Finalists

Finalists are listed in alphabetical order.

Nikolay Georgiev Bogatzky

Nikolay Georgiev Bogatzky, Bulgarian, born in 1976, graduated in violin in his country.

Now he lives in Rome where he attends the choral conducting courses at the Pontificio Istituto di Musica Sacra. He is the conductor of the Rome interuniversity “Scuola d’opera” choir.

Virginia Bono (3rd prize)

Virginia Bono (3rd prize), was born in 1970 in Santa Fe, Argentina. She graduated in choral conducting and musical education and further specialized in these disciplines, getting numerous awards and scholarships. She has conducted many choral groups in Argentina and now is the conductor of the Next Generation Choir and "Egelsbach Gesangverein" in Egelsbach, Germany and the "Ars Nova" choir in her native city of Santa Fe, Argentina.

Cristian Gentilini

Cristian Gentilini was born in 1974 in Vergato (Bologna), he graduate in guitar, choral music and choral conducting at the Bologna Conservatoire. He is currently attending composition courses. He took part in many national competitions and choral conducting courses and seminars with great success. He is the conductor of the groups “Ars Cantus” in Riola and A.N.A. in Vergato.

Ketil Grøtting

Ketil Grøtting born in 1974 in Oslo, Norway, graduated in musicology and choral music at the Oslo University. He has won several awards in choral music competitions. He is the conductor of the Oslo Cathedral Youth Choir, the Schützenglene musical ensemble. Last May he performed Rameau’s opera “Achante et Céphise”.

Marta Jakubiec

Marta Jakubiec born in 1974 in Radom, Poland, graduated in choral conducting and musical education at the Chopin Academy of Music in Varsavia. She has attended many specialization courses in Hungary, Ireland, Germany and Italy and has been given important awards in international competitions. She is the conductor of the “St. Cecilia Chamber Choir”.

Lilyan Kaiv

Lilyan Kaiv born in Tartu, Estonia, in 1974, graduated and specialized in choral conducting at the Estonian Academy of Music and she is now studying orchestra conducting. She has attended several specialization courses and has been given many awards in international competions. She is the conductor of the Chamber Choir of St. John’s Church in Tartu.

Peter Leech (1st prize)

Peter Leech (1st prize) was born in Adelaide, Australia in 1967. He graduated in Modern European History and Music from the University of Adelaide and then undertook conducting studies.

Since 1996 he has been based in the United Kingdom, where he has directed numerous choral and orchestral ensembles. Among his most recent engagements, in early 2003 he was guest Chorus Master with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

Manus O'Donnell

Manus O'Donnell, born in 1975 in Dublin (Ireland), studied viola in his city and in Boston, singing, choral and orchestral conducting at the Dublin’s Trinity College in Dublin. He then specialized both in Ireland and in Germany. He was the musical director of St. Anne’s Church in Dublin for several years and he conducted the Chorus of St. Patrick’s Cathedral many times. He also is a violist and a singer.

Ave Sopp

Ave Sopp born in Pärnu, Estonia in 1974, graduated and specialized in choral conducting at the Estonian Academy of Music and in Marktoberdorf. She has taken part in many music festivals both in Estonia and in Germany, with great success. She has been the conductor of many choirs, and now she is the conductor of the Pärnu Chamber Choir.

Krzysztof Szydzisz

Krzysztof Szydzisz born in Lódz, Poland, in 1966, studied music in Lublin, in Poznan and at the Academy of Music of Bydgoszcz, where he is now associate professor of choral conducting. He specialized in Sweden, Danemark, USA, Austria and Germany and has won many international prizes. He teaches choral music at the Byodgoszcz and Poznan University. He is the founder and the conductor of the Adam Mickiewicz University Choir.

Tien-Ming Tang

Tien-Ming Tang, born in Taipei (Taiwan) in 1970, studied at the Music Department of the National Sun Yat-Sen University. In 2002 he took part in the Choir Olympics, South Corea, and got many awards. He is the conductor of many choirs in Taipei, among which the Yang Ming University Chorus and the Soochow University Chorus.

Roberto Tofi

Roberto Tofi born in 1963 a Sansepolcro (Arezzo) graduated in composition, choral music and choral conducting in Perugia and further specialized at the Fondazione “G. d’Arezzo” and in Bulgary. He has received several prizes for his concert activity. At present he is the conductor of the “Coro Polifonico Città di Bastia” and of the “Gruppo Polifonico G. Corradini” in Arezzo.