Illustrators of the 2rd round (piano duo)

GULZHAN UZENBAEVA (Kazakhstan)

Composer, pianist, winner of the I Prize of the Open Chamber Music Competition LG, a member of the Composers' Union of RK, soloist of the Zhambyl Kazakh State Philharmonic, winner of the State grant of RK for the creation of socially important works, an assistant professor of piano in Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory. G. Uzenbaeva successfully performs as a soloist and chamber musician. As part of the philharmonic trio ensemble with remarkable Honored artists of Kazakhstan – Aida Ayupova and winners of international competitions – Ermek Kurmanaev. She actively performs both in Kazakhstan and abroad. Among G. Uzenbaevoy creative partners – there are world-famous musicians. There are – cellist Denis Shapovalov (Russia), flutist Nikolai Popov (Russia), tenor Zurab Zurabishvili (Austria), conductors Vag Papian (Israel), Gustav Mack (Austria), as well as such renowned ensembles as the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Kazakhstan, State Chamber Ensemble “Camerata Kazakhstan”, State Orchestra “Academy of Soloists” G. Zhubanovoy State Quartet and other.

GULNARA KURAMBAYEVA (Kazakhstan)

She graduated the Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory and post-graduate studies (class of Professor J. A. Aubakirova). At this moment she is an Associate Professor of “Piano” in Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory. She maintains an active concert and teaching activities in the country and abroad. Regularly makes master classes in all regions of Kazakhstan. Each year, participating in the work of juries in different competitions. She have trained more than 20 laureates and winners of international competitions held in cities such as Novosibirsk, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Astana, Almaty, Druskininkai, Visaginas, Hamburg. In 2015, together with the Radio “Classic” has released a CD-ROM devoted to the 70th anniversary of the Kazakh National Conservatory. It includes works by W. A. Mozart and F. Chopin. 

BOTAGOZ AYGALKAEVA (Kazakhstan)

Winner of the Ch Nurymov International Competition. (Ashgabat, Turkmenistan). B. Aygalkaeva has teaching in the department of “Piano” since1992. Gives master classes in the framework of national and international festivals. B. Aygalkaeva students – winners of international and national competitions. Actively involved in the jury of national competitions. B. Aygalkaeva gives concerts in Kazakhstan, and participates in international projects of the Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory. 

DORIAN WILSON (USA)

The conductor of the III round of the VIII International Piano Competition in Almaty

Dorian Wilson’s Conservatory studies are in piano, viola, composition, art history, and conducting; from Oberlin Conservatory (Piano and Art History), Indiana University (Piano and Viola), the University of Michigan (Orchestral Conducting and Opera Coaching) and the Hochschule für Musik in Vienna (Conducting). His teachers include Gustav Meier, Dmitri Kitaenko, Rudolph Barshai and Jorma Panula, standing out as one of Leonard Bernstein’s last students. 

He first received international recognition at the 1989 Malko International Conducting Competition. As a result he was asked to be the second conductor for the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra; an unprecedented appointment in Russia for an American Conductor. Later Wilson was to be the first guest conductor of the Russian National Orchestra, created in 1990 by Mikhail Pletnev. 

Dorian Wilson has won more International prizes for conducting than any other conductor such as the Dimitri Mitropoulos; Athens, Kiril Kondrashin; Amsterdam, Tokyo International, Antonio Pedrotti, Tokyo International, Antonio Pedrotti and Arturo Toscanini; Italy, Nicolai Malko; Copenhague and Jeans Sibelius; Helsinki. 

He has performed in great halls, such as the Komishe Opera and Deutsche Oper from Berlin, Royal Swedish Opera, Deutsches National Theater of Weimar, Concertgebouw of Amsterdam, Copenhaguen, Florence, Seoul, San Petersburg, etc. He has collaborated with some of the most distinguished soloists including Yo- Yo Ma, Thomas Zehetmair, Vladmir Viardo, Cecile Licad, Shura Cherkassky, Boris Berezovsky and Mstislav Rostropovich, among others. 

Dorian Wilson was Music Director of the Theatre Vorpommern, Germany. In his tenure there he conducted over 50 productions in more than 300 performances: Tosca, Rusalka, Fidelio, Othello, Madame Butterfly, Der Freishütz, Le nozze di Figaro, Carmen, Turandot, La Bohème, etc. 

STATE ACADEMIC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN

Is the first symphonic collective in Kazakhstan. It became the first performer of the symphonic pieces of the West-European, Russian, Soviet and Kazakh composers. The orchestra was always conducted by highly professional musicians such as F. Mansurov, V. Yakovlev, G. Dugashev, S. Kazhgaliev, I. Ostrovskiy, T. Mynbaev and R. Salavatov. For a long time it was headed by Tolepbergen Abdrashev, the People’s artist of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The precise decision of art problems, bright emotionality and virtuosity of performance are inherent in a creative manner of the orchestra. Being one of the leading troupes in Kazakhstan, the State Academic Symphony Orchestra (SASO) gives concerts across Kazakhstan and abroad, cooperating with such musicians as Andrei Gavrilov, Natalia Trul, Denis Matsuev (piano), Denis Shapovalov (cello), Graf Murzha (violin), Alexei Mochalov (bass), Oksana Lesnichaya (soprano) and many others. By the long period SASO was headed by well-known conductor and pianist Vag Papyan (Israel). Since 2013 the director of the Orchestra is the Honorary Artist of Russian Federation, People's artist of the Republic of Tatarstan Renat Salavatov. Since October 2015 the Orchestra is lead by Kanat Omarov — winner of international competitions, alumna of the Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory.