GOLDA VAINBERG-TATZ, PIANIST
"A pianist with wonderful firm, clear touch” (New York Times), “fascinating interpreter" (Tagblat, Germany), “artist of depth and virtuosity” (The Time Argus, USA), GOLDA VAINBERG-TATZ performed with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra (the Tchaikovsky Grand Hall in Moscow), Shanghai Symphony, Lithuanian National Symphony, Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, St. Kristoforas chamber orchestra, Kaunas State Symphony Orchestra in Lithuania, Ann Arbor Symphony in Michigan, Cincinnati Symphony. As a recitalist and chamber musician she was heard in Europe, Russia, Israel, USA, Canada, and China, including numerous collaborative recitals with the Vilnius (Lithuania) String Quartet.
She was a guest artist in Mozarteum Festival in Salzburg, Vilnius Festival in Lithuania, St. Petersburg Palaces Festival in Russia, Puigcerda Music festival in Spain, International Academy in Italy, Shanghai Conservatory International Festival, and the Shanghai Himalayas International Piano Festival, (performing, with Andre-Michel Schub and Shanghai Philharmonic, the Mozart two-piano concerto.)
Golda Vainberg-Tatz received her musical education in native Lithuania at the Čiurlionis School of Arts, Israel’s Rubin Academy of Music at Tel Aviv University, Manhattan School of Music, and The Juilliard School. She won the first prize in the Lithuanian State Competition for Young Pianists, full scholarships with distinction from the America Israel Cultural Foundation, Maurice Clairmont awards in Israel, top prizes in Young Keyboard Artists Competition in Michigan, the World Piano Competition in Cincinnati, the Frinna Awerbuch International Piano Competition, Chopin Competition finalist in New York, the Prix- du Disque from French Piano Institute in Paris, the Palm Beach Invitational International Competition.
An associate faculty member at the Juilliard School, she serves on the faculty of the Pre-College Division at Manhattan School of Music, the Young Artist program at Kaufman Center, New York City, Puerto Piano International Festival (puertopiano.org), Adamant Summer Music School in Vermont, and Morningside Music Bridge summer program.
She has been giving master classes at the Jerusalem Academy of Music, Tel Aviv University, Shanghai Conservatory, Čiurlionis School of Arts (Vilnius, Lithuania), judging auditions and competitions, including the First Olga Kern International Piano Competition, Malta International Piano Competition 2018, Chopin National Canadian Competition in 2019, DMA recitals at Manhattan School of Music and concerto competitions at the Juilliard School Pre-College division. Her students have won national and international competitions.
Ms. Vainberg -Tatz is a Steinway Artist, her recordings include "The Portrait" (a solo recital, on FPI label) French violin-piano sonatas with Raimundas Katilius (VSCD label, Lithuania), Mozart piano concertos with Moscow Chamber Orchestra (Consonance label, USA). Her CD with piano music by Robert Schumann (3D, France) received highest critical acclaim by Fanfare and American Record Guide magazines. Moisei Vainberg's piano Quintet with Vilnius String Quartet was released on Delos Label.
In 2003 she was appointed by Mme. Rosalyn Tureck to serve as the director of the Tureck International Bach Competition in New York www.tureckbachcompetition.com
YOOBIN SON, FLUTIST
Flutist Yoobin Son became a member of the New York Philharmonic in November 2012, the first Korean to join the Orchestra’s woodwind section. She has also served as the principal flute of Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra and the principal flute of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra.
In addition to performing with the New York Philharmonic, Son is an active soloist. She has performed with notable ensembles all over the world, including the Seoul Philharmonic, Prime Philharmonic, New Haven Symphony, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, and Bay Atlantic Symphony. She has also appeared in recitals throughout the world, including the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert Series in Chicago and the Young Artist Series of the Kumho Asiana Cultural Foundation in Seoul, South Korea.
