Alina Kuznjecova graduated from the Kharkiv State Institute of Arts. I. P. Kotliarevski in 1998, and in 2001 she became a piano teaching assistant at HGIIA. From 2001 to 2003 she was an intern at the NA Rimsky-Korsakov State Conservatory in St. Petersburg. She worked as a teacher of the special piano department at the Kiev State Children's Music Academy, as well as a teacher at the Central Children's Music School "A. Petrova“ in St. Petersburg.
Kuznetsova Alina Vladimirovna is a laureate of many international competitions, including the 23rd International Piano Competition B. Smetana (1998), a winner of a special award of the B. Smetana Community for the best performance of B. Smetana. She has participated in international festivals with the Symphony Orchestra: PK Lutsenko, Kharkiv Academic Opera and Ballet Theater (1998), Hradec-Kralov Philharmonic Orchestra, Adalbertium Hall (Czech Republic, 1998), Belgorod State Philharmonic Orchestra (1999), Festival ”Young Prague" with the Prague Philharmonic (Presidential Palace in Prague, 1999), Kharkiv Academic Opera and Ballet Orchestra (Kharkov, 2000 - 2001), Kharkiv State Philharmonic (Kharkov, 2001 - 2003). She has given several solo concerts in Russia, Ukraine, France, the Czech Republic, Portugal, Andorra, Denmark, Finland and Germany. She recorded for Radio Kiev (1999), as well as a CD for "Longplay Studio" (Cyprus, 2003).
She has participated in international master classes: Prague Conservatory, Vienna High School of Music, Manhattan Music School. The biography is included in the 3rd edition of the American Biographical Institute "International Who's Who of Professional and Business Women" (2003). He works as a piano professor at the University of Belgorod.
Dragomir Bratić started playing piano at the age of fourteen. He graduated from the Music School “Josip Slavenski” in Belgrade in the class of prof. Zlata Poparić with honours. He graduated piano studies and finished his master’s degree at the Department of Chamber Music (piano duo) at the Faculty of Music in Belgrade in the class of Ninoslav Zivković and Zorica Ćetković, respectively. He also attended master classes of Arbo Valdma, Igor Lasko, Pavel Nersesjan, Natalia Troull, Daniel Rivera. For the time being he works as a piano teacher at the Music School “Davorin Jenko” in Belgrade.
Dragomir is an active member of the Association of Music Artists of Serbia since 2005. From 2011 he is the director of the State competition of students of music and ballet schools of Serbia under the patronage of the Association of Music and Ballet Schools of Serbia. Also, he holds a position at the Organization Board of the International Piano Competition for Young Pianists Davorin Jenko since 2016.
Apart from an active pianist career (piano duo with Maja Rajković) Dragomir Bratić is a devoted teacher and has a wide interest in pedagogical work. He is the author of textbooks entitled „Music Culture“ for elementary schools. He took part in the debate – as author and presenter – at the 17th International Competition for Young Pianists in Šabac, “Principles of assessment in music competitions. Subjective and objective assessment?” which was accredited by the Institute for Advancement of Education.
At the Piano Competition PIANO / FVG held in May 2014 in Sacile, Italy – sponsored by the Central European Initiative Forum and Alink, Argerich Foundation – Dragomir held a lecture on the Serbian piano school, and the strengths and weaknesses of competitions.
Dragomir Bratić was co-author (with Professor Dragoljub Katunac, Novi Sad Academy of Arts and Alyosha Jurinić, Croatian pianist) at the Belgrade conference “Meeting with the artist: Frederic Chopin International Competition – Then and Now” (Chopin Fest 2016).
Dragomir is a constant jury member in nearly all national competitions, and is frequently ivited to competitions in Slovenia, Italy, Czech Republic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Germany, Hungary, Austria, France, Poland, and Georgia.
Based on the originality of approach to working with children he is one of the most talented and most successful piano teachers in his country. So far his students have won over 550 first and special awards (laureate) in Serbia and abroad, e.g. in Italy, Slovenia, France, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania, Sweden, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, USA, Rusia, Georgia… He has received numerous awards for his educational work not only in Europe but also in the USA – Carnegie Hall Award for the most successful pedagogue. Dragomir’s students are recognised performers in many prestigious concert halls of Serbia and abroad, like the Carnegie Hall in New York or the Musikverein in Vienna.
Lovre Marušić confirmed his international reputation by winning the silver medal at the prestigious piano competition in Cleveland—2021 Cleveland International Piano Competition in the USA.
He is the winner of numerous significant prizes at prestigious piano competitions, among which the following ones stand out: First prize at 20. International Competition Santa Cecilia in Porto (2018), first prize at the International Competition IMF in Paris (2018) as well as first prize, the commission award and the audience award at the International piano competition Isidor Bajić in Novi Sad (2016).
