as a chamber musician, documented by numerous live radio and TV performances. The Hamburg Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra della Svizzera italiana, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, the Brisbane Symphony Orchestra, the Sophia Philharmonic Orchestra, the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra, the Australian World Orchestra and the Festival Strings Lucerne are amongst the orchestras with which Daniel Dodds has collaborated with as a soloist.

With his critically acclaimed solo CD “Time Transcending” released by Oehms Classics, Daniel Dodds shows that he knows no limits on the violin.

As Artistic Director of Festival Strings Lucerne, Daniel Dodds combines Festival Strings Lucerne‘s warm expressive sound, characteristic of the Viennese music tradition of it‘s founders Rudolf Baumgartner and Wolfgang Schneiderhan, together with a finely honed sense of style and musical timing, to create music that is spell binding in its depth of color and sense of drama.

This is echoed in the press:

“The five movements appeared to light up from within of their own accord. Baroque rationality and romantic emotionalism happily complemented each other…”

Frankfurter Neue Presse

“What Daniel Dodds achieved from the first desk in the Dvorak was simply splendid and lent the piece exemplary melodic intensity, sensous timbre and vigour”

Neue Luzerner Zeitung

Daniel Dodds has expanded Festival Strings Lucerne‘s repertoire to include exciting performances of works by Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Saint-Saëns, Tchaikovsky, Sibelius, Milhaud, Vasks and Gubaidulina, as well as commissioned works by Swiss composers such as Luigi Laveglia and Stephan Hodel. Enthusiastic responses from audiences the world over have led Daniel Dodds and the Festival Strings Lucerne to be invited as the first Swiss orchestra to perform at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, to inaugurate the Giovanni Arvedi Auditorium in Cremona, and to appear regularly at major music Festivals such as Lucerne Festival, Schleswig Holstein Festival, Rheingau Music Festival, Musica Insieme Bologna and Hong Kong Music Festival.

Daniel Dodds appears regularly as concertmaster of the Australian World Orchestra, working together with acclaimed conductors such as Zubin Mehta, Riccardo Muti, Sir Simon Rattle and Simone Young, and appearances as guest concertmaster include concerts with Camerata Salzburg and Mahler Chamber Orchestra.

Passionate about accompanying and advising young musicians and violinists on their musical journey, Daniel Dodds has a violin class at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. He also meets and coaches young musicians whilst on tour abroad and at the Talent week of the Festival Strings Lucerne during the summer.

Born in Australia to Australian Chinese parents, Daniel Dodds started playing violin at the age of five with Alita Larsens. He completed his violin studies with Gunars Larsens in Lucerne, Switzerland as well as Keiko Wataya in Utrecht, Holland. Daniel Dodds gained further guidance and inspiration from personalities such as Rudolf Baumgartner, Franco Gulli and Nathan Milstein, who, upon hearing Daniel Dodds rendition of a Paganini Caprice, remarked: “Who is this violinist, he could truly be Paganini‘s Grandson!”

Daniel Dodds performs on the “ex Hämmerle – ex Baumgartner” 1717 Stradivarius, kindly loaned by the Festival Strings Lucerne foundation

Ferenc Peltzer continued his higher education at the Liszt Ferenc College in Budapest and the University of Miskolc.  He played guitar music from almost every musical era.  After graduating, he turned to early music, also studied lute, but was also interested in jazz.  They also played bossa nova with a friend of a Portuguese guitarist for many years.  He is currently actively involved in the presentation of pieces by contemporary Hungarian authors.  He is a founding member of the NobilArt Art Association.  He regularly gives concerts in Hungary and the surrounding countries.  In 2010, he received an Artisjus Award for his work.

During his teaching career, his students successfully performed in various competitions and festivals, and several of them chose the music career.  He is the founder of the Budapest Music School Guitar Festival and the Guitar Chamber Music Concerts.  He was a member of the juries of several competitions (including the national guitar competition).  Since 2015 he has been an expert of the Education Office, and since 2019 he has been the head of the Szabolcs Bence Music School in Budapest.  He received an award for his work as a teacher in Belváros-Lipótváros.

