Elena Sorokina
Head of the jury
Elena Sorokina — an outstanding pianist, professor, Doctor of Arts, President of the All-Russian Association of Piano Duos, Merited artist of Russia (Russia-USA).
Jury
Evgeny Levitan
Evgeny Levitan — Russian pianist and piano teacher, Merited artist of Russia, professor, recipient of the award «Russian performing art.» Since 1973, he has been teaching at the Urals M.P. Mussorgsky State Conservatory; since 2005 — he has been head of the Piano major program of the Chelyabinsk State Academy of Culture and Arts. More than 20 students of E. Levitan are winners of international competitions.
E. Levitan is performing in Russia and worldwide. He is the author of fundamental works about Stanislav Neuhaus and Bertha Marants. He has headed juries of several piano competitions in Russia and abroad.
E. Levitan is the founder of the Stanislav Neuhaus International competition, which took place in 2007 and 2010 in Chelyabinsk. The juries were headed by outstanding modern pianists V. Krainev and E. Virsaladze.
Elena Lukyanova
Elena Lukyanova is a professor, Doctor of Arts. She graduated from graduate program in chamber performance at the Urals M.P. Mussorgsky State Conservatory in 1999; E. Lukyanova was a winner of an all-Russian competition and was awarded diplomas of the best accompanist and ensemble-player at several Russian and international competitions.
Since 1997, E. Lukyanova has been teaching at the Chamber ensemble and accompaniment program of the Urals State Conservatory. Since 1984, she has been working as an accompanist in violin, viola, flute, French horn, chorus and orchestra conducting studios. She also teaches at the Urals State Teachers University at the Music theory, history, and musical instruments program.
A long performing experience helps her excel in teaching. Many of her students have won prestigious competitions.
Elvira and Anatoly Polonsky
Elvira and Anatoly Polonsky are acknowledged and renown masters of piano duet performance. They have been playing duets since 1988 and have been performing widely in Russia and abroad, playing concerts and participating in numerous international festivals of piano duets. Their huge repertoire includes a large number of compositions for one piano four hands and for two pianos. Their concert programs encompass various music eras and styles.
The duo’s programs are fit for both adult and children’s audiences. In their concert programs, the musicians aim at making the audience familiar with rarely performed four-hand and two-piano music, including a large number of masterpieces. The bulk of their repertoire includes music by Mozart, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Dvorak, Debussi, Ravel, Poulenc, Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Gavrilin.
The piano duo has recorded their concerts live on several CDs and DVDs. In 2007, they published two books of piano duo compositions for children and a CD with recordings of all of the.