INSTRUMENTAL COMPETITION JUDGES
GREGORY CHERNINSKY – Chair
Former Principal Conductor of the Symphony Orchestra at the famous Stolarsky Special High School of Odessa (Ukraine); founding Music Director of the Odessa Chamber Orchestra. In 1986 the First prize Winner at the National Competition of Chamber Orchestras. Guest conductor of numerous orchestras.
Gregory Cherninsky was born in Odessa, Ukraine. After graduating musical college, he studied conducting and music theory at the Conservatory of Odessa, Ukraine. Mr. Cherninsky started his professional career as Music Director and Conductor of the Odessa’s Boys Chorus. In 1977 he gathered together well-known musicians in Odessa to create the Chamber Orchestra of Odessa. He was conductor of the orchestra for 11 years. During this time the Chamber Orchestra of Odessa won first prize at the National Competition of Chambers Orchestras. As a result, it performed numerous concerts all over the former Soviet Union. In 1982 Mr. Cherninsky became conductor of the Odessa Philharmonic Orchestra and was appointed Principal Conductor of the Symphony Orchestra at Stolarsky Special High School. Together with the Chamber Orchestra of Odessa, Gregory Cherninsky participated in many Chamber Music Festivals, such as “White Nights,” St. Petersburg, (Russia); “Komitas,” Yerevan, (Armenia); and “White Acacia,” Odessa, (Ukraine).
In 1988 Gregory Cherninsky emigrated to the United States with his family. He now lives in Los Angeles, California. In 2001 he joined “The David Nowakowsky Foundation” and served as a Director and Conductor of “The David Nowakowsky International Music Festival.” Cherninsky still works as an editor of the David Nowakowsky archives, editing and arranging the composer’s manuscripts for publications and/or performance. In 2003, Mr. Cherninsky founded the Beverly Hills International Music Festival and Master Classes. As a Music Director and Founder of the BHIMF, he devoted all his time to this event. He is currently President of the DMG Music Association, Inc.
NICK BLAGOEV is a multiple and international award-winning musical artist, scholar, and a music professor, among other professional achievements. Featured extensively on television and in the press, he is a recipient of a long list of distinguished honors, grants and recognition for his classical and jazz trumpet performance, pedagogical accomplishment and academic achievement: a two-time Eubie Blake and Maurice André Scholar and Grant recipient for his Ph.D. music performance study at New York University; a teaching fellowship and a Master’s Degree in music education from the University of Wisconsin Graduate School of Fine Arts; the Open Society Educational Grant, from Open Society Institute & Soros Foundations Network, founded by billionaire and philanthropist George Soros; the honorary Distinguished Master’s Thesis Award for his groundbreaking research, now registered with the Library of Congress; and many others.A deeply expressive performing artist/composer and a highly skilled music mentor with 15 years of extensive music teaching experience on all academic and artistic levels and age groups, who is able to effortlessly convey to others complex knowledge, Mr. Blagoev is the creator of Artistic Music Performance: The Art of Self-expression©™, a groundbreaking music performance method for highly refined artistic music performance. Taught by him internationally to instrumental and vocal performing artists, privately and in a master class format, Nick’s original approach has inevitably received inspired superlatives from the artists, and produced immediate and lasting artistic results. He has advised county officials and school districts on arts program development as well as created, implemented and led music programs for numerous elite preparatory and public schools throughout Southern California.
DIANA VOLMAN was born in Moldova and holds a Master Degree in Piano Performance from the Moldova State Conservatory of Music. She is a winner of the sixth international Tchurlyonis competition and the first prize winner of the Rachmaninoff All-State competition. She studied with such eminent teachers as Dmitry Bashkirov, Yevgeny Shenderovich and Vitaly Margulis. In 1990 she immigrated to Los Angeles, where she has taken an active role in the cultural life of the community. As an accompanist , solo performer and chamber music collaborator, she has played thousands of concerts in such venues as Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, The Thousand Oaks Civic Auditorium, Orange County Center for the Performing Arts and the San Gabriel Auditorium. Mrs. Volman has received numerous recognitions from the City of West Hollywood for her participation in the cultural life of the Russian Community, among them is The Role Model of the Year 2011. She also established herself as a successful piano teacher – her students have been winners of many competitions.
Dr. MISHA KOPITMAN is a Ukrainian-born professional pianist, composer, writer and a dance critic. He has served as a music editor for Creative Child magazine.
He is also a well contributed author in performing arts publishing. His dance reviews have been published on Dancer.com and other publications. Dr. Kopitman divides his time between busy studio performing career, lecturing, compositing. and piano teaching practice in San Gabriel Valley and Beverly Hills areas.
VOCAL COMPETITION JUDGES
AGASSI TOPCHIAN worked as a reporter for “Новый Взгляд” (New Outlook) Moscow-based weekly published by Evgeniy Dodolev, a well-known Russian publicist and journalist. Agassi Topchian was promoted by Mr. Dodolev to the position of Editor-in-Chief and after moving to the United Stated in 1993, he established a presence of The New Outlook International publication in Los Angeles. He represented “ALLA” magazine (published by Alla Pugacheva ); co-published and edited The West Hollywood Tribune biweekly publication. His articles and interviews were published in dozens of publications in the United States and Russia. From 2000 to 2004 Agassi Topchian served as a member of the Russian Advisory Board in the City of West Hollywood. In 2001, he became the Director of the
Russian Style annual cultural festival in West Hollywood. In 2004, Agassi Topchian was appointed as a City Commissioner (Rent Stabilization Commission) by Honorable Abbe Land, Mayor-Pro-Temp of the City of West Hollywood.