Julianna Kiss was born in Hungary, she started her musician studies at the age of 5. She has received her first teacher Degree from the Faculty of Arts of the University of Miskolc in Hungary. She has a concert diploma in piano from the Faculty of Arts of the University of Pécs in Hungary. From 2012 to 2015 she studied Mentor teacher program and Kovács-method at the Budapest ELTE-PPK University. She has received her Postgraduate Degree (Piano, Art Song, Chamber Music Repertoire) in Universitát für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien. Her Professors: Thomas Kreuzberger, Eun Ju Lee, Yuko Batik. She received further impulses from professors of piano, such as Sándor Falvai, Gyöngyi Keveházi, László Gyimesi, Attila Némethy, Tamás Vásáry, Dénes Varjon, Csaba Király. Who are famous teachers of the Hungarian piano school.

She studied heritage of Liszt and Bartók and Russian piano school method from them.
She studied the fortepiano music on the Masterclass of legendary Prof. Malcom Bilson.
She studied chamber music at the Music University of Padua.
She won on several National and International Music Competition. Her repertoire is vast: it includes piano solo and several chamber music pieces.
She is a piano accompanist for several choirs.

She works in Budapest as a sought-after piano teacher and is also employed by the Hungary as a piano mentor and piano consultant.
She is an enthusiastic representative and advertiser of Kovács-method, which takes an important part in her work.

In 2013, EMMI (Ministry of Human Resources, department of Hungarian Government) adjudicated her the „Bonis Bona – For the Talents of the Nation” award, because of her prominent work in music teaching and talent management. From 2014 she is a member of „Nemzeti Pedagógus Kar” (National Teacher Faculty). She became consultant for music teachers in 2015.
Hungarian Silver Cross of Merit state award in 2023. The Hungarian Order of Merit is the fourth highest State Order of Hungary. The degrees of the Order of Merit are awarded to persons who carry out exemplary activities in the field of culture, science, art, as well as in their own field of expertise - in order to promote the interests of Hungary and increase universal human interests. The awards are granted by the President of the Republic.
Her piano students have already won close than 500 prizes at national and international
competitions.

Julianna is the founder and artistic director of the Danubia Talents International Music Festival and Competitions. She hold several masterclasses in Hungary and abroad.
She is also jury president or member at various national and international competitions in (Catania, Rome, Ischia, Orbetello) – Italy, Spain, Austria, Hungary.

As a concert pianist she tours all over Europe. She has given many charity concert in Hungary and abroad. Her artistic work includes hundreds of concerts.
She has invited to play with Daniel Lugosi clarinetist he performed live for TV broad casting. (VirtuososTalent Show) Daniel Lugosi won on the Virtuosos Talent Show.
She organized the first Casio Festival in Hungary Roma Vienna gave a concert. She has organize concerts and exhibitions for young talents and supports young talents in many ways form.

She participated with four Hungarian young students in an ERASMUS program in ITALY (2018. Music, a bridge among cultures).

Publications: dr. Kovács Géza Memory book: Kovács-method in professional piano education.

Source: http://www.hetek.hu/interju/201402/zenelni_csak_szivvel_lehet

Contacts: kissjuli.info@gmail.com, zongorilla7@gmail.com
 https://www.facebook.com/juli.kiss.520

Rintaro Akamatsu began studying the piano and the violin at the age of 2, and the cello at the age of 6. He showed remarkable talent from a very young age. At the age of 5, he made his TV debut, showcasing his skills. By the age of 10, he performed Mozart's concerto with his original cadenza. Since winning the All Japan Student Music Competition in 1990, he has achieved success in several major competitions in Japan.

His first international recognition came in 2000 when he won third prize at the Clara Schumann International Piano Competition, which featured esteemed judges such as Martha Argerich and Nelson Freire. Dr. Joachim Kaiser praised him as "really intelligent and talented" during this achievement.

