Kulturwelten Summer Academy 2025
Musikverein Wien
30 June - 5 July
Lecturers
Akiko Nakajima
Japanese soprano Akiko Nakajima’s career began after winning the Australian Singing Competition in 1991. In quick succession, there followed her debut with Opera Australia in La clemenza di Tito under Christopher Hogwood and her European debut at the Teatro di San Carlo di Napoli as Musetta in La Bohème. Among 57 operatic roles she sang, notable roles include Lucia, Amina (La sonnambula), Violetta, Anne (The Rakes Progress), Susanna, Norina, Adina, Sophie and Pamina. She has performed under renowned conductors such as Seiji Ozawa, Herbert Blomstedt, Zubin Mehta and Andre Previn. The opera houses and theatres she appeared in include Vienna Volksoper, Hamburg State Opera, Alte Oper Frankfurt, New National Theatre Tokyo, Theatre Champs Elysees, Suntory Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Walt Disney Hall, Konzerthaus Vienna, Musikverein Vienna and Wigmore Hall. Akiko Nakajima’s first solo CD, La Pastorella was nominated for the Deutschen Schallplattenkritik list and the second solo CD, Female Portraits was followed by Plaisir d’amour. A DVD recording of a live concert of Britten’s Midsummer Night’s Dream with Seiji Ozawa was documented by NHK Enterprise, and Wien, du Stadt meiner Träume, which was recorded by the Viennese label Gramola at Musikverein followed after. As the general director of the Noura Opera Foundation in Japan and a professor at the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna, Nakajima continues to leave an indelible mark on the global operatic and vocal concert scenes.
Maria Woldrich
Maria Woldrich was born in Germany and studied church music, piano and vocal pedagogy, as well as concert singing at the “Hochschule für Kirchenmusik & Musikpädagogik” in Regensburg (Dtld), at the University of Music in Munich and in Vienna. Her teachers include Peter Wetzler, student of Paul Lohmann, Franz Lukasovsky, Rotraud Hansmann, Walter Berry and Christina Baader. In Bavaria, she taught piano with the “Regensburger Domspatzen” and voice and piano at the “Berufsfachschule für Musik” in Lower Bavaria. She completed an education from the method of Ilse Middendorf to be an academic breathing pedagogue with Norbert Faller in Vienna. In addition to engagements at the Vienna Chamber Opera, the Vienna Radio Choir, the choir of the Vienna State Opera, at the Salzburg Festival she was also a soloist on tour with the Vienna Young Opera, as well as at concerts in Austria and abroad. Meanwhile she taught piano and singing in Lower Austria and singing at the Music School of the City of Vienna. For many years she was the head of the department “Junge Akademie” ( support for highly talented musicians ) for the singing group.Maria W. completed numerous further training courses in singing and vocal pedagogy, as well as in breathing and bodywork at the music school and privately ( for example with M. Klaushofer, J. Bauer-Huppmann, R. Braga-Postl, U. Schwabe, Y. Khomenko, G. Kahry, K. Hanser, C. Visca, D. Fally, S. Wienhausen, N. Turner, CVT mit T. Raich, Estill voice with C. Morini Level 1 und 2, Rabine method with S. Eisch, breath-tonus-tone with M. Höller-Zangenfeind, Alexander technique with H. Anderson, Music kinesiology with F. Karimi-Djafar-Zadeh, EFT mit M. Brüssing ). From 2017 to 2023 she had a teaching position for teaching practice at the Vienna University of Music. Numerous students in her singing class have participated very successfully in the Prima la Musica state and national competitions. Many students are already studying at university. M. Woldrich has been a juror at the Prima la Musica competition for many years. Since November 2022 she has been a member of the board of EVTA-Austria and is responsible for Vienna.
