Juriu / Jury

Erato Alakiozidou

Erato Alakiozidou is a Greek pianist deeply dedicated to contemporary music, having spent over two decades delving into and championing the works of 20th and 21st-century Greek composers. Her commitment has garnered her the honor of having esteemed contemporary composers dedicate their works to her, leading to more than 150 world premieres performed under her adept interpretation. Her fervor extends to innovative projects, artistic exploration, and educational initiatives, where she artfully merges the realms of arts and piano performance.

Her contributions to the artistic realm have garnered exceptional recognition, with accolades from the Greek Union of Greek Reviewers for Theatre and Music. As a founding member of ensembles and festivals, as well as her involvement with the nonprofit organization „beArtive,” she has made substantial contributions to the musical community. Her journey has taken her to prestigious concert halls and festivals across Europe, leaving audiences captivated and earning praise. Her performances have graced Greek, Bulgarian, and German state media broadcasts.

As a founder of ensembles and festivals, Alakiozidou actively nurtures musical communities. Her role as a visionary educator at the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki, where she heads the Accompaniment Department and the Athens Conservatoire underscores her commitment to nurturing future musicians. In 2020, she embraced the position of Artistic Director at the Pylaia-Hortiatis Municipal Conservatory, solidifying her leadership in shaping musical education.

Alakiozidou’s musical journey commenced at the State Conservatory of Greece under E. Papazoglou, where she earned a Soloist Diploma with the highest distinction. Her insatiable thirst for learning led her to esteemed pedagogues, culminating in a „Diplome Superieure du piano” with top honors. She refined her artistry under the guidance of Brazilian virtuoso Roberto Szidon and other revered mentors. Her comprehensive studies extend to advanced theoretical domains, earning her diplomas in Harmony, Counterpoint, Orchestration, and Fugue through scholarships.

Her influence continues to spread through invitations from musical associations to serve as a jury member for competitions and to conduct master classes throughout Europe. Her recordings, available on Subways Music, Ankh Productions, Protasis Productions, Odradek Records, and Da Vinci Records, provide an auditory exploration of her diverse repertoire.

Additionally, Erato Alakiozidou is a promising PhD candidate at the Universidade de Aveiro, enrolled in the Doctoral Program in Artistic Creation.

Branislava Ranitovic

Branislava Ranitović, born in Smederevo, Serbia, embarked on a musical journey that would shape her into a versatile and accomplished artist. In 1991, she graduated from the Faculty of Music in Belgrade, attaining an outstanding master’s degree with a specialization in piano studies

Continuing her pursuit of excellence, Branislava enrolled in magistar’s studies in 1992, a program renowned as the pinnacle of piano studies in Serbia at the time. Her 1997 magister’s thesis, titled „Development of the sonata through the works of Scarlatti, Beethoven, Schubert, and Prokofiev,” demonstrated a profound understanding of piano dynamics and historical context.

Simultaneously, she expanded her horizons by attending lectures in the media department at the Faculty of Music, exploring Multimedia projects. These studies equipped her with insights into the integration of musical content with various media forms, leading to innovative concert experiences and multimedia presentations.

Since 1991, Branislava has served as a dedicated educator at the music school „Kosta Manojlović” in Smederevo, specializing in piano, chamber music, and accompaniment.  Her pedagogical contributions have borne fruit, with her students consistently achieving top honors in prestigious competitions both within Serbia and internationall. Beyond her role in education, she has garnered acclaim as an accompanist, earning prizes  at both national and international competitions.

As a soloist and accompanist, Branislava has graced stages in Serbia, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Macedonia. Her repertoire spans solo performances, piano duos, and collaborations with various chamber ensembles. An annual highlight is the concert featuring the wind department’s most accomplished students.

In addition to her artistic endeavors, Branislava has contributed as a jury member for competitions in Belgrade, Kragujevac, Smederevo, Serbia; Timisoara, Romania; Tritace, Italy. Notably, she is the founder and President of ULJUS (The Arts Appreciation Society) and the driving force behind the International Piano Competition Smederevo, Member of the Alink-Argerich Foindation. Since its inception in 2014, the competition has attracted over 3000 young artists from 60 countries, solidifying its place as a prestigious event in the global music scene.