FIRANGIZ RAGIMBEKOVA was born in Baku – the most international city of of the former USSR. She was raised in a musical family where the oldest sister played the piano; her older brother played the guitar and little Firangiz was the soloist. Her parents loved music and always supported Firangiz’s passion and desire for becoming a professional singer. At the first competition for the best national vocalist for the Republic of Azerbaijan, the youthful 15 year-old Firangiz won first place and was recognized by the legendary Rashid Beybutov who led her to the path of professionalism. Firangiz went on to work in the Azerbaijan Philharmonic and AzConcert, while continuing to attend school at the Institute of the Performing Arts of M. Aliyev. In 1983 Firangoz received an award after participating in a All Union competition in Moscow. She performed in the most prestigious forums across the world and in the republic of the former USSR.
Her band, Ashugi and Polad Bul-Bul Ogli played a big role in her artistic career. Those were years of intense education in art, music and professionalism. In 1986, Firangiz represented her native country in the first international competition in Yurmala, Latvia, where she received a prize for an outstanding performance of a national folk song in its contemporary interpretation.
From 1988 to 1993, Firangiz was a soloist in the Big Band Orchestra of Azerbaijan Television and Radio under the management of Rafik Babayev. During these years, Firangiz toured across the former USSR, shot countless music videos and television shows. In 1992 Firangiz once again represented her native country as a guest star at the International Festival Voice of Asia. In the same year she debuted in a feature film the Engagement Ring directed by Ramiz Azizbeyli where she played an outstanding main role of Seda.
In 1993 Firangiz immigrated to U.S. with her daughter Raisa, and continues her successful career in Los Angeles. In 1999 she joined her destiny with that of a talented actor, artist and architect Raymond Antoni who supports his wife in all her recent projects. In 2003, Firangiz released her latest album, Beautiful and dedicated it to her mother land and her fans living in Azerbaijan and across the world.
TATYANA CSARYCHEVA – President and CEO of Entertainment Company Rullywood. She has emerged as one of the entertainment industry most influential people to watch. After being a TV Host she became a Producer for TV Shows. She is the one of the great singers working in Los Angeles. As founder of Rullywood she is a visionary who has created an Avenue for International musicians, actors and actresses, producers, singers, artists, comedians and other entertainment industry professionals to connect with their audiences through new media concepts and an amazing TV show “Who’s who in Hollywood! With International flavor”. She began her career as a musician and a singer, establishing relationships with entertainment heavyweights in Eastern Europe. Known to stage at the age of 9, young Scarycheva made her debuts with concerts as a soloist of the State Children’s Choir and Orchestra, she then studied singing and piano. Her talented parents and famous brother, – composer, super star and the legend of 80’s and 90’s in Russia, – Sergey Sarychev, were always next to her. At age of 14, Tatyana started helping her brother with voice recordings in his sound-studio Alpha. With music classes in Mussorgsky Music University in Russia, at age of 16, she became a chorus conductor for City Choir of physicians. At the age of 17, she was seated as a judge for Talent Competitions, next to generals of Russian Army and other high officials. She then continued her studies in Astrakhan State Conservatory on the conductor of choral department. Csarycheva got her training from some of the best music teachers, professors, respected and honored people of Russia. Since 1995, Tatyana has been living in Los Angeles. In 2012 she became the Cover Girl for Russian women’s favorite magazine in California, – “City Girl” , for her work with Russian community in Los Angeles.
An Award Winning Classical Vocalist YULIA RONSKAYA began her professional career while still a student at the Moscow State Gnesin Conservatory. The talented young soprano made her debut with the Moscow State Opera as Tatiana in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin. After receiving her degree in Voice and Drama, Ms. Ronskaya continued performing with the Moscow State Opera in leading roles of the classical repertoire.
She also collaborated with the Moscow Contemporary Opera and Moscow State Society of Ancient Music; she stared in the motion picture “Dissidents” (Mosfilm), and recorded the soundtrack for the Pushkin’s Theater production of the Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream directed by G. Sprung (Canada)
Since arriving in California in 1992, Ms. Ronskaya has performed Recital Series throughout the United States as well as in Europe and Asia, and recorded the soundtrack for the motion picture “Little Odessa” directed by James Gray (New Line Cinema/Live Entertainment)
In 1994 Ms. Ronskaya was personally invited by HM Queen Sirikit of Thailand to perform a Recital Series at the Royal Palace in Bangkok on the occasion of Her Majesty’s 60th birthday.
In 1996, 1997, 2000 , and 2006 Yulia returned to Moscow for concerts with the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra under direction of Veronica Dudarova.
As a vocal coach, Ms. Ronskaya started giving voice instructions while still in conservatory, helping her fellow students overcome their vocal difficulties. Upon arriving in the US, she immediately started a private practice. Among students, members of San Francisco Opera Chorus, soloists of Berkeley Opera, members and soloist of Oakland Gay Men’s Chorus, Oakland Youth Chorus, San Francisco Girls Chorus. Many of her students received awards from various Voice Competitions and Diplomas from best Music Schools in the US including New England Conservatory, Indiana Conservatory, Oberlin Conservatory, and currently have successful professional singing and acting careers.
In 2008 Ms. Ronskaya relocated from San Francisco Bay Area to Los Angeles, and in November of 2012 she received a Hollywood Music in Media Award for her recently released album Les Frissons D’Amour.
Yulia continues to perform solo recitals, coach private voice student, and working on her next CD to be released in 2014.