International Jury Panel  2026

Dimitri Papageorgiou is a contemporary composer whose work investigates unstable sonic identities and the porous thresholds between memory and immediacy, inherited practices and experimental modes of sound production. He approaches sound as a field of shifting relations, where timbre, resonance, gesture, repetition, and decay act as structural agents. Central to his practice is a conception of memory not as nostalgic recall but as a reconstructive and erosive process: musical materials return as altered traces, continually reshaped through fragmentation, distortion, and micro‑variation.

He studied composition with Hermann Markus Pressl and Andrzej Dobrowolski at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz and completed a PhD in Composition at the University of Iowa. His engagement with algorithmic and computational approaches was further developed through artistic research at the Institute of Electronic Music and Acoustics in Graz, including the research project Patterns of Intuition.

Papageorgiou’s music has been performed by leading international ensembles such as the Arditti String Quartet, Klangforum Wien, Ensemble Recherche, Ensemble Zeitfluss, Proxima Centauri, and AsianArt Ensemble. His works have appeared at major festivals and institutions including ORF musikprotokoll, the Darmstadt International Summer Course for New Music, the Athens Epidaurus Festival, the International Computer Music Conference, Zeitströme, the International Review of Composers, and the Daegu Contemporary Music Festival. He has been featured or invited as guest composer at the Tehran International Electronic Music Festival (2018), Atemporánea Festival in Buenos Aires (2023), TARA Festival de Música Contemporánea (2023), and the Daegu Contemporary Music Festival (2025).

Recent works include Fourteen Echoes for an Absence (2024), for piano automaton and ensemble, commissioned by Radio Österreich 1 in cooperation with ORF musikprotokoll and premiered by Ensemble Zeitfluss; EOttEOhke (2024), premiered by AsianArt Ensemble at the Konzerthaus Berlin; Not Even Money Can Buy Odd Time (2025), commissioned for the Athens Epidaurus Festival; and Avant l’éclipse, a lullaby hummed for the symmetries as they vanish (2025), premiered by Ensemble Recherche. Other projects, such as Oumuamua for kanun and string quartet, reflect his ongoing interest in transcultural encounter and the negotiation of instrumental and sonic identities.

Papageorgiou is Professor of Composition and Director of the Contemporary Music Lab at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He is also a founding member and co‑artistic director of outHEAR New Music Week, an international composition academy and symposium developed in collaboration with the Aristotle University, the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, Klangforum Wien, and PPCM Graz.

A symbol of resilience and a model for musicians and music lovers alike, concert pianist, teacher, and cultural organizer Giovanni Nesi is known for his captivating pianism, described by Dino Villatico in La Repubblica as «a gesture that aspires to song, with lightness» and that «combines intellectual pleasure and admiration».

His concert career as a soloist and chamber musician has led him to perform at many of Italy’s most prestigious festivals and theaters, including the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Amici della Musica di Firenze, Festival dei Due Mondi di Spoleto, Ravello Festival, Teatro La Fenice in Venice, Accademia Filarmonica Romana, and Società dei Concerti di Milano. Internationally, he has appeared at iconic venues such as the Mozarteum Salzburg, St Martin-in-the-Fields in London, Teatro Solís in Montevideo, and the Yamaha Concert Hall in Vienna, earning acclaim across Europe and the Americas.

His interpretations, praised for their intensity and originality, range from Bach to Chopin, Debussy, and Domenico Zipoli, whose complete Suites and Partitas he recorded for the first time on a modern piano (Heritage, 2015). The album received international praise (Gramophone, Limelight, Music Web International, BBC, Pizzicato, Maestro), establishing him as a pioneer. Equally notable is his world-premiere recording of Mario Pilati’s works for Tactus (2014), acclaimed by Classic Voice, Musica, Rai Radio3, and others.

Facing focal dystonia, a condition limiting the use of his right hand, Nesi continues to perform worldwide with his left hand alone, presenting celebrated repertoire, his own transcriptions, and premieres written for him. His albums J.S. Bach: Works for Piano Left Hand (Heritage, 2019) and Original and Transcribed Piano Music for the Left Hand (Da Vinci Classics, 2024) received unanimous acclaim. In 2026, Amadeus magazine featured him on its cover, releasing his new album Bach: Cello Suites Nos. 5 & 6 / Scriabin: Prelude and Nocturne, Op. 9. He collaborates with the Fresco Parkinson Institute, inspiring musicians facing similar challenges.