Sugiura Nariaki

Un pianist cu cariera internațională, Sugiura Nariaki a susținut recitaluri si concerte in SUA, Europa, America de Sud si Asia, incluzând săli de prestigiu precum Weill Recital Hall din Carnegie Hall (SUA), Symphony Hall din Shenzen Concert Hall (China), „Ferenc Liszt” Music Academy Recital hall (Budapesta, Ungaria), Daejeon Arts and Cutural Center Hall (Correa de Sud), Manoel Theater (Malta), Kioi Hall (Japonia) si Museo de Arte (Puerto Rico). In calitate de soloist, a concertat cu Greater Grand Forks Symphony Orchestra, Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra, Peking University Affiliated High School Concert band and UND Chamber Orchestra.

In prezent, dr. Sugiura este profesor titular la Universitatea din Dakota de Nord. Studenții săi au primit premii și burse de la competiții muzicale locale, regionale și naționale. Deseori, el este in juriu la diverse competiții naționale și internaționale de pian din Statele Unite și Asia. Sugiura susține o bogata activitate pedagogica, pana in prezent fiind afiliat unor instituții precum PePauw University, Indiana University si Lamont Summer Pre-College Music Cademy din Denver si Guangdon University of Foreign Study, China. De asemenea, a susținut numeroase cursuri de măiestrie la instituții din întreaga lume, dintre care Civico Instituto Musicale „V. Baravalle” (Italy), „Leo Weiner” Music Academy (Budapesta, Ungaria), Shenyang Conservatory of Music (China), National Kaohsiung Normal University (Taiwan), Ewha Womens University si Sunhwa Arts High School (coreea de Sud), Universitas Pelita Harapan (Indonesia), St. Paul’s College (Hong Kong).

Împreuna cu violoncelista Romana dr. prof. Simona Barbu, Sugiura Nariaki este membru inițiator al formației Duo Cantabile care a luat ființa in 2012. De atunci, duo-ul a susținut concerte, cursuri de măiestrie si conferințe la instituții muzicale prestigioase din întreaga lume printre care, Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst din Mannheim (Germania), Zoltan Kodaly EZI Kecskemet (Ungaria), Conservatorul de Muzică Xinghai (China), Universitatea Națională de Arte Taipei (Taiwan), Universitatea din Antioquia (Columbia) și Universitatea din Minnesota (United States). De asemenea, ca ansamblu au fost invitați sa participe la evenimente de prestigiu din SUA precum seriile de concerte a Muzeului de Arta din Dakota de Nord, Festivalul estival de Muzica din Greencastel (Indiana), Masterworks Music Festival (Ohio) și, cel mai recent, în Warsaw Summer Classical Concert Series (Indiana).

Programele de concert ale duo-ului includ adesea transcripții și piese nou comisionate de la compozitori americani contemporani. Două dintre cele mai recente compoziții sunt „Suite for Cello and Piano” (2021) compusă de Bruce Stark și „Suite for Cello and Piano «A Universal History of Nobleness»” (2022) compusă de Alejandro Drago, incluse în înregistrarea duo-ului ce a fost lansată în toamna anului 2024.

Originar din Japonia, Sugiura a început studiile de pian cu mama sa la vârsta de cinci ani. El a completat studiile superioare muzicale la „Indiana University Jacobs School of Music” din Statele Unite ale Americii, fiind student al profesorilor Michel Block and Shigeo Neriki. A câștigat premii la numeroase competiții, precum premii de top la Concursurile Indianapolis Matinee Musicale din 1999 și 2000, a fost laureat al Concursului Național de Muzică din Tokyo în 1993 și al Concursului Anual de Muzică din Spania și America Latină în 1999. In timpul studiilor la Indiana University, Sugiura a lucrat ca pianist de studio pentru celebrul violoncelist Janos Starker.

