Ocean Beasts

Elena Baksht received her Master’s degree in Music from the Juilliard School after studying at the Moscow Conservatory and the Manhattan School of Music, she currently teaches piano at the College of Music at Michigan State University.  Ms. Baksht performed with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 11 and has since played at numerous world renown venues such as Carnegie Hall and with such distinguished organizations as the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra and the Miami Symphony; she combines her passion for music with her poetry and is working on a film series entitled, “Tales of Russia through the Eye of Poetry and Music.”  Her full biography can be accessed at www.elenabaksht.com. 

Dmitri Berlinsky received his Master’s degree from the Moscow Conservatory and has studied at the Juilliard School, he currently teaches violin at the College of Music at Michigan State University.  He was the youngest winner in the history of the Paganini International Violin Competition in Genoa, Italy and has since won numerous prizes including the grand prize at the Montreal International Violin Competition.  Mr. Berlinsky has performed all over the world, including at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center.  Please visit his website www.dmitriberlinsky.com for more information.

Renaud Dejardin completed his cello studies in Paris and came to work with Timothy Eddy at Stony Brook University. He was laureate of several renowned international competitions including the Rostropovitch Competition in Paris, Paulo in Helsinki, Bach in Leipzig. He’s now playing regularly as a soloist and is also invited to conduct major orchestras and contemporary ensembles. He was invited to conduct at Opera National de Paris, Orchestre National de Lille, Orchestre National d’Ile-de-France and recorded many cds. Renaud Dejardin is now living in Paris, where he keeps busy with teaching, playing, and conducting.

Julia Igonina is a graduate of the Tchaikovsky Moscow Conservatory and at the age of 14 made her debut as soloist with the Belaruss State Symphony Orchestra.  She has been awarded with first prizes at several international violin competitions including the “Sion- Valais International Violin Competition” in Switzerland (2002), Novosibirsk International Violin Competition by Zakhar Bron (1998), and the Yampolsky International Violin Competition in Russia (1999) and She has performed as a soloist with many orchestras, including State Academy Symphony orchestra of Russia, Moscow State Philharmonic orchestra, Belarus Symphony, and since 2008 has been performing as first violin of the New Russian Quartet. Her full body of work can be viewed at www.juliaigonina.ru.

Natalia Khoma was awarded the Artist Diploma of Boston University and has studied at hte Lviv Central Music School and Moscow Conservatory.  She is the first and only Ukranian to become the laureate of the Tchaikovsky Competition and has played world-wide and has won top prizes at the Budapest Pablo Casals Competition, Markneukirchen (Germany) and the Tchaikovsky International Competitions, as well as first prize at the Belgrade International Cello Competition.  She is currently an Associate Professor at the College of Charleston, South Carolina and co-founder and music co-director of the Charleston Music Fest.  Her full biography can be viewed at www.nataliakhoma.com.

Leon Livshin began his piano studies at age 5 at the music school for gifted children in his native Lithuania. He then studied at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and performed across Europe and the former Soviet Union. At age 14 he was invited to play for Pope John Paul II at the Vatican. For his graduate studies, Mr. Livshin attended the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, following the Stuttgart Hochschule, where he received a Soloist diploma. In 1997, Mr. Livshin came to the United States on full scholarship to the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, where he studied with renowned American pianist Barry Snyder. Additionally, Mr. Livshin holds a doctorate degree from the Stony Brook University. As a soloist and chamber music player, Mr. Livshin has performed at venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Merkin Hall, Steinway Hall, Cologne Philharmonic, Berlin Music HochSchulle, Vienna Koncerthaus, Zurich Town Hall, Moscow White Hall, and the United Nations. He has also been broadcast on National Public Radio, as well as classical radio in Boston and Rochester.

Anna Rabinova studied at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory and began performing with the Moscow State Symphony at the age of 13; she is currently a member of the New York Philharmonic and a faculty member at the Manhattan School of Music.  Ms. Rabinova has performed around the world in elite venues that include the Shauspielhaus, Berlin, Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall and with such noted orchestras as the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra, the Moscow Radio Orchestra and the Berlin Symphony.  For more information about Ms. Rabinova’s exemplary career, please view Anna Rabinova of the NY Philharmonic.

Yoram Youngerman is a Visiting Professor of violin at Duke University and is currently on the faculty of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.  He has performed extensively around the world including at Lincoln Center and the Barbican Center, London.  Mr. Youngerman is the founder of MYCO@UNC YOuth Chamber Orchestra that was recently invited to tour China.  For more information about this outstanding performer, please visit his site at: music.unc.edu/facstaff/youngerman.