Emir Imerov-violin, Macedonia; Vag Papian-piano, Israel

Emir Imerov-violin

Emir Imerov was born in Skopje, Macedonia and moved to Germany in 1991. He studied at the Music Academy in Würzburg with Professor G. Zhislin and graduated in 2000. During his studies, he won first prize in the Mendelssohn Competition and received a two-year scholarship. He performed extensively with the St. Petersburg Virtuoso Quartet, touring the U.S.A., Australia, U.S.S.R., Switzerland and Germany. In 1998, his piano trio won first prize in a chamber music competition in Toulouse and second prize in a violin competition in Tashkent. Later he studied with Prof. D. Gaede and attended master classes with Professors Z. Bron and V. Tretjakov. Since 2004 he has been principal violinist of the Niederrheinische Sinfoniker and since 2010 of the “Solistes Européens” in Luxembourg. Imerov is also a guest professor in several European countries and a member of the Benjamin Piano Trio.

Vag Papian-piano

Vag Papian, a renowned pianist and conductor, began his career in 1979 after winning the Viana da Motta International Competition. A graduate of the Moscow Conservatory, he later studied conducting at the St. Petersburg Conservatory under Ilia Musin. In 1984, he became assistant conductor of the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra and was later promoted to artistic director and principal conductor. Since immigrating to Israel in 1990, he has held

positions with the Beer Sheva and Jerusalem Symphony Orchestras. Papian has conducted major orchestras around the world, appeared at prestigious festivals, and collaborated with Maxim Vengerov on recordings for EMI Classic. His opera productions include Carmen, Don Giovanni and Norma. He is currently a guest conductor at the National Opera Theatre of Armenia, a professor at the Samuel Rubin Academy in Tel Aviv, a guest professor in several European countries, and a member of the Benjamin Piano Trio.