He took his first piano lessons from Rozarija Samodol in his hometown Omiš. Invited by the famous Russian pianist Natalia Trull, in 2006 he leaves for Moscow, to Central Music School at State Conservatory P. I. Tchaikovsky, which he completed successfully in 2011.
He started studying at Music Academy in Zagreb in the class of Ruben Dalibaltayan and continued in the class of Ljubomir Gašparović, where he graduated. He continues his postgraduate studies at Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt in Weimar in the class of Grigory Gruzman.
He performs with eminent orchestras and first-class chamber groups like: The Cleveland Orchestra, Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, Croatian Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra, Vojvodina Symphony Orchestra, Belgrade Symphony Orchestra, Irkutsk Philharmonic Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra of Croatian National Theatre HNK Split, Escher string quartet - New York, Zagreb soloists and Split soloists.
He received Rector’s and Dean’s award of University of Zagreb for achieving extraordinary results during studying.
As a soloist and chamber musician he performs at various festivals and concert cycles all around Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Austria, Germany, Portugal, Liechtenstein, Russia, France and the USA.
Currently he is employed at Academy of Music in Zagreb at the position of the Assistant Chair at the Piano Department, and he is the artistic director of the International Festival of Chamber Music “Ostinato” in Omiš – Croatia. He signed a representation contract with the Cristoforium Art management.
Milena Apić was born in 1968 in Belgrade. She finished primary and secondary music school in Novi Sad in the music school "Isidor Bajić" in the class of prof. Lidija Nikolic. In 1992 she graduated from the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad in the class of prof. Rita Kinka, and in 1996 she received her master's degree in the same class. During her schooling, she won awards at student competitions. The most significant recognition is the first prize at the federal competition in Dubrovnik in 1987.
During her studies, she worked as a piano associate at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad at the Department of Wind Instruments and at the School of Music "Isidor Bajić" at the solo singing department. Since the 1989/1990 school year, she has been working as a piano teacher at the „Isidor Bajić“ Elementary School, and since 1999 she has been the head of the piano department. In the period from 1994 to 1997, she also worked as a teaching assistant in the classes of prof. Rita Kinka and prof. Dusan Trbojevic at the the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad. She has performed as a soloist and as a chamber musician. She recorded for Radio Novi Sad and RTV Belgrade.
As a performer and pedagogue, she attended numerous master schools with eminent domestic and foreign pedagogues.
She has participated in the work of domestic and international piano juries. Milena Apić is one of the founders of the "Isidor Bajić" Memorial, the "Isidor Bajić" Festival and the head of the Pedagogical Forums and the Symposium of the "I. Bajić ". She is one of the initiators of EPTA-Vojvodina. In 2009, together with her colleague Dina Šuklar Vizeki, she published a book for music literacy for young beginners "Music Teacher". The book was presented at the world congresses of piano pedagogues held in 2009 and 2010 in Novi Sad, as well as at numerous presentations in Serbian schools. With her colleague Šuklar, she holds accredited seminars on the topic of introduction to music and implementation of creative methods in teaching. She experienced her true professional affirmation as a piano pedagogue, winning over 70 awards with her students at domestic and international competitions. She is a licensed professor of Royal Programs at ABRSM South-East Europe. In 2010, Milena Apić received the award of the Association of Music and Ballet Schools of Serbia for many years of exceptional results in the field of piano pedagogy, and in 2012, the
Association of Music and Ballet Educators awarded her the same award.
Nataša Veljković was born in Belgrade. The piano has been the centre of her life since she was four; she was given her first piano lesson by prof. Lili Petrović. After studies with her “Father in music” prof. Arbo Valdma in Belgrade, she was admitted to the class of prof. Paul Badura-Skoda at the Vienna Music University at the age of 14, where she graduated with distinction in 1987. This was followed by artistic consultations with Nikita Magaloff and further studies at the Juilliard School in New York under prof. Rudolf Firkušný (1988/89) and the Geneva Conservatorium under prof. Harry Datyner (1990–1992), where she acquired her second Magister artium.
Even before turning 10, she won first prizes at international youth festivals in Italy – Capua 1977 and Senigallia 1978. Amongst the many awards which she won for her exceptional pianistic performance, winning the Prix Clara Haskil, Vevey, in 1985 (1st and only prize) – one of the most high-profile of piano competitions – and first place at the World Music Masters in Paris in 1990 stand out, in particular. And many followed, such as the Orlando Award for the best concert at the Dubrovnik Festival and the UMUS Award (Belgrade) for the most successful concert of the year.
