London Classic Violin
Competition

Pavel Vernikov, a student of David Oistrach and S. Snitkowsky, gained a reputation as a virtuoso violinist more than twenty years ago. Among other prizes he won the International ARD Violin Competition in Munich and the Grand Prix at the International Violin Competition “Vittorio Gui” in Florence. He has appeared at such prestigious venues as the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Carnegie Hall and Kennedy Center in New York, Wigmore Hall in London, La Salle Gaveau in Paris, La Scala in Milan and Santa Cecilia in Rome.

For the past 30 years he has been a member of the Tchaikovsky Trio.

His artistic partners have included Sviatoslav Richter, James Galway, Alain Meunier, Patrick Gallois, Maria Tipo, Natalia Gutman, Oleg Kagan, Yuri Bashmet, Elisso Virsaladze, Christian Zimmermann and Anthony Pay. He inaugurated the Russian Academy of Higher Learning in Portogruaro and was the Artistic Director of the Gubbio Music Festival, the Dubrovnik Chamber Music Festival and the Eilat Chamber Music Festival.

He teaches and gives masterclasses around the world, in Italy, France, Finland, Spain (Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofia Madrid), Israel (Rubin Academy), Germany (Kronberg Academy), etc. and has been invited to be a member of the jury at international competitions (Szigeti, Kreisler, Gui, ARD-Competition in Munich, Sendai (Japan), Budapest, Sarasate, Wieniawski, etc.).

Pavel Vernikov has recorded for RCA, Ondine and Dynamic.

He was a Professor at the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique de Lyon. At present he is a Professor at the famous Konservatorium Wien University and at the Haute Ecole de Musique de Lausanne (Site de Sion).

Among his many laureate students are people like Massimo Quarta (1. Prize Paganini International Violin Competition, Genua), Fumiaki Miura (1. Prize Hannover International Violin Competition), Lorenza Borrani (Leader of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe), Fanny Clamagirand (1. Prize Fritz Kreisler International Violin Competition, Vienna and 1. Prize International Monte Carlo Violin Competition) and Miki Kobayashi (2. Prize Wieniawski Competition).

In 2013 he was appointed Artistic Director of the Sion Festival in Switzerland, and in 2023, he was appointed as the Artistic Director of the Classic Violin Olympus International Competition, whose inaugural edition is set to take place in 2025 in Dubai, UAE.

Pavel Vernikov plays a Giovanni Battista Guadagnini, 1757, violin.

Internationally regarded pedagogue, Dr Robin Wilson is Professor of Violin at the Royal Academy of Music and the Yehudi Menuhin School in London, and visiting Professor of Violin for 2023-2024 at the Mozarteum University Salzburg. Previously, he was Head of Violin at the Australian National Academy of Music in Melbourne for 9 years also has held appointments as The Sydney Conservatorium of Music, The Australian Institute of Music and the University of Queensland. He serves regularly on the faculty of the Keshet Eilon International String Mastercourse in Israel, Valdres Sommersymfoni in Norway and Morningside Music Bridge at The New England Conservatory in Boston, and on the jury of international competitions. His students are prize-winners of many international competitions, have careers as soloists, chamber musicians, concertmasters, principal and tutti players in major orchestras around the world. He is regularly invited to give masterclasses throughout Europe, USA, Asia and Australasia.

Robin solo discography includes two discs of violin encores and the complete Schubert Sonatas for violin and piano, with pianist Kemp English, on Decca and Ode Records. As a member of the acclaimed ensemble Ironwood, he has toured internationally, performing at major venues and festivals throughout Australia, USA and the UK and has recorded for ABC Classics, Vexations840 and VDE-Gallo. Robin is the former Leader of the ARCO Chamber Orchestra and during his time in Australia was a member of the Australian Octet and appeared as guest violinist with leading ensembles such as the Sydney Omega Ensemble, Ensemble Liaison, Australia Quartet and Nexus 2MBSFM Virtuosi.

Holding a PhD from the University of Sydney, Robin’s research into the historically informed performance of Brahms's music was awarded the prestigious international 2014 Karl Geiringer Prize from the American Brahms Society. He has lectured and performed at numerous major international conferences and universities such as Yale University, Stanford University, City University of New York, Eastman School of Music, Leeds University, Royal College of Music London, and the Royal Northern College of Music Manchester.

Robin studied with Alice Waten and Janet Davies in Sydney. Robin also studied with James Buswell at The New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Beryl Kimber at the Elder Conservatorium in Adelaide, Pamela Dowsett and Jan Tawroszewicz in New Zealand.

He plays a Gagliano workshop violin, Naples, 1784.

At age 25, Yamen Saadi was announced as Concert Master of the Vienna State Opera Orchestra and Vienna Philharmonic from the 2022/23 season. Described as having a 'beguiling sound' by Berliner Morgenpost, Saadi maintains a busy career as both a soloist and chamber musician. In May 2022, he stepped in for Leonidas Kavakos to make his debut with the Israel Philharmonic as soloist. His playing is characterised by serene lyricism, virtuosity and elegance beyond his years.

As a soloist, Saadi has performed with orchestras such as Staatskapelle Berlin, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Orquestra de València, Kremerata Baltica, Harvard Orchestra, Galilee Chamber Orchestra, Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, among others. He has performed with conductors including Daniel Barenboim, Lawrence Foster, Leonidas Kavakos, Yaron Traub and Christoph Poppen.

Saadi has performed in recital and concerto at various festivals and concert halls across Europe, Asia and the US. These include; Carnegie Hall, Rheingau Festival, Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, Jerusalem Festival and Schloss Elmau.

In January 2022, Saadi released his first recital album entitled Voices From Paris with pianist Nathalia Milstein, featuring works by Poulenc, Ysaÿe and Fauré. Saadi’s recording received the following critical acclaim: 'the blend of virtuosity, lyricism and controlled expressivity is perfect' and he was described as playing 'with great suppleness, flexibility and a finely graduated but wide dynamic range' by Pizzicato.

Yamen Saadi was born in Nazareth and began studying the violin at the Barenboim-Said Conservatory in Nazareth. He then studied under the guidance of the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra concertmaster, Chaim Taub, and at age 11, joined the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra. At age 17, he became concertmaster of the orchestra. Saadi completed his Bachelor’s degree at the Barenboim-Said Academy, and gained his Master’s degree at the Kronberg Academy where he studied with Mihaela Martin.

In 2020, Saadi won first prize at both the Aviv and Paul Ben Haim Competition. He has been awarded scholarships from the America-Israel Cultural Foundation and The Prince von Hessen Award.

As a chamber musician, Saadi co-founded the awardwinning Chianti Ensemble, a piano quintet which tours all over Europe. In 2022, the Chianti Ensemble has been awarded the prestigious Kersjes Prize.

Yamen Saadi plays the 'Ex Lord Amherst of Hackney, Ex Fritz Kreisler' Antonio Stradivari violin from 1734, and a Jacob Eury bow, both generously loaned to him by Stephan Jansen on behalf of a member of the Stretton society.

Mark Messenger has had a broad and varied career which has resulted in a global reputation as soloist, chamber musician, conductor, teacher, jury member, speaker, and consultant. His love of music and the human connection it offers has meant he has shared the concert platform with some remarkable musicians and some incredible students. He hopes that these connections, some of which are fleeting, and others which last for decades, have in some way affected these people to the same extent as he has been transformed by them. He has taken great pleasure from over three decades of string quartet playing, travelling across the world to teach, conduct and from his role as Head of Strings at the Royal College of Music. As long as his exploration of life and music continues to provide such human experiences, he will continue the journey with travelling companions from any walk of life and in any nation of the world.

Avec pour professeurs Pierre Doukan, Yehudi Menuhin, Sandor Vegh, Isaac Stern, Roland Daugareil obtient plusieurs 1er Prix au CNSM de Pa-ris, le 1er prix du concours International de Stresa puis plusieurs Prix à Londres, Sion, Naples, Belgrade.

Fondateur et 1er violon du Quatuor Ravel, Roland Daugareil devient so-liste de l’Opéra de Paris, Concertmaster à Radio-France, Guest-Concertmaster en particulier de Carlo-Maria Giulini aux Etats-Unis, en Asie, en Suisse Romande. Concertmaster de l’Orchestre de Paris de 1996 à 2021, il s’est produit en soliste depuis 1973 sous la direction de grands chefs tels Pierre Boulez, Zubin Mehta, Seiji Ozawa, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Sir Georg Solti, Herbert Von Karajan, Carlo Maria Giulini, Lorin Maazel, Paavo Jarvi, Christoph Eschenbach, Klaus Makela.

Roland Daugareil partage sa passion de la musique de chambre, notam-ment avec le Trio à cordes Sartory, Christoph Eschenbach, Hélène Gri-maud, Jacques Rouvier, Yuri Bashmet, Menahem Pressler, Lang Lang, Bruno Canino… Prix du disque avec une discographie d’une 30e d’œuvres et concertos, sa diversité d’activités l’ont amené à tisser des liens personnels avec Pierre Boulez, Olivier Messiaen, Toru Takemitsu et à être reçu au Palais Akasaka pour un concert privé pour l’Empereur du Ja-pon Akihito.

Invité en tant que membre du Jury dans les Concours Internationaux de Violon, Roland Daugareil a enseigné notamment au CNSM de Lyon, au CRR de Paris et de Bordeaux, en Hollande, et a été Président et Directeur Artistique de l‘Académie Internationale de Musique de Biarritz. Actuellement Professeur de violon au CNSM de Paris depuis 2001, il en-seigne aussi au Japon, aux Etats-Unis. Roland Daugareil est Chevalier de l'Ordre National du Mérite et Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, et joue

Prof. Tong Weidong is currently Deputy Head of Orchestral Department of the Central Conservatory of Music, Vice President and Secretary General of the Violin Society under the Chinese Musicians’ Association and member of the Chamber Music Society under the Chinese Musicians’ Association, Artistic Director of the Qingdao International Musical Festival, Artistic Director of the Central Conservatory of Music International Violin Festival and Artistic Director of the Liangzhu International Violin Festival.

Weidong is considered as one of the most distinguished violin professors in China, whose students have won numerous prizes in national and international competitions. He has served as a juror for many prestigious international competitions, including the Kloster Schöntal International Violin Competition, Joseph Joachim International Violin Competition Hannover, the Singapore International Violin Competition, the International Violin Competition Leopold Mozart in Augsburg, the Secretary General of the Qingdao International Violin Competition sponsored by the Ministry of Culture of China, and the President of the Hong Kong International Violin Competition.

Weidong has been invited to give master classes in many world-renowned music colleges and prestigious music festivals, such as the Royal Academy of Music, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the Yehudi Menuhin School, the Singapore Violin Festival, etc.

His other major achievements are as follows: prize winner at the 2nd China Youth Violin Competition (1984), granted DAAD scholarship in 1996, receiving major scholarship from the Ministry of Education to study in Germany, winning 2nd Prize of the Beijing Education Achievements (Higher Education) in 2008, and the Baogang Excellent Teaching Award in 2009.