A passionate chamber musician, Son has appeared in many notable chamber music festivals, including the Marlboro Music Festival in Vermont and Music from Angel Fire in New Mexico. As a firm believer in the importance of music education, Son served as a member of Ensemble Connect, formerly known as Ensemble ACJW, in which she actively participated in music education across New York City. She continues to pursue her passion as a mentor, holding an adjunct professor position at New York University. She also teaches privately and gives master classes around the world.
Yoobin Son’s honors and awards include Grand Prize at the Florida Orchestra Young Artist Competition, First Prize at the National Flute Association Soloist Competition, Second Prize at the Koussevitzky International Winds Competition, and the Conductor’s Award at the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Auditions.
Yoobin Son received her bachelor of music degree from the Curtis Institute of Music, master of music degree from Yale University, and professional studies certificate and artist diploma from the Manhattan School of Music. Her principal teachers have included Philharmonic Principal Flute Robert Langevin, Ransom Wilson, Jeffrey Khaner, and Bradley Garner.
JI EUN JINNY LEE, VIOLINIST
Ji Eun (Jinny) Lee is originally from South Korea where she started studying the piano and violin at the ages of four and nine respectively. As a teenager, she competed in a variety of competitions while also performing with the Korean Broadcasting Service (KBS) Symphony Orchestra, Ulsan Philharmonic Orchestra, Keumcheon Philharmonic Orchestra, and Siheung Philharmonic Orchestra, among others.
After graduating from Seoul Arts High School, she moved to Paris to obtain several degrees including her DEM from the Conservatory of Paris, her DEMS from the Conservatory of Versailles, and her Diplôme de Concertiste from La School Cantorum Conservatory. She then received an honorary AD Degree from the Trinity College of London, thereafter attending the Manhattan School of Music on a scholarship for her MM degree. After her MM, she returned to Korea to earn her Doctorate of Music Arts (DMA) from Yonsei University with her thesis on Stylistic Analysis Study on String Works of Guillaume Lekeu.
Ji Eun has performed at numerous venues and programs including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and the Seoul Arts Center Recital Hall. In addition, she won the 3rd place award at Concours FLAME, 2nd place at Concours International Leopold Bellan, and 1st place at the NYAIC Competition. After winning the 1st prize at NYAIC, she participated as a jury panelist for the string section.
She studied under Professor YoungMi Cho, DongSuk Kang, Alexandre Brussilovsky, Curtis Macomber, Daniel Phillips, Quatuor Ysaÿe, and with the American String Quartet.
Ji Eun is based in NYC/NJ and plays on an Antonio Gagliano violin.
JI YOUNG YOON, PIANIST
Jiyoung Yoon, a South Korean-born pianist, and lecturer graduated from Yewon School and Seoul Arts High School and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts from Manhattan School of Music, USA. She moved back to Korea for her Ph. D at Sung-Kyun-Kwan University with her dissertation "A Study on the Musically Gifted and Talented and Education Status and Development of Creative Education Program".
Ji Young's concert career has grown widely around the globe. Her appearance and successful concerts as a soloist and as a collaborative artist in chamber music concerts took place in many locations such as New York, Hawaii, Italy, Russia, Japan, and many others. She also has performed with leading orchestras such as Su-Won Philharmonic, Seoul Orchestra, Ukraine Prokofiev Orchestra, and Royal Symphony Orchestra. Also participated at the International Academy of Music in Italy Russia to broaden her musical insight by collaborating with internationally acclaimed artists around the globe.
In addition to performing activities, as a researcher, she published articles such as <A Study on the Relation Between Impressionist Music and Paintings – Focusing on Debussy's Music and Monet's Paintings>, <A Musical Analysis of 「Sonata for Flute and Piano」by Paul Hindemith-Focusing on Neo-Classical Characteristics>, <A Study on the Relationship Between Music and Literature in the Romantic Era of the 19th Century Focusing on Reinecke's 'Undine' >.
