Marina Petrov

About the participants:

Maya Momcilovic Jordan - pianist, holds a Masters Degree of Music Academy in Belgrade - where she was born - and a PG Certificate from the London College of Music. A winner of numerous prizes, she has performed throughout the former Yugoslavia, Italy, Cyprus, France and England and recorded for various Radio and TV programmes. Maya's performing career has extended through her interest in bringing music and artists of different countries together. She was one of the co-founders of the project Sounds of the Balkans, a series of concert presenting music from South-Eastern Europe. Maya has been Artistic Director of numerous events, presenting artists and music from the Balkans, encouraging artists of different origins to work together and making bridges between cultures. She has been working together with various organisations including the Serbian Society, British-Serbian Benevolent Fund, English Speaking Union and Beethoven Piano Society of Europe. As a Committee member of The Serbian Council of Great Britain, Maya has been involved in numerous charity projects, helping Serbian people and children. Read more at www.serbiancouncil.org.uk

Marina Petrov-Stoykovich MA, started her piano career early at the age of eight in Belgrade, the capital of former Yugoslavia. As a child prodigy, she was a laureate of many national festivals and competitions for gifted children. This was followed by many tours, recitals and various media appearances including TV shows. She was awarded a national grant to study further at the famous Moscow Music Conservatoire, P.I.Tchaikovsky at the age 18. Since moving to London more than 20 years ago, she continued to juggle between her concert and teaching career, as well as charity work and organising numerous arts venues. Meeting Carola Grindea in late 90s led to Marina's great involvement with ISSTIP development where she held various positions. Marina has also written several articles and given seminars around Europe on related issues in Tensions in Performance. Her talents are renowned in the British press including The Times and she has contributed to International Who's Who in Music since 1992. Read more at www.pianomasteclasses.co.uk

Silva McQueen studied singing at the Belgrade Music Academy and joined the Radio and Television of Serbia choir in Belgrade. She completed a year's course for opera singers at the National Theatre in Belgrade, taking part in a staged performance of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro. She was awarded a full scholarship to Trinity College of Music, where she completed her postgraduate studies with distinction, studying with Wendy Eathorne. She was subsequently offered a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music. She has also toured throughout Europe with Die Münchener Operabühne, sang as a soloist in Mozart's Requiem and worked with Jorma Panula as the soloist in Sibelius' Kullervo Symphony. Silva was also a regular soloist with the Victorian and Edwardian group The Bold Balladiers, with whom she performed extensively in Scotland, Yorkshire and London. More recent engagements have included solo soprano in Mozart's Requiem Mass, Mozart's Coronation Mass and Haydn's Pauken Messe, as well as solo recitals at St. Martin in the Fields, St. James's Piccadilly and St. Pauls's Church and the Serbian Embassy. Read more at www.serbiancouncil.org.uk

Robert Atchison was born in London and studied music from a young age. His teachers included Sheila Nelson, Bronsilaw Gimpel at the Royal Northern College of Music, Emmanuel Hurwitz at the Royal Academy of Music and Maurice Hasson. In 1982 he was a finalist in the Abbado International Competition in Milan, Italy. Mr. Atchison has given concerto performances and recitals in the USA, South America, Europe and the far East. In 1983 he made his concerto debut at the Queen Elizabeth Hall playing the Beethoven concerto and in 1984 at the Barbican with the Vivaldi Four Seasons. The same year he joined the Philharmonia Orchestra and remained there until 1990. From 1991 to 1997 he was a member of all three orchestras of the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, and was co-principal to Iona Brown. In 1993 he was appointed Director of the Spanish Chamber Orchestra, appearing frequently as soloist. Since then he has had a busy chamber and solo career. Mr. Atchison is Violinist with the critically acclaimed London Piano Trio that tours regularly throughout the UK, Europe and the Far East. He has done numerous recordings including the recently released Complete Piano Trios of Armstrong Gibbs. He was also Artistic Director with Renato Bossa of the International Music Series at the Certosa di Capri, Italy, from 2006-2009. Mr Atchison was also appointed as the Artistic Director of the new Gibbs Festival in Danbury in 2008 and 2010. Read more at www.londonpianotrio.com

Olga Dudnik MA was born in the Ukraine into a family of professional musicians. From an early age she has been giving concerts throughout the former Soviet Union. She studied at the Special Music School for Gifted Children where she received the Gold Medal for Excellence and at the age of 16 she won the Ukraine Piano Competition. In 1993 she moved to London where she undertook Advanced Solo Studies at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and was awarded the Premier Prix at the completion. In competitions Olga is especially proud of the 1st prize at the Arianne Katz as well as prizes in the Young Soloist of the Year (1996) and Hong Kong International Piano Competition (1997). In London, Olga made her Purcell Room and Wigmore Hall debuts with a BBC live broadcast and has appeared with numerous orchestras including London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Queen Elizabeth Hall. Her performances received great critical acclaim. Since 1999 Olga joined the staff at the Guildhall School of Music and combines a teaching career with a busy schedule of piano recitals, concerto and ensemble appearances across Europe. Read more at www.londonpianotrio.com