International Chamber Classics Festival 2025: Professors Announced
The official list of professors for the International Chamber Classics Festival has been announced! ICCF's inaugural edition will take place from May 9 to 13, 2025, in Brussels, led by Artistic Director David Abrahamyan and President Konstantin Ishkhanov.
Debuting in Brussels, Belgium, in May 2025, the International Chamber Classics Festival (ICCF), organised by the CMDI (Classical Music Development Initiative) Group in collaboration with the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel of Brussels, is scheduled to be a captivating affair. The festival will unite respected musicians and rising talent to celebrate the art of chamber music through stunning evening concerts featuring outstanding soloists and exceptional masterclasses conducted by world-renowned professors.
The masterclasses, in particular, are a highlight of the event as they allow participants the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to engage closely with esteemed musical mentors who possess a wealth of experience, helping them enhance their musical abilities and techniques through rigorous sessions. These maestros include:
Claudio Bohorquez: A German-born cellist of Peruvian-Uruguayan descent known as one of the most sought-after musicians of his generation. Bohórquez has performed with an array of international orchestras, such as the Staatskapelle Dresden, Orchestre de Paris, the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the National Symphony and the Philadelphia Orchestra, among others. He has also worked with many renowned conductors, including Daniel Barenboim, Christoph Eschenbach, Manfred Honeck, Sir Neville Marriner, Lothar Zagrosek and David Zinman.
Yossif Ivanov: Regarded as one of the most exciting violinists of today, Ivanov, recipient of first prize at the Montreal International Competition and public prize at the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels, has performed with orchestras such as the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Luxemburg Philharmonic, Orchestre National de Lille, Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, as well as all significant Belgian orchestras. He has collaborated with many well-known conductors as well, such as Neëme Järvi, Marin Alsop, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Vladimir Jurowski, Kazushi Ono, Jean-Claude Casadesus, Philippe Herreweghe, and Jaap Van Zweden, among others.
Giuliano Mazzoccante: A master pianist, Mazzoccante has won more than 50 national and international competitions, including “M. Clementi” in Florence, “Agorà 80″ in Rome, “F. Liszt” in Lucca, and “Città di Stresa”, which he was awarded in prestigious competitions such as “International Music Tournament”, “Prix Venice”, “Ecomusic”, and many more. Acting as a major soloist and chamber musician at prominent international venues across Europe, the USA and Asia, he is regularly invited to present concerts and masterclasses at acclaimed venues and festivals such as “Mozarteum” in Salzburg, “ClaviCologne Festival” in Germany, “Malta International Music Festival”, etc.
Enrico Pace: An acclaimed pianist who performs consistently on international stages, Pace has toured extensively all over the world, performing in cities such as Amsterdam (Concertgebouw), Milan (Sala Verdi and Teatro alla Scala), Rome, Berlin, London (Wigmore Hall), Dublin, Munich, Salzburg, Prague and various cities in South America and has performed at multiple festivals including La Roque-d’Anthéron, Verbier, Lucerne and Husum. Winner of the Utrecht International Franz Liszt Piano Competition in 1989, which marked the beginning of his international career, he has also collaborated with conductors like Daniele Gatti, Roberto Benzi, Mark Elder, Janos Fürst, and so on.
Diemut Poppen: One of the most outstanding violists of her generation, Poppen has appeared in the most important music centres worldwide as a soloist and chamber musician, namely Barbican Centre, Queen Elisabeth Hall, Wigmore Hall, etc. Well-known musicians such as C.Abbado, A.Schiff, G.Kremer, T.Mork, L.Kavakos, N.Gutman, A.Chaushian, among others, have also invited the virtuoso to participate in their festivals. She has served as artistic director of several chamber music festivals, and is currently leading the Cantabile Festival Lisboa and Rigi Musiktage/Switzerland. She also holds professorships in Freiburg MH, Zurich ZHdK and Madrid Escuela de Musica Reina Sofia and has been awarded a silver medal for music by the Spanish queen.
Dora Schwarzberg: Recipient of 1st prize in the Carl Flesch Competition in London, ARD Violin Competition Munich, Romano Romanini Brescia, and winner in Paganini Competition and ARD Duo Competition, Schwarzberg is a Russian-born violinist and pedagogue who was a laureate at several prestigious competitions, including the Carl Flesch Competition in London, the ARD Violin Competition in Munich, and the Paganini Competition. She started teaching at the Mannes School of Music in New York before moving on to the Vienna University of Music and the Performing Arts, where she currently holds the title of Professor Emeritus. Her students have won numerous international competitions and perform in major orchestras and chamber ensembles worldwide.
Registrations for ICCF are officially open, providing a revolutionary platform for up-and-coming musicians and lovers of chamber music. Grab the opportunity to immerse yourself in the realm of live chamber music in picturesque Brussels by applying today!