Wladislaw Winokurow
Wladislaw Winokurow was born in Kiev (Ukraine), came into contact with music at a very early age: coming from a family of musicians, he received his first violin lessons from his father at the age of five, and after being admitted to the special music school for highly gifted children and young people, he received intensive musical training and guidance from Alexander Panov, Avanes Buludian and later Isaak Kushnir. He gained his first major stage experience at the age of ten in solo performances with the Kiev Chamber Orchestra and moved to Austria in 1992. He began his school education at the Vienna Music High School, combined with professional instrumental lessons, initially with Eugenia Polatschek. This was followed by studies at the Vienna University of Music and Performing Arts with Gernot Winischhofer and Boris Kuschnir. Complementary masterclasses with Abraham Stern, Joseph Kopelman, Zakhar Bron, Viktor Tretyakov and others. Wladislaw Winokurow is the founder and leader of the Glière String Quartet. After winning 1st prize at the 8th International Beethoven Competition in 2012, the quartet has performed at numerous international festivals, as well as a busy concert schedule at home and abroad, including appearances at the Vienna Musikverein, at international festivals such as the Nikodemowicz Festival Poland, Harmonie Starego Miasta Poland, Musikverein International Music Festival, KUL Festival “Opus Magnum” Poland, etc. The quartet’s repertoire includes works from the early classical period to contemporary music. One of the core areas is the interpretation of Ukrainian and Soviet composers such as A. Borodin, R. Glière, N. Myaskowski, D. Shostakovich, etc. Since 2020 cooperation with the company DUX (Poland), recording series of the R. Gliére string quartets. In 2010 employed and took over his own violin class at the Vienna Music School, Margareten location. Since 2018 Senior Lecturer at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (preparatory course, gifted course, IME, ME). Pedagogical successes to date include over 50 victories at numerous national and international competitions. Lecturer at national and international masterclasses such as Kulturwelten.at Summer Courses (Vienna), Austrian Master Classes (Salzburg), Vienna International Art Open (Vienna), European Music Institute Vienna (Vienna), Wienerwald Summer Academy (Lower Austria), Wieniawski Society Masterclasses (Lublin, Poland), Summer Academy of Music (Krakow, Poland). Jury member at competitions such as Prima la Musica state and national competition (Austria). Vasa Prihoda International Violin Competition (Czech Republic). Kocian Music Competition (Czech Republic).
Dominika Falger
Dominika Falger was born in Krakow to a family of musicians. She received her first violin lessons from her father at the age of four. Studied concert violin at the Academy of Music in Poznan with Prof J. Kaliszewska and Prof M. Baranowski and at the universities of Vienna and Graz with Prof E. Z. Zienkowski, Prof Y. Kless and Prof J. Pospichal. 1997-2005 assistant in the training class of Prof. Y. Kless at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz. Studied instrumental (vocal) pedagogy at the Universities of Graz and Vienna. Graduated in both fields of study with the title “Magistra artium”. Historical instrument practice with Prof. I. Rainer and Prof. H. Kurosaki. Masterclasses with H. Krebbers, S. Ashkenasi, N. Brainin, among others. Dominika Falger has won prizes at numerous international competitions such as the Z. Jahnke Competition in Poznan, R. Lipizer Competition Gorizia, P. Sarasate Competition Pamplona, J. Brahms Competition Pörtschach, K. Lipinski and H. Wieniawski Competition Lublin, Szymanowski Competition Lodz and T. Wronski Competition Warsaw. 12 years old, she began her solo career, which took her through almost all European countries, to America and the Far East. Collaboration with many important orchestras (e.g. Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Taegu City Symphony Orchestra, Baltic Philharmonic Orchestra Gdansk, Philharmonic Orchestra Poznan, Slovak Chamber Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra “Wratislawia”, Lviv Virtuosi). Solo recitals, active chamber music radio, television and CD recordings. Her repertoire ranges from baroque to the most important works of classical and romantic contemporary music. She teaches at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz and at the Vienna School of Music. Since 2011 professor at the Music and Arts Private University of the City of Vienna. Participation as a lecturer at various masterclasses and as a juror at international violin competitions. Since 1999 Member of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra as 1st section leader of the 2nd violins. Member of the Glière String Quartet since 2017.
Paul Gulda
Born 1961, in Vienna, Austria. Father Friedrich Gulda, pianist/composer. Mother Paola Loew, actress. First apperarances in chamber music in 1979, from 1982 performing internationally (Hagen Quartett, Heinrich Schiff), as duo pianist with Roland Batik. As soloist with VPO/Mehta, Vienna Symphony, Gewandhaus Leipzig/Masur, Moscow Philharmonic/Fedossejew. Widespread experience as composer, conductor, improviser; collaborations with (folk) musicians from many backgrounds, with actors, authors and painters. Avidly interested in sound and style, he also plays the Hammerklavier, harpsichord, clavichord and organ. Starting in 2018, performances of Bach´s WTC I form the backbone of his work. About 30 CDs in various fields. Sought after as mentor and teacher, his students stand out by finding their very own path. Currently, he holds a teaching position at the Friedrich Gulda School of Music Wien. His compositions are mainly centered on the human voice and dramatic context. Political activism. (REFUGIUS Rechnitz). Various essays and publications in programs, newspapers, media.
