Dr Georgi Boykin, Bulgaria

   

Georgi Boykin was born on May 6 1993 in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. In 2012 he finished the Dobrin Petkov National School for Music and Dance in Plovdiv with piano under Stella Oslekova. He continues his education in the National Academy of Music Prof. Pancho Vladigerov in Sofia, where he finished his master’s degree in 2017 studying with Prof. Dr Borislava Taneva and where he is currently a PhD candidate. In May 2021 he finished his studies and received his Dr PHD.

Georgi has been the soloist of several orchestras in Bulgaria, playing concertos from Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and Poulenc and has participated in many masterclasses and festivals, including the Lancaster International Piano Festival (2014, 2015), Piano Extravaganza (2016), the Poros International Piano Academy (2017), the Rhodes Art Music Festival (2018). In 2017 Georgi had a concert tour in Japan, including concerts in Yokohama, Okinawa, Fukuoka and Okayama. He has had numerous concerts in Germany in cities like Saarbrücken, Ottweiler, Weimar, Würzburg and others. Among the prizes he has received are 1st prize at the Schumann-Brahms International Piano Competition (November 2008, Plovdiv, Bulgaria), 1st prize at the Nis International Piano Competition (March 2014, Nis, Serbia), 2nd prize at the Albert Roussel International Piano Competition (October 2014, Sofia, Bulgaria), 3rd prize at the Pancho Vladigerov International Piano and Violin Competition (April 2015, Shumen, Bulgaria), 1st and special prize at the 3rd National Academy Competition J.S.Bach and his contemporaries (December 2015, Plovdiv, Bulgaria), 3rd prize at the International Piano Competition 2018 – From Bach to Jazz (April 2018, Athens, Greece), Diplom (2016) and the Special prize in the name of the founder of the competition – Walter Blankenheim (2019, for the first time in the history of the competition) at the International Piano Competition Johann Sebastian Bach in Memoriam Walter Blankenheim (formerly Saarbrücken, Würzburg/Germany).

Links to recordings (live and studio):

March 2016, live recording S. Bach – Prelude and Fugue Nr. 18 G-sharp minor BWV 863, WTC I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fySh1AWSQTk June 2017, live recording S. Prokofiev – Sonata No. 8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94Tfvn8Bm9E&t=163s March 2018, live recording E. Rautavaara – Sonata No. 2, 2nd and 3rd mvt. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7ryg82YQ3s March 2019, live recording: Preliminary round in the International Piano Competition J. S. Bach in Memoriam Walter Blankenheim /Germany (formerly Saarbrücken/Würzburg) S. Bach – Inventions 4, 7, 8, 11, 13 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmgmoAaNZv0 June 2020, studio recording S. Prokofiev – Sonata No. 9, 1st and 2nd mvt. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TC2TwrhiXJo June 2020, studio recording P. Hindemith – Sonata for Violin and Piano https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyWJfTM_f2Y

Jingjing Zhang, China

  was born in Tianjin, China in 1983. She first studied diploma music at the Music Middle school Affiliated to Tianjin Conservatory of Music in China and then at the University of Music, Würzburg / Germany in the piano class of Prof. Inge Rosar and then in further education with a concert diploma. From the winter semester 2008 she also took numerous pedagogical courses for qualified music teachers for several semesters. Jingjing took piano at numerous master classes, including with Prof. Karl-Heinz Kämmerling and Prof. Arnulf von Arnim. Participation in master classes in J. S. Bach on the piano with Prof. Walter Blankenheim shaped her interpretation of Bach’s piano works. With repeated participation in chamber music courses, u. a. the Voces Quartet gave her suggestions for playing in the piano duo. In competitions, she reached the semifinals at the International Piano Competition in Vienna / Austria in 2007 and, with her piano duo partner (You-Jeong Kim, South Korea) won first prize in the International Piano Competition for Duo Playing in Italy / Moncalieri in 2008. Jingjing Zhang gave numerous solo concerts in Germany and China. In April 2015 she played a solo concert at the Grand Theater in Tianjin; in September 2015 a solo concert in the University Hall in Beijing. She also played in many concerts as a chamber music partner with singers, strings and brass. In a report by a well-known pianist from the Hochschule für Musik Würzburg, Jingjing’s play said: (2011) “… a wonderful, very open musician and an excellent pianist. Your playing is characterized by a superior piano technique and especially by flexibility and a great naturalness.” In a review after a concert in Germany (Ottweiler 2015) you could read: “If you get goose bumps, you know that it is good.” Since 2016, Jingjing Zhang has been a jury member of the competitions: International Franz Schubert Piano Competition for Children and Youth in China, Asia Pacific Cup International Music and Dance Competition in China and the United States Open Music Competition in China. She is currently teaching at the YEW CHUNG International School of Beijing.   Link to Recordings: Würzburg/Germany: University of Music, Great Hall: Großer Saal:  (part1)  https://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNDE3NjUxOTI5Mg==.html Würzburg/Germany: University of Music, Great Hall:  (part 2)  https://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNDE3NjU0MDU2MA==.html Concert in Tianjin, Conservatory (part 1)  https://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNDE3NjU3MDk4MA==.html Concert in Tianjin, Conservatory (part 2)  https://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNDE3NjU4NzUzMg==.html Concert in Tianjin, Conservatory (part 3)  https://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNDE3NjYwMzI5Mg==.html Concert in Tianjin, Western Shore Art Salon  https://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNDE3NjEzMTQwNA==.html Review in newpaper: http://www.saarbruecker-zeitung.de/saarland/neunkirchen/ottweiler/Ottweiler-Floetisten-Klavierwettbewerbe;art446737,5934690