Born in Florence in 1986, a student of Maria Tipo and Andrea Lucchesini, he has received guidance from distinguished musicians including Elisso Virsaladze, Bruno Canino, Joaquín Soriano, Hüseyin Sermet, and Jacques Rouvier. His dedication has earned him numerous prizes in national and international competitions, as well as awards such as the Maggio del Pianoforte, Clef du Mois, Coup de Cœur, William Walton Prize, and Rudolf Serkin Award.

Nesi is Head of the Piano Department at the Livorno Conservatory, a passionate teacher whose students have won numerous competitions. He frequently gives masterclasses in Italy, Mexico, and the United States, and serves as a juror in Italy, the U.S., and Hungary. As a communicator, he created and hosted MusicaEterna on 7Gold, founded and directs festivals such as the Centro Pecci Piano Festival and Il Sabato del Mascagni, and is active as a lecturer.

Ivana Dakić is one of the most distinguished oboists of the Serbian music scene, with an extensive career as a soloist, educator, and member of renowned chamber ensembles. She began her musical education at the Kosta Manojlović Music School in Belgrade, where she won numerous first prizes at both republic and federal competitions. As the top laureate of the federal competition in Slovenia, she represented former Yugoslavia at an international competition in Geneva. During her studies, she was a scholarship recipient of the Foundation for Young Talents.

She completed her undergraduate and master’s studies at the Faculty of Music – University of Arts in Belgrade, in the class of the renowned professor Ljubiša Petruševski. As the best student of the wind instruments department, she was awarded the prestigious Bruno Bruni Award.

From 1991 to 1997, Ivana was a member of the Orchestra of the Opera and Ballet of the National Theatre in Belgrade, serving as solo English horn and second oboe. From 1997 to 2023, she held the position of principal oboist of the RTS Symphony Orchestra, one of Serbia’s most important ensembles. In parallel, she performed as a guest oboist with the Belgrade Philharmonic, the Montenegrin Symphony Orchestra, the National Theatre Opera Orchestra, and the Madalenaum Theatre.

In the field of music education, Ivana has taught at the Davorin Jenko and Vladimir Đorđević music schools. She currently teaches at the Josif Marinković Music School and the Faculty of Music – University of Arts in Belgrade, where since 2023 she holds the title of Docent for the subjects Methodology and Orchestral Studies for Woodwind Instruments. She is also a mentor at the chamber music summer camp in Ivanova Korita.

As a chamber musician, Ivana is a member of Trio Femina, the Circle Ensemble, the Tramontana Wind Quintet, and the Da Capo Duo with flutist Stana Krstajić. Numerous contemporary Serbian composers have written works specifically for her ensembles, which she has successfully premiered.

Ivana is one of the founders of Oboe Fest, a festival that for eight years has brought together oboists and educators from the region and across Europe. She has collaborated with major cultural institutions such as the Ministry of Culture, the Belgrade Philharmonic, and has performed at international festivals including Strefa Ciszy (Warsaw), Kotor Art, and Amici della Musica (Montegranaro).

Throughout her career, she has performed with world‑class musicians, including:

• Francesco di Rosa (Santa Cecilia Orchestra, Rome)

• Christoph Hartmann (Berlin Philharmonic)

• Jean‑Louis Capezzali (Conservatory of Lugano)

• Soprano – Performing Arts Artist – Vocal Pedagogue 

• Silvia Colombini is an Italian soprano with a distinguished international career spanning more than twenty years. A graduate in both violin and singing, and winner of three international vocal competitions, she is renowned for her exceptional ability to perform in 14 languages, including Chinese. She is widely regarded as an International Ambassador of Italian Belcanto, with long-standing collaborations in cultural diplomacy.