After graduating from Kobe University, he received unanimous acclaim from the judges who awarded him the Diplôme Supérieur de Concertiste for both piano and chamber music at L’Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris. He excelled in chamber music, receiving full marks from all the judges. He has studied under renowned musicians such as Mikhail Voskresensky in Tokyo, France Clidat and Jean Micault in Paris, György Nádor and Kocsis Zoltán in Budapest, and Nina Patchett and Christian Ivaldi for chamber music.

He has performed with prestigious orchestras such as the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Royal Metropolitan Orchestra, Royal Chamber Orchestra, Danube Symphony Orchestra, and Silesian Philharmonic Orchestra, among others. In addition to performing in major concert halls in Japan, he has showcased his talent in the USA, Russia, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Hungary, Poland, Taiwan, and Colombia. His recordings, including "Due Domenico," "Angel del Piazzolla," "And the Bell Tolls," "Hommage a Invention," "Lascia ch'io Pianga," and "Für Clara," released under King International, have received critical acclaim from various magazines.

Moreover, he serves as a jury member for numerous international piano competitions, such as the "Danubia Talents," "Osaka," "Xabia," "Liszt," "Orbetello," "Monegrarte," and "Scandinavian" International Music Competitions. He has been invited to teach master classes in Japan, Asia, and Europe, and has had the privilege of mentoring over 1,000 musicians throughout his career. His guidance and expertise have contributed to the success of many talented individuals, who have emerged as winners in significant domestic and international competitions.

He has also authored numerous works and contributed serials to newspapers and magazines, providing insights into his experiences, knowledge, and perspectives on music. These written contributions showcase his multifaceted presence in the arts.

Currently, Rintaro Akamatsu is Professor of Osaka College of Music, Senzoku Gakuen College of Music, Utsunomiya Junior College, Budapest International Piano Masterclass. The President of the Japan Liszt Piano Academy. An ambassador for Casio.

For more information, please visit http://rintaro-akamatsu.com/.

He’s Director at “Pollini” Padova's State Conservatoire. He started to study music at Asti’s local music school, where he was violin teacher for nearly 20 years. He went on studying with Camillo Grasso (first violin at Rome’s Opera Theatre), Corrado Romano (teacher of Uto Ughi) and Franco Gulli (concert performer and teacher at Bloomington University- USA). Before getting his degree in violin he started to work for some of the most important National Orchestras (RAI national television, “Carlo Felice” Theatre in Genova, Opera Theatre in Rome, Regio Opera Theatre in Torino and some others…).

Then, he devoted himself to the study of chamber music and founded the  Athenaeum Piano Quartet that made him win several prizes in different competitions. He also performed concerts for important associations and attended Siena’s Chigiana Academy (tnanks to a grant) where he got a merit degree. He played in a quartet with Bruno Canino and Pier Narciso Masi, two of the most important Italian pianists. Besides, he often performed solo concerts and he was first violin in many Italian orchestras. He founded Asti’s Chamber Ensemble and promoted Asti’s Symphony Orchestra, whose first concert, conducted by Orio himself,  took place at the “Alfieri”  Theatre in Asti.

After taking a public examination he became a  conservatoire teacher.

He has been giving summer proficiency courses since 1999 and Masterclasses in Malaga and Oviedo, (Spain), Cyprus, Banska Bystrica (Slovak), Porto and Braganca (Portugal), Istanbul (Turkey), Timisoara (Romania), Thessaloniki (Greece), Francisco Beltrao (Brazil), China (Beijing, Nanjing, Suzhou, Wuhan, and others), Kazakistan (Astana and Almati).

He played in Italy, Swisserland, Germany, France, Austria, Finland, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Slovak, Chek Republic, Brazil, China, Kazakistan, Cyprus, Syria.

Invited by State Conservatory in St. Petersburg for an educational meeting.

In addition, he got a degree in viola.

He was often invited as a member of the Tekfen Filarmonyc Orchestra in Istanbul, formed by the best musicians of more than 20 different countries.

From november 2009 to 2015 he was director of the “Buzzolla” Conservatory of Music in Adria.