Anzél Gerber
Cellist, Anzél Gerber, is hailed by critics for her ability to capture the audience through her expressive sound and virtuosity. As winner of international awards and competitions, she is increasingly performing on internationally renowned stages, such as Carnegie (Weill) Hall, USA, the Rachmaninoff Hall and Maly Hall in Moscow, the Musikverein in Vienna, and the Auditorium of the “Museo del Violino” in Cremona among others. As soloist she collaborated with renowned conductors, including Carlos Izcaray, Yasuo Shinozaki, Gèrard Korsten, Leslie B. Dunner, and Guido Ajmone-Marsan.
Stanislaw Tichonow
Prof. Dr. Tichonow received his professional training at the Novosibirsk State “M. I. Glinka” Conservatory in Russia (M.A. in Piano Performance with L Slonim) and at the Moscow State “P. l .Tchaikovsky” Conservatory (D.M.A. in Piano Performance with R. Kehrer and PhD. in Musicology with M. Smirnov).
S. Tichonow is a representative of Theodor Leschetizky’s tradition. Among his scientific works are more than 40 professional articles published in Russian, American and Austrian musicology journals, and the book “Leschetizky und sein Wiener Kreis” (Vienna, 2001). Besides his career as a pianist and musicologist, prof. Tichonow currently serves as professor of the piano faculty of the Joseph Haydn Privathochschule in Eisenstadt, Austria; before that at Tchaikovsky Conservatory Moscow and at Conservatory Vienna (now-MUK). He performed intensively as a soloist and accompanist, as well as playing chamber music as the founder of his own Leschetizky Trio of Vienna, holds lectures, and gives masterclasses throughout Europe, the U.S (Yale Summer School of Music) and in the Far East. His students have won more than 100 prizes at international competitions in Germany, Italy, Sweden, France, Georgia, Finland, Portugal, the U.S., Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Spain, Czech Republic, Russia and Austria.
Maxim Brilinsky
Maxim Brilinsky received his first violin lessons at the age of five in Lviv (Ukraine) and continued his studies from 2000 with Prof Michael Frischenschlager at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. From 2005, he studied violin at the Paris Conservatoire Nationale Superior de Musique et de Dance with Prof Jean-Jacques Kantorow. After being concertmaster of the chamber ensemble “Orchestre d’Auvergne” in the 2006/07 season, he joined the secondary violin section of the Vienna State Opera on 1 September 2008. After a further successful audition, he joined the orchestra’s primary section on 1 September 2011. Maxim Brilinsky was a scholarship holder of the Herbert von Karajan Centre in Vienna and the Thyll Dürr Foundation in Zurich and has won prizes at numerous prestigious international violin competitions. He won fourth prize at the “Yehudi Menuhin Competition” in Boulogne-sur-Mer (2002), second prize and a special prize at the “Paganini Competition” in Genoa (2002) and second prize and a special prize at the “Benjamin Britten Competition” in London (2004), and after winning a further audition in June 2014, he became principal violin of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Maxim Brilinsky has also been concertmaster of the Vienna Court Orchestra since 2018. 2020 saw the release of his CD recording of Niccolo Paganini’s “24 Capricci” and “Nel cor più non mi sento” on Sony Classical. This was followed in 2021 by the recording of the “6 Sonatas for Solo Violin op.27” by Eugène Ysaÿe for Hänssler Classic. Jens Rossbach
Jens Rossbach is Professor for violin at the Conservatory of Le Puy-en-Velay in France, since 2004. Born in Mainz in 1968, he currently resides in France. He began his violin lessons at the age of six and later, while at the Baden Conservatory in Karlsruhe, also started studying the viola. In 1989, he received a national prize in the “Jugend musiziert” competition for string trio. He then commenced his music studies in Graz, in the violin class of Christos Polyzoides. Jens played in the Graz Symphonic Orchestra and served as the section leader in the Graz Chamber Orchestra. His training included masterclasses with Joshua Epstein, Philipp Hirschhorn, Klaus Maetzl, and Georg Hamann. In 1997, he completed his music studies at the University of Music in Frankfurt/Main with Sandor Karolyi. Jens has performed with various chamber orchestras such as the Grazer Kammerorchester, Haydn-Sinfonietta Wien, Kammerphilharmonie Baden-Württemberg, Les Solistes de Bourgogne, and the “German French Chamber Orchestra” (as concertmaster), undertaking numerous concert tours. After many years in the opera orchestra of St Etienne (France), Jens Rossbach now primarily plays in various chamber music ensembles.