• Silvia has performed leading soprano roles in many of the world’s most prestigious opera houses, including Semperoper Dresden, Staatsoper Berlin, Cologne Opera, Frankfurt Opera, Arena di Verona, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Teatro Massimo Palermo, Teatro Regio Torino, Opera di Roma, La Monnaie Brussels, Bunka Kaikan Tokyo, and major theatres across China and Japan. Her concert activity includes appearances at Verdi Auditorium Milan, Parco della Musica Rome, Gewandhaus Leipzig, Gasteig Munich, Vatican Nervi Hall, Shanghai Concert Hall, and numerous international festivals such as Salzburg Festival, Bruckner Fest Linz, MITO SettembreMusica, and Armonie d’Arte Festival.

• A unique multidisciplinary artist, she is also known as a “performing arts soprano”, creating innovative productions that integrate singing, acting, violin performance, and rare instruments. She develops new artistic formats for museums, galleries, foundations, and cultural institutions, and has performed for major corporate events including Samsung, L’Oréal, Saint Gobain, FlyDubai, and the World Cosmetics Conference.

• Silvia has sung for Italian Presidents Carlo Azeglio Ciampi and Sergio Mattarella, and for Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis. In China, where she has been active since 2011, she has been honored with the title “意大利歌剧女王” (Queen of Italian Opera), also recognized by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 2025, she was appointed by the European Union to represent Western music at the official celebration of the 50th anniversary of EU–China relations, performing in Beijing before 27 European Ambassadors.

• As a pedagogue, Silvia is the creator of the innovative ARS Singing Method (Art of Overcoming Resistance), first presented at Tongji University in Shanghai in 2011. She is a permanent vocal instructor at Accademia Musicale di Brera, Rossini Music Academy, and WJOpera Music Academy, and has led masterclasses across Italy, China, Japan, Vietnam, Sudan, and Europe.

• Silvia is a highly respected vocal expert and has served as jury member and jury president in major international competitions, including the Star Awards International Music Competition, “Voci Nuove per la Lirica”, and the prestigious Vincerò World Opera Competition, where she chaired selections held at Teatro alla Scala, Opéra National de Paris, Zurich, and Frankfurt. She is also a jury member for competitions associated with the Mozarteum Salzburg.

• She is the founder of VOICEFORSTAGE, a program dedicated to young singers, offering advanced training and performance opportunities, and the artistic director of ALLORO – Italy–China, a cultural exchange project supported by Italian and Chinese institutions.

Spartak Sinamati is a distinguished violinist and Concertmaster with a long and accomplished career in symphonic, chamber, and solo performance. A graduate of the Institute of Arts in Tirana (today the University of Arts), he began his professional journey as a violin teacher at the “Jakov Xoxa” Art School in Fier.

Since 1992, he has served as First Violin of the RTSH Symphony Orchestra, later being appointed Concertmaster, a role in which he has played a central artistic and leadership part. Alongside his orchestral activity, he has contributed to music education as a guest lecturer at the University of Arts in Tirana.

His repertoire spans from Baroque to contemporary music, including significant works of Albanian composers. Sinamati has collaborated with numerous renowned conductors and musicians from Albania, as well as from Italy, Russia, the United States, Germany, France, Japan, and other countries.

As Concertmaster, he has performed on prestigious international stages such as Canterbury Cathedral (UK), Brahms Saal – Wiener Musikverein (Vienna), Auditorium Parco della Musica (Rome), Oji Hall (Tokyo), and has taken part in extensive concert tours across Japan, Switzerland, and Bulgaria. His artistic activity also includes numerous recitals and solo appearances with the RTSH Symphony Orchestra and various chamber ensembles.

Ovidiu Marinescu is a Romanian-born American cellist, conductor, and educator, internationally recognized for his expressive artistry and distinguished career across Europe, Asia, and the United States. Born and trained in Romania, he completed his musical studies at Romanian conservatories and began his professional journey performing with the country’s leading orchestras, including the Romanian National Radio Orchestra and several major Philharmonics. His Romanian musical heritage remains an essential part of his artistic identity, reflected in many of his interpretations and collaborations.

Marinescu has performed in some of the world’s most prestigious concert halls, including Carnegie Hall, Weill Hall, Merkin Hall, the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, Holywell Music Room (Oxford), and the Oriental Art Center in Shanghai. As a soloist, he has appeared with the London Symphony Orchestra, New York Chamber Symphony, National Radio Orchestra of Romania, Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Orquesta de Extremadura (Spain), and numerous American orchestras.

