Last Saturday, on the 9th of November, five of our young students competed in the cantonal Zurich Music Competition, held at the Music Conservatory Zurich. They achieved outstanding results, winning three first and two second prizes across various categories and age groups.
Demid Ivanov-Ryzhov (12, piano), Theofania Archontopoulou (11, cello), and Tatjana Filimonova (12, violin) — collectively known as the trio ‘Espressivo’ — truly shone at the competition. They performed the ‘Hungarian Dance’ by Brahms and the ‘Three Funny Pieces’ for piano trio (piano, violin, cello) by contemporary composer Rodion Shchedrin. These young musicians achieved a perfect score of 60 out of 60, securing first place in the ensemble category for their age group (up to 14 years).
Margarita Menz (7, piano) and Katharina Filimonova (9, violin) performed two pieces from the golden repertoire of classical music. They began with ‘Melodie’ from the opera ‘Orfeo ed Euridice’ by Christoph Willibald Gluck, arranged for violin and piano by Fritz Kreisler, followed by ‘Gavotte’ from ‘Five Pieces for Two Violins and Piano’ by Dmitri Shostakovich. Their excellent performance earned them 58 out of a possible 60 points, resulting in a second prize in the duet category for their age group (up to 11 years).
For young pianist Demid, this was his first competition, making his remarkable result all the more impressive. Theofania and Tatjana, despite their youth, are already experienced musicians who have competed in various national and international Swiss competitions. For example, two years ago, the girls won first prize in the ensemble category as members of the trio ‘Amabile.’
Our highly talented cellist, Theofania, also participated in the Zurich Music Competition in both 2021 and 2023, winning prestigious first prizes on both occasions in the cello solo category. Katharina and Margarita have previously competed in multiple music competitions in Switzerland and beyond; however, this was their first time competing in the Zurich Music Competition and their first competition as a duet.
Promising young pianist Demid joined the Zakhar Bron School of Music last academic year and has been taking piano lessons with Rafael Lipstein, our leading piano teacher.
Gifted violinist sisters, Tatjana and Katharina, study violin under Inna Khriplovich, the school’s violin teacher. In addition to their regular lessons (up to four per week), they participate in professional violin masterclasses and perform at concerts.
Extremely talented Margarita Menz takes piano lessons with Tatyana Samoylova at our music school. The youngest contestant at the Zurich Music Competition 2024, Margarita has excelled in other music competitions and performed in various concerts, despite her very young age.
Lastly, Theofania, a cello student with potential to become a rising star, joined the Zakhar Bron School of Music in 2022. She has been taking cello lessons with Payam Taghadossi, a cellist of the Basel Symphony Orchestra and our cello teacher, since then. Her talent has shone through in numerous concerts and competitions.
In addition to their instrumental lessons, all five prize-winning students attend music theory classes at the school. These lessons enhance their understanding of music, helping them perform at a higher level and secure top prizes in competitions.
Photo credit: Mary Desypri