Training

Edda Silvestri completed her studies at Naples Conservatory, graduating in transverse flute (1973) at 18 with M° Ferdinando Staiano. She took this further with Jean Claude Masi and Conrad Klemm. Contemporarily she studied Composition with M° Bruno Mazzotta and Percussion with M° Antonio Bonomo.

In 1973 she won First Prize at Concorso Nazionale Musicisti in Rome. She has been a flute maestro since 1974, teaching at Campobasso and Frosinone Conservatories. Since 1990 she has held tenure at Rome’s Santa Cecilia Conservatory of Music.

Activities as Director

In the Rome Conservatory she held position of Vice Director from October 2005. She was Vice Commissioner of the Conservatory from 28 September 2006 to 9 October 2007, acting as director, pursuant to art. 6 of D.P.R. 132, 2003. She was then elected Director for the Triennial 2007/2010, and when this expired, she was reconfirmed for a further mandate until 2013.

In the two mandates available, Edda Silvestri focused on her primary objective of returning to the Santa Cecilia Conservatory its role, centrality and functions so it would again be the greatest musical educational institution in Italy. This aim was reached and how. The results obtained are important and varied: reclaiming teaching; relocating the Conservatory into the national and international productive panorama; redefining qualified relations with other Institutions in the sector; reclaiming the premises and instrumental park the Conservaory enjoys.

She saw to a systematic intervention plan, which led to the sonorisation of the Academy Hall and the construction of a research laboratory for studying sound spacing (€130,000 invested in the capital account). A multi-year purchase plan was completed, with investments equal to €230,000 to renew the instrumental park.

Interventions to statically consolidate the premises and reclaim the Academic Hall with investments of € 500,000.

Thanks to M° Edda Silvestri, who on her on volition firmly made further spaces necessary, second premises for the Conservatory, through continued work soliciting political and military Institutions, lasting three years (2010/2013), the Ministry of Defence gave Santa Cecilia Conservatory the State Property of the Santa Andrea delle Fratte Complex, ex convent, ex Royal Crew barracks, ex High Command Fifth Department premises. This means 1400 sq m, turned into halls and rehearsal rooms, just 700 metres away from the historic headquarters on via dei Greci.

Conventions and agreements

M° Silvestri has struck many conventions and agreements with national and international Organs and Institutions, firstly for the Santa Cecilia Conservatory: Tokyo – Conservatory of Tokyo (Japan); Peking Central Conservatory and Guangdong Conservatory Association (China); Kazakhistan Conservatory; Seowon University (Korea); Conservatory of Milan; then for Pianeta Arte: Xin Hua College of Sun Yat-Sen University (China); Lu Opera Group of Dongying City People’s Republic of China; Temple University; Korea Lifemusic Association (Korea); Universidad EAFIT (Colombia); Chengdu Shangkun (International) Art School international Center (China); Beijing Zhong Yikun Tecnology Training.

Since 2018, Pianeta Arte has been in the China Conservatory of Music project.

Further, on 28 September M° Silvestri was awarded the title of Honorary Director of the Art, Design and Media Faculty and the Music Faculty of Xin Hua College Of Sun Yat-Sen University.

Edda Silvestri has also enjoyed intensive concert activities.

She has been guest artist for internationally important Organs, Festivals and events. Since the ‘90s she has furthered her study of contemporary music and devoted herself to her solo repertory of different types of flute: flute in C, flute in G, bass flute.

Sándor Papp (1965) began his musical studies in Debrecen with András Tüske, then he was admitted to the Zoltán Kodály Secondary School of Music, where his teachers were István Adrovicz and István Papp.

He continued his higher education at the Bratislava Academy of Music, where he graduated as an art teacher as a student of Jozef Zsapka.

In 1990, he reached the finals of the Paris Guitar Competition.

He has attended several courses in addition to such excellent masters as Roberto Aussel, David Russel, Alirio Diaz, Gianfranco Volpato, Wolfgang Lendle.

He regularly gives concerts and courses at home and abroad (France, Italy, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, Denmark, England, Croatia, Spain, Australia, Mexico).