Ji Young pursues her career as a pedagogue by giving lectures on art management, music education, and music theory at Universities. Following the footsteps of her former mentor and teacher; Phillip Kawin, Kyungsook Lee, and Hyungjun Jang, Ji Young serves as a lecturer at Seoul National University of Education, An-Yang University. Currently, she is serving as a visiting professor at Dong-Guk University, and adjunct professor at Ga-Chon University.
CARLOS GARDELS, PIANIST
American pianist Carlos Gardels has performed and taught throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia, and has established a career that fuses elements of performance, composition, teaching, and educational/arts outreach.
A Los Angeles native, Mr. Gardels made his professional debut at age fifteen as a soloist in the Rachmaninoff Third Piano Concerto with the Pasadena Youth Orchestra in the Wilshire Ebell Theatre and made his debut appearance in Carnegie Recital Hall in 2016. He has been awarded prizes from the Los Angeles International Liszt Competition, the American Protege Competition, and the National Society of Arts and Letters.
He has been invited to perform solo recitals in Paris at the American Church's Atelier Concert Series, in London at St. Martin-in-the Field's "Pianists Of the World" concert series, and has studied and performed at the Alion Baltic Festival in Tallinn, Estonia, and the International Keyboard Institute and Festival in New York City. In the Southern California area, he has soloed with the Beach Cities Symphony, Young Artist's Concert Orchestra, and Gold Coast Chamber Orchestra, and performed recitals at the Richard Nixon Library, USC's Dornsife Brain and Creativity Institute, Pasadena Presbyterian Church's Music at Noon series, among others.
Mr. Gardels completed his undergraduate studies at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City and received a Master's Degree at Indiana University Bloomington. His major teachers were HakSoon Swiatkowski, Jeffrey Cohen, Evelyne Brancart, and Emile Naoumoff. Other mentors have included David Dubal, Cyprien Katsaris, Vladimir Feltsman, John Perry, and Neil Stannard.
An esteemed and versatile teacher, Mr. Gardels is on the faculty of Citrus College in Glendora, CA, where he teaches class piano, applied piano, music history, and music appreciation. He has additionally developed a large and vibrant studio of private pupils in the South Pasadena area of Los Angeles where he regularly prepares students for the Certificate of Merit and ABRSM exams, as well as coaches high school and college students aspiring to transfer to university and conservatory music programs, and also children and adults who pursue music as an avocation. He was voted a 2021 "Top Piano Teacher' by Steinway and Sons.
He regularly serves as a judge and evaluator for exams and competitions and appears frequently as a masterclass clinician. In 2014 he was a visiting faculty member at the FaceArt Academy of Music in Shanghai.
Gaining increasing notoriety as a composer, his 2017 piece "Late October" was a winner of the MTAC "Composers Today" Awards, and his "Three Fantasies" for Solo Piano were released in August 2022 by Theodore Presser Music. He has also composed music for film and theatre. As a writer, his articles on music, pedagogy, and composition have been featured in The Huffington Post, Clavier, Pianist Magazine, and the California Music Teacher.
Upcoming activities include a recording of Chopin and Debussy on the Centaur Label and a release of original works for solo piano.
"A brilliant pianist whose playing meets at the halfway point between intellect and intuition"
- David Dubal - Faculty, the Juilliard School, Author, Art of the Piano
His piano playing is filled with the utmost distinctive sound quality - it is genuinely inspired and charismatically inspiring. The meaningful sense of his interpretations translates his natural musicianship’s intuitive power combined with a rare and profound thoughtfulness coated in masterful craftsmanship.
-Emile Naoumoff - Composer, Pianist, Faculty Indiana University Jacobs School of Music
"His complex and varied program showcased a wide-ranging array of skills from soloist to collaborator in our series"
- Antonio Damasio - Neuroscientist, Director of the Brain and Creativity Institute of the University of Southern California, event series curator.