YOU-JEONG KIM,  SOUTH KOREA

You-Jeong Kim, born in Korea, graduated from Deokwon Art High School. She finished her diploma course and advanced studies (concert diploma) at the University of Music in Würzburg (University of music) in the piano class of Prof. Inge Rosar with distinction. She took part in master classes for Bach Interpretations with Prof. Walter Blankenheim and Prof. Inge Rosar in Saarland. During her studies at the University of Music in Würzburg, she also participated in contemporary music projects, which further trained her understanding of musical processes and their possible interpretations. So she played in the concert for the master class with David Geringas and Cecile Ousset, performed in chamber music concerts in the days of new music, played duo chamber music performances, participated in the concerts of the ensemble for new music, and gave concerts with compositions for new music with the Würzburg University orchestra. Her concert activities include piano recitals in a series of concerts in the town hall of Spiesen-Elversberg, Saarland and concerts with works by JS Bach in the Bach Center in Haus Blankenheim, Saarbrücken. ” In the national music competition of Gimpo University in 2000, she won 3rd place in the Classical Music Composition section. At the 20th International Piano Competition for Piano Duo Citta di Moncalieri, March in 2008 , Italy, she and her duo partner Jingjing Zhang, China won the 1st prize (You-Jeong Kim was the first Korean to receive a 1st prize). The duo was invited to perform at the Moncalieri City Theater, Italy. The head of the artist agency in Frankfurt, Mr. Wolfgang Fahrenholtz, said after one of her concerts: “A big and beautiful bud is blooming.” At her final concert at the university in Würzburg, András Hamary (professor for piano at the university in Würzburg) remarked: “She understands what she is playing!” Link to recordings: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmH6U_7OLekFjswRehdOPHA 피아니스트 김유정은 독일 뷔르츠부르크 음악대학 피아노과를 최고성적으로 입학하였으며, 2009 년 최고성적으로 졸업하였고 (사사:Prof. Inge Rosar) 독일 Saarland에서 마스터클래스 BachInterpretationen을 수료하였다. (사사:Prof. Water Blankenheim) 일찍이 2000년 김포대학 전국음악콩쿨에서 순수클래식 작곡부분 3위로 입상하였고, 독일 뷔르츠 부르크 음악대학 재학 중 작곡 프로젝트, 현대음악 프로젝트 참여하는 등 작곡에도 재능을 보여 그로 인해 작품에 대한 이해와 해석하는 감각이 탁월하다는 호평을 받고 있다. “David Geringas” 와 “Cecile Ousset” 마스터클래스 수료를 비롯해 “Tage Der Neuen Musik Kammerkonzert”(독일 뷔르츠부르크 음악대학 대극장), Duo 실내악 연주, “Konzert des Ensembles Neue Musik”(독일 뷔르츠부르크 음악대학 대극장), 독일 Saarland 시청 초청 연주(Spiese in Saarland Rathaus), 모차르트 아우라 홀(Mozart-Gymnasium Aula Saal), 독일 Saarland, BachZentrum “Haus Blankenheim”, Komposition Neue Musik Orchester 와 협연 등 활발한 연주활동을 펼쳐온 그녀는 특히 2008년 제20회 유럽뮤직 콩쿨 “Citta di Moncalieri: 실내악 부분에서 한국인 최초로 1위 입상이라는 쾌거를 거두었으며, 이태리 몽칼리에리 (Moncalieri in Italy) 극장 초청연주 를 가지며 유럽 음악계에서 두각을 나타내고 있다. 그녀의 연주를 듣고 예술평론가 Wolfgang Fahrenholtz 는 “크고 아름다운 꽃봉우리를 피우고 있 다” 라고 하였으며 교수 András Hamary (독일 뷔르츠부르크 음악대학) 는 “그녀는 스스로 무엇을 치는지 제대로 이해하고 연주한다” 라고 호평하였다. Link to recordings: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmH6U_7OLekFjswRehdOPHA