Guitar competitions in Hungary are related to his activities (Chilean competition of Chilean composer L. Letelier with the Debrecen Philharmonic Orchestra, work of Australian composer R. Charlton entitled “Mosaic” for guitar, percussion and string orchestra, with the string orchestra of the Béla Bartók Institute of Music of the University of Miskolc, and he played guitar competitions with the symphony orchestras of Debrecen, Miskolc, Szolnok and Szabolcs.

So far, he has released four CDs (1997, 2002, 2004, 2008). Artistic director of the Gyöngyös International Guitar Festival.

Founder of the Debrecen Guitar Quartet. He is a member of the Nobilart Arts Association.

He received his doctorate in performing in 2007 from the Bratislava Academy of Music. Subject: Francisco Tarrega (1852-1909) Spanish guitar composer, educator as a performer, educator, technical innovations and his influence on his contemporaries.

Since 1991 he has been teaching at the Béla Bartók Grammar School of Music and Dance in Miskolc, and from 1994 as a guitar teacher at the Béla Bartók Institute of Music at the University of Miskolc, and from 2019 as director of the Institute.

Egyetemi diplomáját a Liszt Ferenc Zeneművészeti Egyetem Debreceni Konzervatóriumában szerezte. Tanulmányai utolsó évében Firenzében nyert énekversenyt, majd a New York Sate University és a Greater Buffalo Opera Company ösztöndíjasa lett Amerikában.

Amerikából hazatérve egy éven át a Magyar Rádió énekese, majd a Budapesti Operabarátok Ösztöndíját nyerte el. A Magyar Állami Operaházban Puccini Bohéméletének Musetta-jaként debütált, majd olyan darabokban énekelt, mint Bizet: Carmen, Britten: Peter Grimes, Verdi: Rigoletto, Vajda: Leonce és Léna, Kacsóh: János vitéz, stb. Ezzel párhuzamosan a Debreceni Csokonai Színházban Mozart: Varázsfuvolában Pamina, Cimarosa: Titkos házasságában Carolina. Tíz éven át a Pesti Vigadóban, majd a Belvárosi Színházban működő Interoperett  primadonnája.

Együtt dolgozott többek között Lukács Ervinnel, Medveczky Ádámmal, Kovács Jánossal, Pál Tamással, Oberfrank Péterrel, Köteles Gézával, Török Gézával, Kocsár Balázzsal, Kesselyák Gergellyel, Tokody Ilonával, Wiedemann Bernadettel, Kiss B. Attilával, Kertessi Ingriddel, Temesi Máriával, Fekete Attilával, csak hogy néhány nevet említsünk. Mesterei Pászthy Júlia és Laki Krisztina voltak.

Meghívott vendégművészként fellépett Európa szinte minden országában, Ausztriában, Olaszországban, Svájcban, Belgiumban, Franciaországban, Németországban, Hollandiában, Romániában, illetve az Amerikai Egyesült Államokban.

Énekesi pályafutása mellett mindvégig a tanításnak is ugyanolyan fontos szerepet tulajdonított. Majd’ 10 évig Újpesten a magánének-tanszak vezetője. Az Erkel Opera-stúdió alapítója, művészeti vezetője, mely 2018-ban bekerült Magyar Alapfokú Művészetpedagógia Értéktárába.

Nagy sikerrel tart énekes mesterkurzusokat is.

2015 óta a Debreceni Egyetem Zeneművészeti Karának ének tanszékén tanít, mesteroktató.

2022 óta a Szinház - es Filmművészeti Egyetem oktatója.

György Gyivicsan graduated at University of Szeged - Faculty of Music in 2001 and earned university degree. During his studies he attended and remunerated several times at national competitions. After this he got admitted to the college of Freiburg as one of the pupils of the world famous musician, Mr. Branimir Slokar. During his studies at Freiburg he has won a scholarship to Berlin Radio Symphonic Orchestra and has been a major member of the orchestra for two years.

He was one of the founders of Genesis Brass that was established together with colleagues who are taking major roles in Berlin’s notable orchestras. They have recorded numerous CDs and have given concerts and live TV shows as well. After successful graduation at Freiburg he moved to Switzerland to continue his studies at Bern University of the Arts - Music Faculty.