Andrei Kalisch
Andrei Kalisch is head of the violin class at the Margareten Music School in Vienna. Intensive teaching activities since 2005. His students have made a name for themselves as prize winners of renowned international competitions such as the Kocian Violin Competition (Czech Republic), the International Grumiaux Violin Competition (Belgium), Leonid Kogan Violin Competition (Belgium). He is also the director of the Jehuda Halevi Music School in Vienna. Winner of solo and chamber music competitions. Solo performances with the Alma-Ata Philharmonic Orchestra, concerts as a soloist and chamber musician in many European countries as well as in Japan, China, South Korea, Brazil and Colombia. CD and television recordings. Andrei Kalisch was born in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan. Early in his musical career he took lessons from his grandfather. He was a pupil of J. Lesman (assistant to L. Auer) and E. Antopolski (pupil of J. Thibaud). Later studied at the Music High School and Conservatory in Alma-Ata with Professor S. Abdusadikova (pupil of M. Garlitsky and A. Markov), Professor D. Kaseinov (pupil of I. Bezrodny), Studied at the Bruckner Conservatory in Linz with Professor Arkadij Winokurow.
Ivan Kitanović
Ivan Kitanović was born in 1976 in Kruševac (now Serbia); his great love of music was evident from an early age: he taught himself to play the guitar and accordion before his great musical talent was discovered and he was accepted into the renowned music boarding school in Ćuprija. There, his outstanding aptitude for the double bass soon became apparent and he achieved great success on this instrument in a very short time: he won first prize in five national and international competitions, followed by numerous solo performances with orchestra, live broadcasts and portraits on TV and radio. Immediately after graduating from the Ćuprija music boarding school with the highest honours to date, he became solo bassist with the Belgrade Strings and at the same time studied at the Belgrade Academy of Music. From 2000, he continued his studies with Josef Niederhammer at the University of Music in Vienna, where he was soon able to build on his previous successes: for example, he was chosen as the musical representative of Europe for the highly acclaimed intermission film of the 2003 New Year’s Concert, which was broadcast worldwide, and was a member of several orchestras (including the stage orchestra of the Vienna State Opera). Since 2003 he has been 1st solo double bassist of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. Ivan Kitanović is dedicated to expanding the double bass repertoire and also includes major works of cello literature in his concerts. This enables him to position the double bass as a musically fully-fledged, sonically impressive solo instrument. He pursues his love of chamber music with the trio “Impossibile”, which performs worldwide, and is also regularly invited by renowned ensembles (such as the Hugo Wolf Quartet, EOS Quartet, Ensemble “die reihe”). David Seidel
David Seidel was born in 1976 in the city of Salzburg, Austria, where he then completed his instrumental studies at the age of 13 under Milan Turkovic, Yoshinori Tominaga and Richard Galler. Before playing Bassoon, he was educated in playing Violin and Piano. During his studies, he won several competitions, including Gradus ad Parnassum (1996: 2nd prize, 1998: 1st prize and a special award) and the Förderpreis (promotion award) of the Vienna Symphonic Orchestra‘s Anton Bruckner society (1998). In 2002 he graduated with distinction in the class of Richard Galler at the Mozarteum Salzburg and got awarded by the Austrian Ministry of Culture. He has been a member of the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra from autumn of 1998 until spring 2019, holding the position of principal bassoon. Apart from his work in the orchestra, many concerts in ensembles and as a soloist (often live radio broadcasts) and master classes have taken David Seidel all around the globe. As a guest player, he was repeatedly invited to orchestras, such as the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the Vienna State Ope- ra, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, the NDR Elbphilharmonieorchester Hamburg, the Munich Philharmonic, the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg, the Tonkünstler Orchestra, the Camerata Salzburg and the Orchestra Filarmonica della Scala Milano. As a soloist, accompanied by the ORF RSO Vienna, he performed several times under Dennis Russel Davies, Bertrand de Billy and Cornelius Meister and, in 2001, even played the Austrian premiere of André Jolivet‘s bassoon concerto. Other per- formances as a soloist with the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg. He is a co-founder of the Vienna Bass&oon Quartet (founded by Richard Galler), the Theophil Ensemble Wien (founded by Matthias Schorn), the Baole Quintett Wien (founded by Matthias Schulz) and the Fagotes Locos (founded together by all members). With Milan Turkovic he appeared in several concerts with bassoon quartet, the last performances together were in the forma- tion of Austrian Wind Soloists conducted by Milan Turkovic. With these ensembles he can be heard regularly as a soloist and as an ensemble member at international festivals, such as the Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the festival Palmklang in Oberalm (near Salzburg) and the Moritzburg Festival (near Dresden). Since 2010 David Seidel performs regularly in the Gläsernen Saal of Wiener Musikverein, because of the successful collabora- tion, KammerEnsembleOberschützen with his students could be found by him and performs in the Gläsernen Saal too. David Seidel has also recorded several CDs: Spring 2008, Solo Debut CD David Seidel – Bassoon and Piano, Winter 2011, two debut CDs with the Theophil Ensemble Vienna, both under the labels Classic Concert Records and ORF. Spring 2013 DVD of Vienna Symphonic Play Alongs. Summer 2014 Debut CD Baole Quintett under the label Camerata Tokyo. Further productions are being planned. Since autumn 2010, he is Professor of Bassoon at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (KUG) (Institute of Oberschützen). A year before that, he was assistant lecturer for bassoon at the Konservatorium Wien University (nowadays known as MUK). From autumn 2009 to 2014, he held the position of lecturer for chamber music at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (Anton Bruckner Institute). Since autumn 2014, he teaches a second bassoon class at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (Graz Institute for Wind and Percussion Instruments). In 2014 David Seidel became Yamaha Artist. In 2016, 2017 and 2020 he was invited to the International Wind Instrument Academy and Festival in Hamamatsu (Jp), as well as 2018 and 2019 at the Geidai University in Tokio. Invitations to the isa International Summer Academy of the Vienna Music University 2019, as well as 2021 to the University of Southern California Los Angeles followed. San Fagotto is his first entire Festival activity in collaboration with Mamoru Yamashita. Departing in 2020, it is planned to be continued annually.