A longtime member of Trio Casals, Marinescu has toured extensively and recorded more than 25 albums on labels such as PARMA Recordings and Cambria, featuring repertoire from Bach’s Cello Suites to contemporary works. His discography has earned international recognition and critical acclaim.

As a conductor, he has led ensembles including the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra, Romanian National Radio Chamber Orchestra, New Russia State Orchestra, and several American symphony orchestras. His conducting work reflects a broad artistic vision and a commitment to promoting both classical and modern repertoire.

Ovidiu Marinescu currently serves as Professor of Cello at West Chester University of Pennsylvania (USA), where he also directs the West Chester University Symphony Orchestra. He is widely respected as a pedagogue, mentor, and advocate for young musicians worldwide.

Julia Selina Blank, originally from Germany, is an award‑winning conductor based in Norway. Over recent years, she has established herself as a highly sought‑after musical leader across Europe, known for her artistic versatility, refined musicianship, and deep commitment to choral excellence.

She is frequently engaged as a guest conductor and chorus master, having collaborated with leading European ensembles including the Radio Choir Berlin, Netherlands Radio Chorus, Bavarian Radio Chorus, MDR Radio Chorus, WDR Radio Chorus, NDR Vocal Ensemble, RIAS Chamber Choir, Swedish Radio Choir, Slovenian Philharmonic Choir, Coro RTVE Madrid, Chorwerk Ruhr, and the Norwegian Soloists’ Choir. From 2024–2025, she served as conductor and artistic leader of the Norwegian National Youth Choir.

As co‑founder and chief conductor of the JSB‑Ensemble Oslo, Blank has developed innovative projects that combine early and baroque repertoire with challenging contemporary works. The ensemble, composed of some of Norway’s finest ensemble singers, is known for its one‑on‑a‑part performance practice and artistic precision.

Blank has conducted amateur choirs for many years and currently directs the award‑winning chamber choir Kammerkoret NOVA in Oslo. Under her leadership, the choir released the acclaimed a cappella album Human/Nature in 2025, featuring romantic and contemporary works by female composers.

She is active internationally as a pedagogue and workshop leader in choral conducting and is regularly invited to serve on juries and competition panels throughout Europe.

Blank is a laureate of several major international competitions:

• Second Prize, Eric Ericson Award (2021)

• First Prize, World Choral Conducting Competition, Hong Kong (2019)

• First Prize, London International Choral Conducting Competition (2018)

She was for many years a member of the German Conductors’ Forum and has studied choral conducting with distinguished mentors including Michael Gläser (Munich), Fredrik Malmberg (Stockholm), and Grete Pedersen (Oslo).

Prof. Dr. Tao Li is a distinguished female scholar and vocal arts educator at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, where she serves as Professor in the Department of Music and Drama, Director of the Vocal Music Teaching and Research Office, and Master’s Thesis Advisor. She holds a Ph.D. from the School of Humanities at Tongji University, reflecting her strong interdisciplinary foundation in music, culture, and performance studies.

She has held international academic appointments, including serving as a Senior Visiting Scholar at the Royal Academy of Music in the United Kingdom, where she also acted as Honorary Chair of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association.

Prof. Dr. Tao Li contributes extensively to national artistic and academic institutions. She is:

• External Advisor (Ph.D. Advisory Group), School of Drama and Film Arts, Communication University of China

• Council Member, China Musical Theater Association

• Deputy Secretary‑General, Performance Professional Committee, China Musical Theater Association

• Council Member, Chinese Drama Literature Society

• Deputy Director, Musical Theater Professional Committee, Chinese Drama Literature Society

• Member, China Musicians Association

• Council Member, Vocal Music Professional Committee, Shanghai Musicians Association

• Deputy Secretary‑General, Shanghai Liaison Office, 8th Jiangxi Provincial Youth Federation

• Member, 9th Shanghai Municipal Youth Federation

• Executive President & President of the Culture and Tourism Branch, Shanghai Association for the Revitalization of Jiangxi

Through her work in vocal performance, musical theater, academic research, and cultural leadership, Prof. Dr. Tao Li is recognized as one of the most influential female figures in contemporary Chinese vocal arts and performing arts education.

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