Irena Josifovska; Aleksandar Djermanovic, Serbia

Irena Josifovska- cello

Irena Josifovska is one of the most promising cellists of her generation. She was the 1st prize winner at the Gabrielli cello competition in2021 in Berlin and as academist of Verbier Festival winner of the prize Prix Jean-Nicolas Firmenich. In 2017 she was the youngest semi-finalist of the Queen Elisabeth competition.

Born in 1996 in Subotica (Serbia) into a family of musicians she started playing the cello at the age of 5. She finished her Bachelor studies at the “Hochschule für Musik” in Detmold (Germany) in the class of prof.Xenia Jankovic and at the moment she is a student of Master studies in „Universität der Künste“ Berlin, in the class of prof. Jens Peter Maintz.

Since october 2021 she is Artist in residence of „Queen Elisabeth music chapelle“ in Brussels for chamber-music and from september 2022 she will be part of the „Villa musica foundation and chamber music festival academy“.

She is a winner of many awards at national and international competitions, like Dotzauer cello competition in Germany, Herann cello competition in Czech Republic, International cello competition in Liezen, Austria. In 2015, as the youngest contestant, she was the finalist and one of laureates of Jeunesses musicales international competition in Belgrade and won the audience prize and several special prizes. In 2018 she got a silver medal at the Vienna international music competition and in 2019 GOLDEN MEDAL with High distinction in Manhattan international music competition. In 2020 she got a Special prize of the family Janigro at the Janigro competition in Zagreb.

She performed all over the Europe and USA and she was a soloist of the eminent orchestras, like Deutsche Sinfonietta Berlin, Wurttembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen, Hagen Symphony orchestra, Detmold chamber orchestra, Kaunas philharmony, Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie, etc and has participated in some of the biggest festivals including those in Verbier, Ljubljana, Berlin, Moritzburg etc. Irena attended master classes with prof. David Geringas, Frans Helmerson, Steven Isserlis, Marc Coppey, Christian Poltera, Daniel Müller Schott, Alban Gerhardt, etc. Irena has recorded two CDs, and her third album is for the Sony label with “Vox baroque” playing a baroque cello.

Aleksandar Djermanoivic-piano

Pianist Aleksandar Djermanovic is currently enrolled at the doctoral studies for piano interpretation in the class of Dorian Leljak at the University for Arts in Novi Sad. This follows his specialization studies at the “Mozarteum” in Salzburg with Jaques Rouvier and his master studies at the Royal College of music in London in the class of Ian Jones and Dmitri Alexeev.

He is a winner of numerous national and international competitions for piano and chamber music among which the Manhattan international competition in New York where Djermanovic is a winner of the gold medal, as well as the first prize at the Memorial competition “Isidor Bajic” and laureate and winner of prizes in all categories at the international competition for Slavic music in Moscow. He has performed in prestigious concert halls in Europe in Russia, Great Britain, and his native Serbia. As a soloist he has performed with the Royal Tunbridge Wells orchestra, Vojvodina Symphony orchestra, the orchestra in Rochester, as well as the Symphonic orchestra of the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad and Camerata Academica under such conductors as Gianluca Marciano, Neil Thompson and Aleksandar Kojic.  Djermanovic currently holds the position of a docent at the University for arts in Nov Sad and is the general manager of the International piano competition “Isidor Bajic”.

Programme:

1. van Beethoven: Sonata for violoncello and piano no. 4 op. 102 C Major

                                    Andante- Allegro vivace

                                    Adagio-Tempo d’Andante-Allegro vivace

1. Schumann: “Fantasy pieces” Op.73

                        Zart und mit Ausdruck

                        Lebhaft, leicht

                        Rasch und mit Feuer

-intermission-

1. Rachmaninoff: Sonata for cello and piano G minor Op.19

                            Lento-Allegro moderato

                            Allegro scherzando

                            Andante

                            Allegro mosso- Vivace

1. Piazzolla: “Le grand Tango”