Vladimir Kharin
Vladimir Kharin is known as a successful pianist and teacher. His musical education began at the Central Secondary Music School for gifted children in Moscow. Vladimir Kharin studied at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory with Evgeny Malinin and Lev Naumov, both representatives of the famous Neuhaus piano school. In 1998, the pianist was awarded a scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), which enabled him to continue his studies with Michael Roll and Boris Bloch at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen. Vladimir Kharin passed both his final artistic examination and his concert exam with honours. As a prizewinner at international competitions, Kharin has been invited to perform numerous solo and chamber music recitals and concerts with orchestra He has performed several recitals at the Ruhr Piano Festival. Vladimir Kharin has recorded several CDs, including in collaboration with Jonathan Darlington. The pianist is particularly dedicated and passionate about promoting young talent.
Kamelia Bayrov
Kamelia Bayrov was born in Sofia in 1983. She received her first cello lessons at the age of ten from her father Prof. Joncho Bayrov (Conservatory of the City of Vienna). At the age of 13, she began preparatory lessons with Prof. Valentin Erben and Prof. Wolfgang Aichinger at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. She is a multiple 1st prize winner of the national competition Prima la Musica. In 2007, Kamelia Bayrov completed her 1st Bachelor of Arts degree with honours in the class of Prof. J. Bayrov.J. Bayrov’s class at the Vienna Conservatory Private University. In 2009 she completed her studies with the 2nd diploma examination Master of Arts with honours in the class of Prof. Lilia Schulz-Bayrova at the Vienna Conservatory Private University. She received further artistic impulses from Steven Isserlis, Walther Schulz, Christoph Stradner and Johannes Meissl. In the summer of 2009/2010, Kamelia Bayrov will take part in the Vienna Symphony Orchestra’s summer academy at the Bregenz Festival and the Summer Academy of the Vienna Philharmonic at the Salzburg Festival. She performs as a soloist and chamber musician at home and abroad. She plays in the symphony orchestra of the Vienna Volksoper and with the Lower Austrian Tonkünstler. From September 2008 to 2020, Kamelia Bayrov taught at the Wagram Region Music School. She has been leading her cello class at the Vienna Music School since September 2017.
Her students are multiple 1st prize winners at the Prima la Musica competition.
Dumitru Pocitari
Dumitru Pocitari, born in Moldova in 1991, began his music studies at the age of seven. Between 2000-2012, he won numerous prizes and medals at international violin competitions in Romania, Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, as well as second prize at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music Competition (2012).
He has taken part in masterclasses with Eduard Wulfson, Phillipe Bride, Bujor Prelipcean, Serban Lupu, Zakhar Bron, Julian Rachlin, Alexandra Soumm, Nikolaj Znaider and Pinchas Zukerman.
Dumitru Pocitari has taken part in international music festivals in Belarus and Moscow. He performed as a soloist with the “Moscow Virtuosi” under the direction of Vladimir Spivakov at the “Ascending Stars in Kremlin” festival. He has also performed under the baton of Zubin Mehta with the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music Symphony Orchestra in Tel Aviv, at the Alte Oper in Frankfurt and with the Israel Philharmonic at the Charles Bronfmann Auditorium. He has performed with Martha Argerich in chamber music concerts in Israel and Italy. He has been a member of the Israel Philharmonic since 2014 and was appointed concertmaster in 2019. Dimitru plays the “Rawlins” Omobono Stradivarius, which was made in Cremona in 1737.