One of the highlights of Mr. Gyivicsan’s career was the winning of the international competition in Porcia (Italy) in December 2003

After the invitation from Branimir Slokar in 2004 he became a perpetual member of Slokar Quartet. Ever since they made numerous CD-recordings and gave concerts all over the world.

He finished his studies at Bern University in 2005 and earned a soloist diploma. Afterwards he started teaching at University of Szeged - Faculty of Music as a trombone professor.

He has been regularly invited to give concerts and to host courses in countries like Portugal, Italy, Austria, Japan, Brazil, Argentina, South Korea, Slovenia and the US. In September, 2010 he was a visiting professor in New York. He also hosted a master class in Argentina at Trombonanza in 2013 where he got invited for 2015 as well. He played a solo concert at the International Trombone Festival in Iowa in 2018.

He founded the Szeged Trombone Ensemble together with his former students and performed lots of concerts. Their fourth CD ‘OVERTONALITY’ was released on 2019.

He earned a DLA at Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music Doctoral School in 2013. Mr. Gyivicsan was a member of Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra between 2013-2015.

Since 1. feb. 2019 Mr. Gyivicsan become the trombone professor of the Liszt Academy in Budapest.

Oboist, cultural art organizer

Alisa Katroshi is an internationally renowned soprano with unique ‘brown voice’ starring in title roles of classics such as Tosca and Aida throughout Europe.

Leading Roles

Alisa has starred as Mimi in La Boheme, Leonora in Il Trovatore, Cio Cio San in Madama Butterfly as well as Aida in Aida and Floria Tosca in Tosca. Further key roles have been performed by Alisa in ‘La forza del destino’ as well as ‘Un ballo in maschera’.

Defining Directors

Alisa has cooperated with directors of the calibre of Andrea Battistoni, Hermann Breuer, Daniela Candiotto, Wolfgang Seeliger, Helge Dorsch, Hans Friedrich Harle as well as Alfredo Sorichetti and performed with a number of leading orchestras such as: l’Orchestra dell’Arena di Verona, the Orchestra of the Albanian National Opera & Ballet Theatre, the Frankfurter Symphoniker Orchestra, the Rhein-Main Philharmoniker, the Orchestra of the National Theatre of Constanta as well as Radio & Television Orchestra of Tirana.

Famous Stages

Alisa has performed in recent years on stages such as Teatro Filarmonico di Verona, Teatro Nuovo di Verona, Teatro Camploy di Verona, Auditorium Della Gran Guardia di Verona, Teatro Verdi di Padova, Teatro Olimpico di Vicenza, UP Ujpesti Theatre Budapest as well as at secondary stages in Rome, Milan, Imperia, Alassio, Palermo, Taormina, Frankfurt, Mainz, Darmstadt, Budapest, Presevo and Skopje. Alisa is always welcome to her original home stage of the National Opera of Tirana.

Impactful Teachers

Alisa has been studying with Daniela Dessi (key impact on technique), Mirella Freni (key impact on interpretation of music), Marcello Lippi (key impact on artistic interpretation and dramatic personalities) as well as Alida Ferrarini, Fiorenza Cedolins and Maria Noto. She is currently studying with Sylvia Sass.

International Excellence

Alisa is the winner of multiple prestigious singing competitions from ‘Villa in Canto’ to ‘Martinelli Pertile’, from ‘O.M.E.G.A’ to ‘Cavalier Davide Vignolo’, from ‘Antonio Salieri’ to ‘Anita Qerquetti’ and more. Alisa graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Academy of Fine Arts in Tirana (2005) and Summa Cum Laude from Conservatorio di Verona (2009).Alisa spends significant time in Hungary, Albania as well as Italy.

Pier Paolo Maccarrone was born in Catania in 1978. He began studying the cello at the age of 10 with the professor Alfio Borzi. Then he continued his musical studies at the Vincenzo Bellini Music Institute of Catania with the professor Giuseppe Rizzari, Paolo Ognissanti and for many years with Benedetto Munzone. He alzo studied orchestral conducting with famous italian conductor Daniele Belardinelli.