Zsigmond Gábor Zoltán

Education

2006 – 2013 | Szeged, Hungary
Bachelor’s Degree in Piano and Music Pedagogy
University of Szeged, Faculty of Music

2007 – 2014 | Szeged, Hungary
Accompanist
University of Szeged, Faculty of Music

2013 – 2014 | Szeged, Hungary
Piano Teacher
University of Szeged, Faculty of Music

2007 – 2010 | Zákányszék, Hungary
Piano Teacher, Accompanist
Zákányszék Primary School and Art Education Institution

2009 – 2010 | Szeged, Hungary
Piano Teacher, Accompanist
Hammido Primary Art School

2010 – Present | Szeged, Hungary
Piano Teacher, Accompanist, Deputy Director
Király-König Péter Music School

• Piano Teacher and Accompanist: 2010–2014
• Deputy Director: 2014–2019

2011 – 2018 | Szeged, Hungary
Piano Teacher
Táltos Talent Development Primary and Art School

2011 – Present | Szeged, Hungary
Managing Director
Giovani Artisti Commercial and Service Ltd.

2019 – 2020 | Szeged, Hungary
Methodology Instructor
University of Szeged, Faculty of Music, Bartók Béla Department

May 18 – May 21, 2023 | Timișoara, Romania
Jury Member
Alma Cornea Ionescu International Piano Competition, Pre-University Section, Ion Vidu Art High School

2004 – 2009 | Szeged, Hungary
Master’s Degree in Piano Performance and Teaching
University of Szeged, Faculty of Music

Specialized in Arts, Teacher Training, and Pedagogy

Professional Experience

2015 – 2019 | Szeged, Hungary
Postgraduate Doctoral (PhD) Studies in Education Theory
University of Szeged, Doctoral School of Education Science

• Member of the MTA-SZTE Music Methodology Research Group
• Member of the SZTE Faculty of Arts Education Research Group

Organizational Skills:
• Giovani Artisti Ltd.: Established in 2011, my company directly supports our 30-member chamber ensemble in collaboration with the ART-TOUR Contemporary Arts Association and the Szent-Györgyi Albert Agora. Our activities are supported by the National Cultural Fund and the Municipality of Szeged, allowing us to organize youth classical concerts and performances.
• Király-König Péter Music School: Since August 2014, I have held the position of Deputy Director at the Király-König Péter Music School, where I assist with the work of department heads and organize concerts, camps, and events. I have also successfully applied for grants and been involved in the development and management of both paper-based and online educational administrative systems.

Manuela Iana – Mihăilescu

Ms. Manuela Mihăilescu is a graduate of the music school Ion Vidu, Timişoara, and of the Ciprian Porumbescu Conservatoire (National University of Music), Bucharest. Ms. Mihăilescu is currently piano professor at the Music Department of the West University in Timişoara. She is the recipient of numerous awards, among them: 1st prize at the 1983 Dinu Lipatti Competition, Bucharest; 1st prize at the Cantarea Romaniei Competition 1979, 1985, 1987, 1989 editions.

She specialized in the domain of interpretation at the Real Conservatorio de Musica in Madrid (Spain) by studying especially the Spanish piano music with the professor and pianist Guillermo Gonzales. She integrated the study and the interpretative experience of the pieces from the Iberia series by Isaac Albeniz into her doctoral thesis The Piano Technique Concerning the Impressionism in Music, as it Appears in the Solo Piano Works of Debussy, Ravel and Albeniz, completed at the Music University in Bucharest in November 2005, thus obtaining her PhD in music. In 2005 she published Suggestions of Approaching the Piano Works of C. Debussy, M. Ravel and I. Albeniz and Elements of Musical Language in the Piano Works of C. Debussy and in 2011 – Coordinates of the musical interpretation for the West University Publishing House in Timişoara.

