Music in The Alps Faculty

Once again his playing stuns and impresses – a rare amalgam of mastery, poetic daring and integrity. (Bryce Morrison, International Piano)

Kenneth Kiesler is a Grammy nominee and recipient of The American Prize in Conducting.  He has conducted many operas, premieres, recordings, and over 85 orchestras on 5 continents.  He is Conductor Laureate of the Illinois Symphony where he led Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall debuts during 20 seasons as Music Director.  As one of the world’s most sought-after mentors of conductors, he has taught masterclasses in Berlin, Paris, Ottawa, Moscow, New York, São Paulo, Mexico City, and Los Angeles, and is the director of the renowned graduate program in conducting and the orchestras at the University of Michigan. His students have won many major international competitions and regularly conduct major orchestras worldwide.

Dr. Bish has conducted professional, community, and academic orchestras around the world. Considered an expert on adjudication and music competitions, he is the former President of the National Association of Music Festivals.

John Cuk has conducted choral and orchestral ensembles in Italy, Argentina, Ireland, Russia, Finland, Estonia, England, Moldova, Poland and the United States. His groups have performed at such prestigious venues as Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall and Alice Tully Hall.

In addition to performing, Bob is a trumpet teacher and music educator.

Internationally acclaimed artist Dario Chiazzolino is deemed as one of the most considerable today’s jazz guitarists. Well- known as phenomenal player with a significant musical personality.

Professor Branka Ristic completed her studies at the Academy of Music in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. and at Accademia Santa Cecilia in Rome. Since 2004 Professor Ristic taught at the School of Music in Split and at the Musical Academy “Ino Mirkovic” in Lovran. She is currently working as a lecturer and a visiting professor at the Accademia Internazionale di Musica in Taranto, Italy. She is the author of a study “Italian School of Bel Canto Singing (2002).”

Professor Alina Kozachenko is a sought after performer and a teacher. The array of her professional activities combines solo performances, accompanying, teaching and working as an orchestra musician.

Dr. Yanovich has coached violin/viola and chamber ensemble master classes in Russia, Finland, Italy, France, Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Germany, and at music festivals in the USA.

Nargiza Yusupva is a recipient of Yehudi Menuhin’s society “Live Music New”. As a soloist and chamber musician she performed concerts throughout Germany with musicians such as Rebekka Hartmann, Sabrina Hausmann, Boris Schoenleber, Jan Schulte-Bunnert, Oliver Klenk, Viola Mokrosch and Luis Borda.

SVETLANA GOROKHOVICH is internationally recognized pianist and a prolific recording musician. Her performances include major concert halls in USA, Germany, Holland, Japan, Caribbean, Iceland and Italy. Svetlana’s wide range of musical abilities makes her highly attractive as a soloist and chamber music partner. As highly demanded chamber musician Svetlana participated in international music festivals in Holland, Germany, Italy and New York during 2005-2014.

Paulina Derbez began studying violin at the Yuriko Kuronuma Academy in Mexico City. At an early age she was selected to participate in a tour in Japan playing as a soloist with the Fujiwara Symphony orchestra. She continued her studies at the music school Ollin Yoliztliwhere she was the concert master of the youth orchestra Vida y Movimiento and assistant concert master of the Orquesta de las Juventudes Musicales, world organization, in Bogotá, Colombia.

A most versatile artist, she has sung in Opera Houses in Europe and the USA, as well as in Musical Theater, Cabaret and in Kurt Weill one-woman shows both in NY and abroad. Ms. Hensrud serves on the Faculties of Hofstra University and St. Olaf College as Professor of Voice.

A Masterclass with Dr. Irena Portenko in Austria is a singular experience to enhance musicianship and broaden skills for dedicated students.