In 2010 he obtained in Turin the qualification for cello teaching with the Suzuki method at the Suzuki Italian Institute with professor Antonio Mosca. He has been studying the performance practice of ancient instruments at the Conservatory of Music "Alessandro Scarlatti" in Palermo where he graduates the Bachelor's Degree in baroque cello and basso continuo with prof. Andrea Fossa and then he also graduates in Viola da gamba with prof. Cristiano Contadin. He obtained the Diplome in the Annual Course of Musical Interpretation and the Premium Diploma in the Orchestral Conducting Course at the "Escuela de Dirección de Orchestra y Banda" in Huelva (Spain) approved for ABRSM (Associated Board of  The Royal College of Music) with prof. Navarro Lara.

He attended cello and chamber music masterclasses with famous concertist: Anton Niculescu, Valeriano Taddeo, Alain Meunier, Sandro Laffranchini, Erich Oscar Hutter, Riccardo Bovino and Willen Ranck, Michael Flaksman,  Marianne Chen, Luc Toten, Augustin Lefevbre, Vadim Pavlov, Enrico Bronzi, Rocco Filippini. He is winner in several national and international music competitions. He has performed in numerous concerts as a soloist and in orchestra in many italian and foreign cities such as: Palermo, Siracusa, Naples, Perugia, Turin, Lucca, Florence, Rome, Graz, Nancy, Huelva. He performing also with famous soloist ssuch as:Gianpiero Sobrino, LucioDegani, Sebastiano Zorza, Claudio Marini, Enzo Ligresti, Demetrio Comuzzi, Pavel Berman, Stefano Pagliani, Claudio Marini, Jensang Lee, Bertrand Giraud, Anton Niculescu, Louis Lanzarini, Katia Ricciarelli, Marcello Giordani, Daniela Schillaci, Simone Piazzola, Lucia Aliberti, Cosetta Gigli, Massimiliano Drapello, Sergey Girscenko, Dmitry Sinkosky. He has collaborate dwith famous conductors Riccardo Muti, Carlo Rizzari, Tomaz Bugaj, Michael Brousseau, Stefano Ranzani, DaisukeSoga, Carlo Moreno Volpini, Walther Themel, Gert Meditz, Gesualdo Bufalini, Claudia Patane, Orlando Pulin, Massimo Incarbone, Antonio Florio, Francisco NavarroLara, Juan Rodriguez, Gerardo Estrada, Missak Baghboudarian, Montserrat De La Cruz.

He haspublished books for publishing houses: Simple of Macerata, Book Sprint of Salerno and other book available in Amazon. He is co-author with the famous conductor Navarro Lara of two best-sellers books in Amazon. He has recorded CDs and DVDs for the PDR record of Catania and Ragusa's Shine Records. In 2004 he obtained also a degree in Pharmacy at the University of Catania. He has been associated with the S.I.E.M (Italian Society of Musical Education) since 2008 and to the Suzuki Italian Institute. His students have already distinguished in national music contest and in auditions for  prestigious youth orchestras such as the Junior Orchestra of the National Academy of Santa Cecilia in Rome. From 2010 is President of the Cultural and Musical Association "A.M.A.C." of Gravina di Catania that is actively involved in the diffusion of classical music in Italy, organizing musical instrumental courses (with particular attention to teaching in early age). The association organize some musical events, concerts, "Nellina Cappellani Costa" Music Competition and the Santa Cecilia Music Festival at the Theater Rex according with the Etna Santa Cecilia Music Academy of Giarre (Catania). The association actively collaborates with the Haffner Orchestra of Catania and has collaborated with Sicilian Polyphonic Choir, AFEM (Euro Festival Mediterranean Association) and University of Catania.

He has been the Cello teacher at Conservatory "Fausto Torrefranca" of Vibo Valentia, in Music High School in Enna, in Conservatory in Cesena. Currently he's teaching cello at the Secondary School of Music "De Cruyllas" of Catania (Italy).