After winning the Prix Clara Haskil, a host of concerts were given across Europe: successful cooperation with the “Belgrade Strings Dušan Skovran” (concert tours through Russia and China, in 2001 release of a CD on the Belgrade label PGP-RTS with piano concertos by Bach, Haydn and Mendelssohn); with the St. George Strings in 2004 live recording (PGP-RTS) of three Mozart piano concertos; with orchestras, such as Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Tonhalle-Orchester Zurich, Zagreb Soloists, Vienna Chamber Orchestra, Capella Istropolitana, Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra Ostrava, Radio Katowice, RAI Orchestra, Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra, the Belgrade Philharmonic, Spirit of Europe etc.
Cooperation with many prominent directors, such as David Zinman, Lawrence Foster, Dimitry Kitayenko, Cristian Mandeal, Marcello Viotti, Antoni Wit, David Shallon, Emil Tabakov, Martin Sieghart and Ronald Zollman.
Participation in a considerable number of European festivals: Montreux, Berlin, Chopin Festival in Poland, Midem classique in Cannes, Juventus in Cambrai as well as the Toulouse Festival (all in France), Algarve (Portugal), Attergau Culture Summer, Carinthian Summer, International Chopin Festival Gaming and Haydn Festspiele Eisenstadt (all in Austria), Dubrovnik Summer Festival (Croatia), BEMUS Belgrade and NOMUS Novi Sad (both in Serbia), Mozart Festival Istanbul and many more. At the Vienna Konzerthaus, Nataša Veljković regularly performs at the “Music and Poetry” cycle.
Her musical interest focuses on the works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Over the past few years, she has recorded numerous CDs. Two of which (Liszt and Mozart) were recorded for the Vienna-based classical music label Zulus Records and achieved excellent international reviews. Further CDs, as mentioned above, have been released on the prominent Belgrade label PGP-RTS. In 2007 a CD with works by Robert and Clara Schumann was released on Gramola.
Nataša Veljković’s last CD was released in 2009 by the Austrian label Gramola, presenting the three piano concertos by Joseph Haydn and achieved outstanding reviews by Germany’s top critics Attila Csampai and Peter Cossé.
In 2013 she recorded the complete Works of Heinrich and Elisabeth von Herzogenberg for the German renowned record-company cpo in cooperation with the Bayerischer Rundfunk in Munich.
In 2014 she recorded of the complete solo works of Dora Pejacevic for cpo as well as the 1st recording of Ignaz von Beecke`s piano concertos.
Nataša Veljković lives and works in Vienna, where she holds an Associate Professor for the Piano at the University of Music and Performing Arts; from 2007 to 2009 she also lectured as a guest professor at the University of the Arts, Ostrava (Czech Republic). She is member of the jury at numerous major international piano competitions, i.e., Concours Clara Haskil, Vevey, Switzerland.
Born in Beli Manastir, Zlata Maleš graduated from the Sarajevo Music Academy in 1977 as an excellent student in Matusja Blum’s class, while also studying Russian language and literature. Being given a French government grant enabled her to go to Paris and study with with the famous pianist Pierre Sancan. Their collaboration continued during extended summer masterclasses in Nice (1980-1982). A versatile musician, upon returning to Sarajevo she held recitals and concerts with orchestra, but also appeared as an accompanist and a member of various chamber music ensembles. During that period she made several recordings for RTV Sarajevo and RTV Belgrade.
Moving to Belgrade, her performing career soon gave way to teaching. An indefatigable pedagogue always seeking to perfect her skills and teaching methods, she spent some time at the Central Music School in Moscow, gaining first-hand insight into the great Russian piano tradition. She sought innovative ways to inspire her students and encourage their individuality and authentic artistic expression through specially designed projects centered around a specific theme or composer (Tchaikovsky’s “The Seasons” with readings of Russian poetry, Prokofiev’s “Romeo and Juliette” in collaboration with ballet students, Concerts for 4, 8, 12 and 16 hands on two pianos, Mozart & Salieri – Reconciliation Concert, Music Stories, Call M for Music, concerts dedicated to contemporary Serbian music…).
A total of 35 students have graduated from Zlata Maleš’s class, 31 of whom have entered music academies and conservatories, passing entrance examinations with flying colours. They won more than 500 prizes at important national and international piano competitions. Among her most illustrious students are Lidija and Sanja Bizjak, both world-famous pianists with international careersn and rich discographies, Sonja Lončar, a member of the renowned LP piano duo that focuses on contemporary repertoire for the ensemble, and Dušan Toroman, who is building a successful international career as a harpsichordist.
Now retired, Zlata Maleš is still a very active and sought after teacher who supports and promotes young talents and gives master classes in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia. Since 2013 she is a guest professor at the Faculty of Music in Belgrade for the subject “Methodology of Piano Teaching”. A former Vice-President of EPTA Serbia and a recipient of the highest national awards for pedagogy, she is regularly invited to adjudicate important national as well as international piano competitions in the region.
