GFA Piano 1 Masterclass

Didier Castell-Jacomin

Disciple of Catherine Collard, Georgy Cziffra and Fausto Zadra, himself a disciple of Vincenzo Scaramuzza,Didier Castell-Jacomin, is a renowned performer who has already performed on the greatest venues. Didier Castell-Jacomin, voluntarily exiled from France, pursues a remarkable international career. His debut at the Berlin Philharmonic with the Berlin Chamber Soloists, which was acclaimed by the public and critics, allowed him to play at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, the Carnegie Hall in New York and at numerous American festivals as well as in London, Brussels and Spain. In Germany, Didier Castell-Jacomin played with the Baden Baden Philharmonie, in Switzerland at the New Year Festival in Gstaadt and in France, salle Cortot, Théâtre de l’Athénée, Theatre du Colisée etc… Norman Lebrecht, usually fierce, saw in him: “A sparkling pianist” and Paul Badura-Skoda, after they had played together affirmed that he was “a true Mozart”.

Didier Castell-Jacomin’s extensive discography includes works by Mozart, Beethoven and Schumann. Her latest opus is dedicated to women composers (Chaminade, Bonis, Clara Schumann…). His recordings have been acclaimed by critics (4 Diapason, Piano Maestro…).

Since 2017, Didier Castell-Jacomin and the Wiener Kammer Symphonie Quintet have been collaborating and recording for the NAXOS label.

En 2019, Castell-Jacomin jouera aux USA(Lalo piano Concerto) avec le Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra sous la baguette du Maestro Julien Benichou, Berlin, Avignon (avec le philharmonique, en compagnie de Cordelia Palm , Konzertmeister dans les doubles concerti de Mozart et Haydn sous la direction de la Maestra Debora Waldman, à Lens, Catania pour ne citer que ces villes. Depuis 2021 le pianiste crée la fondation « Klassika International » á Maastricht et lance le premier festival « Wave of Art » ou il invite la pianiste Anna Fedorova avec laquelle il joue a 2 pianos. En 2022 il enregistre un CD Schubert pour le label Naxos. En 2023,  le pianiste effectuera une tournee en Europe et USA en collaboration avec la maison Steinway&Sons, ou on pourra l’entendre dans les villes de Paris, Hambourg, Berlin, Bruxelles, Miami, entre autres.

Katya Apekisheva

Described as a ‘profoundly gifted artist’ by Gramophone Magazine, Katya Apekisheva has earned her place as one of Europe’s most renowned and gifted pianists. Born in Moscow, into a family of musicians, she attended the Gnessin Music School for exceptionally gifted children making her stage debut at the age of 12. She continued her studies in Jerusalem at the Rubin Music Academy and later at the Royal College of Music in London. From these auspicious beginnings she went on to be a Prizewinner of the Leeds International Piano competition and has gone on to enjoy a career performing with many of the world’s leading orchestras, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Halle Orchestra, the Moscow Philharmonic, the Jerusalem Symphony, the English Chamber Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, working with renowned conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle, David Shallon, Jan Latham-Koenig and Alexander Lazarev.

Her latest disc is a collection of impromptus of which international piano called ‘a fascinating and engrossing album’. As a recording artist, Katya has received widespread critical acclaim for her interpretations from Gramophone Magazine’s Editor’s Choice award and International Piano Magazine’s Critics’ choice to Classic FM’s CD of the week as well as a Classical Brit award to name but a few. Katya’s discography includes solo and chamber works by Mussorgsky, Shostakovich, Stravinsky, Dvorak and Rachmaninov.

Recent and future highlights include performances in Russia, Norway, Japan, Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, Germany, Australia and at home in the UK at the Bath Mozart Fest, St. George’s Bristol and the prestigious Wigmore Hall – where she is a regular presence. Her intense artistry and delicacy makes Katya a most sought after collaborative pianist, working with artists such as Janine Jansen, Natalie Clein, Guy Johnston, Maxim Rysanov, Jack Liebeck, Boris Brovtsyn, Alexei Ogrinchouk and Nicholas Daniel and she appears regularly at major chamber music festivals around the world. Katya also has a highly successful and personally rewarding piano duo partnership with Charles Owen, performing regularly at festivals worldwide. Together they are co-Artistic Directors of the London Piano Festival which began in 2016.

Gülsin Onay

Gülsin Onay’s truly international career has spanned 80 countries across all continents, from Venezuela to Japan. She has given concerts in the major musical centres such as Concertgebouw, Berlin Philharmonic Hall, Vienna Konzerthaus, Wigmore Hall, National Gallery of Art and Miller Theater. Onay has performed as a soloist with such leading orchestras as Dresden Staatskapelle, Philharmonia Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic, Japan Philharmonic, St Petersburg Philharmonic, Tokyo Symphony, Warsaw Philharmonic and Vienna Symphony. Conductors with which she has performed include Vladimir Ashkenazy, Erich Bergel, Jorg Faerber, Vladimir Fedoseyev, Neeme Jarvi, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Jose Serebrier and Stanislaw Wislocki.

Cambridge-based Turkish State Artist, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, in high demand for her unique and sensuous Chopin, Saygun and Rachmaninoff interpretations. Onay was in 2007 honoured with the award of a State Medal by the Polish nation. She is also acknowledged worldwide as the finest interpreter of the music of A.Adnan Saygun, whose works feature prominently in her concerts and recordings, and whose 2nd Piano Concerto was dedicated to her