Ms. Mihăilescu appears frequently with the Philharmonic orchestras from Romania (Timişoara, Arad, Oradea, Craiova, Constanţa). She is part of the Piano-Duo ansemble of the Philharmonia Banatul from Timisoara (www.filarmonicabanatul.ro/Ansambluri), an active chamber musician and recitalist, performing in the main musical centres of Romania, as well as abroad, in piano duo with Dragos Mihailescu in Germany, Italy, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Serbia, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Spain, France, Austria, Hungary, Greece.

Manuela Iana Mihăilescu was present as part of the jury at prestigious piano competitions such as the competitions in Jaen (2002, 2005) and Valencia – Jose Roca (2003), Spain; National Competition for students Belgrade, Serbia (2011); Euroregional Competition Alma Cornea Ionescu – Timisoara, Romania (2012,2014,2015, 2016, 2018, 2019), Pro Piano competition – Timisoara (2016, 2018); International Competition Citta di Cosenza, Cosenza, Italy – President of the Jury (2013), International Competition B. Bartók, Szeged, Hungary (2017).

Since 1990 she is teaching as Professor in the Faculty of Music – West University Timisoara, Romania.

She was invited to teach piano masterclass in Spain (Granada, Guadix), Italy (Adria, Campobasso, Mantova), Norway (Kristiansand – Agder University), Finland (Oulu), Bulgaria (Sofia), Portugal (Porto) and Romania (Timisoara, Oravita).

She has recorded 3 professional CDs (by Videoton Budapest, Hungary and Show Factory, Romania) with Dragos Mihailescu and she recorded also for the Romanian National Television and Romanian Radio.

Manuela Iana-Mihailescu organized 13 editions of the Music festival Zilele Muzicii la Oravita (2008 – 2019, 2022).

Adriana Dogariu

Pianista Adriana Dogariu și-a desăvârşit formarea muzicală la Universitatea Națională de Muzică din Bucureşti, apoi la Facultatea de Muzică din cadrul Universităţii de Vest Timişoara, studiind cu profesori reputaţi, precum Dana Borşan și Dragoş Mihăilescu. A urmat cursuri de măiestrie interpretativă cu Gabriel Amiras, Andrei Gavrilov, Jean Francois Antoniolli, Gerard Fremy. În anul 2010 Adriana Dogariu și-a susținut doctoratul la Universitatea Națională de Muzică din București, subiectul ales fiind literatura muzicală pentru două piane, gen muzical în care a susținut o bogată activitate concertistică, alături de pianistul Sorin Dogariu.

Este laureată a mai multor concursuri naţionale şi a Concursului Internaţional “Remember Enescu” (Bucureşti – 1999). A susţinut recitaluri în Austria, Germania, Italia, Republica Moldova si în ţară, precum şi concerte în calitate de solistă alături de Filarmonicile din Timişoara şi Arad. A înregistrat trei CD-uri (editate în 2012 şi 2013 în România şi Germania) alături de pianistul Sorin Dogariu şi tubistul Walter Hilgers. Aparițiile solistice și camerale includ muzicieni precum: Alexandra Guțu, Janos Balint, Răzvan Suma, Alexandra Crișan, Walter Hilgers, Marie Isabel Kropfitsch, Emil Sein, Cristian Miclea etc.

Adriana Dogariu este conferențiar la catedra de pian a Facultății de Muzică și Teatru din cadrul Universității de Vest Timişoara, instituție în care coordonează două programe importante: Panoramic XX și Muzica de la ora 12. Susține masterclass-uri și este invitată în jurii de concursuri. În 2005, pe o perioadă de 3 luni, Adriana Dogariu a fost invitată să îndrume o clasă de interpretare pianistică în Studioul AHN din Jejudo Island – Coreea de Sud.

Zoltán Zsigmond and Éva Pap

Dr. Zsigmondné are teachers and pianists at Béla Bartók Faculty of Arts, of the University of Szeged, Hungary. The couple forms a couple on stage and in their private lives for more than 40 years. They have a wide repertoire which extends from the baroque to the contemporary music which they perform at solo, four hands and also two pianos concerts. Both of them received many awards in the field of teaching and performing, their pupils are also debuting successfully in the national and international piano competitions (in countries like Germany, Austria, Italy, Romania and others). Prof. Dr. Zoltán Zsigmond and Dr. Éva Pap Dr. Zsigmondné are docents of the University of Szeged. Furthermore, Prof. Dr. Zoltán Zsigmond is the Head of the Piano Department. Dr. Éva Pap Dr. Zsigmondné is also a mentor teacher at SZTE Vántus István Secondary School of Music. They have been frequent participants of piano competitions in Timişoara and Deva for decades.

Mădălina Dorgo

Prof. Dr. Mădălina Dorgo, Head of the Piano Department at „Ion Vidu” Art Highschool, Timișoara, Romania, member of the jury at national and international piano competitions, is a pianist with recitals in Romania (Timisoara, Arad, Oradea, Cluj Napoca, Braşov, Sebeş, Cernica, Târgu-Mureş, Deva, Bucharest) and abroad (Hungary (Budapest), Denmark (Copenhagen, Roskilde, Rodovre), Slovenia (Celia), Germany (Leipzig, Weimar, Friedensau).

With over 20 years of teaching experience, her results include more than 300 student awards at national and international piano competitions, and over 150 student concerts and recitals on national and international concert stages.

Graduate of “Ion Vidu” National College of Art, Timișoara, with a Bachelor degree at Faculty of Music, West University of Timișoara, specialised in Instrumental Interpretation – Piano, continued with Ph. D in Music, Doctor of Music degree, with the thesis Emotion, emotionalism and stage fright in musical interpretation, at “Gh. Dima” Academy of Music from Cluj – Napoca, Romania.

Enrolled at Post-Doctoral studies, researcher at Makedonia University, Thessaloniki, Greece, she continues to try to find the right answer at the questions “How can I understand my emotions? How much do I let them control my artistic act? When is it too much really… too much, and how can we be on stage without stage fright? Because music and art are about beauty. About the joy of being on stage and in the audience.”

Amongst her numerous publications, you can find books, articles, rewarded researches and authorship, not only on Stage Fright subject, but also on Elearning, children musical education, integrating the roma children into the educational system, musical education at early ages or other subjects.

Invited as Lecturer on Stage Fright subject at Universities and Conservatories in Greece, she continues the research, involving students, artists and teachers from Spain, Italy, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Greece, Turkey, France, Romania, United Kingdom and Denmark.

Invited as member of the jury at national and international piano competitions, she is also actively involved in Erasmus+ project, Leonardo Da Vinci and POSDRU projects, tutor, teaching practice coordinator for the students of the Faculty of Music, specialization Music, Artistic Director of ”TimorgelFest” International Festival, Artistic Director of ”Baroque in contemporary situations” International Festival and Project Manager at “Alma Cornea Ionescu” Festival and International Piano Competition.

Diana Tite

Piano teacher at “Ion Vidu” Art High School in Timișoara.

After completing her studies at the “Sabin Drăgoi” Art High School in Arad, she continued her musical education at the Faculty of Music and Theatre, West University of Timișoara, specialized in Instrumental Interpretation – Piano.

In 2015, she defended her doctoral thesis at the National University of Music in Bucharest, entitled “The Piano Trio in Beethovenian Chamber Music – The Sonic Relationships between Component Instruments (Stylistic and Interpretative Analyses).”

For the past 19 years, she has been dedicated to teaching, achieving outstanding results with her students at school Olympiads as well as at national and international piano competitions.

For the last 10 years, she has been part of the organizing team for the International “Alma Cornea Ionescu” Competition in Timișoara.

Between 2016 and 2020, in partnership with the “Pro Piano – Romania” Cultural Foundation, she organized five editions of the National “Friends of Music” Competition, Timișoara Branch. Thanks to this collaboration, the students of the “Ion Vidu” Art High School in Timișoara had the opportunity to perform in instrumental recitals organized by the “Pro Piano – Romania” Cultural Foundation at the “George Enescu” Festival Square in 2017 and 2019.