Jury members

Now regarded as one of the finest cellists of the younger generation, Alexander Chaushian has performed extensively throughout the world as a soloist with orchestras such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Philharmonia, the Academy of St Martin-in- the-Fields, The London Mozart Players, The Vienna Chamber Orchestra, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, The Boston Pops and The Armenian Philharmonic, and has given highly acclaimed performances in such venues as London’s Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Wigmore Hall, Sala Verdi Milan, Konzerthaus Vienna, Suntory Hall Japan, the main Carnegie Hall New York, and Symphony Hall Boston.

He performs regularly in festivals throughout the world and is the Artistic Director of the International Pharos Chamber Music Festival in Cyprus and the Yerevan Music Festival in Armenia.

After initial studies in Armenia, Alexander Chaushian studied in the UK at the Menuhin School and the Guildhall School, London. He then pursued advanced studies at the Hochschule Berlin, graduating with distinction in 2005. He is a laureate prize winner of many international competitions including the 12th International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow and the ARD Competition in Germany. As an alumnus of Young Concert Artists, New York, he toured extensively in the USA.

Massimo Magri was born in Pescara in 1958. After studying at the local Conservatory he completed his degrees with R. Filippini, R. Aldulescu, D. Asciolla in Italy and M. Flaksman in Switzerland.

He won while still a student as principal about I Pomeriggi Musicali Orchestra in Milan, was selected for the European Community Youth Orchestra (ECYO) and performed as soloist with the Orchestra Sinfonica Abruzzese.  In 1987 was invited as principal at the Teatro dell' Opera in Rome. With I Solisti Aquilani performed as soloist for 20 years worldwide. He has been a performer at the Carnegie Hall and Guggenheim Museum Auditorium in New York, Coliseum in Buenos Aires, Bellas Artes in Mexico City, Teresa Carreno in Caracas, Municipal in Rio de Janeiro, Schönbrunn in Vienna, Beethoven Hall in Bonn, Teatro Real in Madrid, Dubai Opera and in major cities and capitals in Europe, the United States, Central and South America, the Middle and Far East, recording with prestigious labels with internationally renowned musicians. He collaborated on the programming and artistic project of I Solisti Aquilani.  He has been artistic director of the Accademia Musicale Pescarese and currently of the "L. Barbara" Theater and Music Society in Pescara.

Cello teacher in many Conservatory of Music, he was elected for two terms (2011–2014, 2014–2017)  as director of the Pescara  "Luisa D'Annunzio" Conservatory by appointment of the Italian Minister of University and Research.

Over the past twenty five years, Alan Chircop conducted over thirty-five international orchestras in various theatres, concert halls and festivals in twenty different countries.

Apart from the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, he conducted the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall and Westminster Central Hall in London; the London Concert Orchestra at the London Coliseum – English National Opera; the Sofia Philharmonic – National Orchestra of Bulgaria; the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra and the National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia; the National Symphony Orchestra of Uzbekistan; the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Macedonia; the Cukurova State Symphony Orchestra of Turkey; the State Philharmonic Orchestras of Astana and Almaty, the Orchestra ‘Academy of Soloists’ and the Pavlodar Symphony Orchestra of Kazakhstan; the Symphonic Orchestra of the State National Theatre of Kyrgyzstan; the Karelian State Philharmonic Orchestra, the Tavrichesky Orchestra of Leningrad Region - St. Petersburg, the Kuban Symphony Orchestra, the Kislovodsk - Mineralnye Vody State Symphony Orchestra, the Altai Krai State Philharomonic, the Sochi Symphony Orchestra and the Moscow Youth Symphony Orchestra in Russia; L’Orchestra Citta’ di Ravenna and L’Orchestra Sinfonica Duchi d’Acquaviva in Italy; the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra; the Leopoli State Symphony Orchestra and the Kiev Virtuosi of Ukraine; L' Orchestre Lyrique de Région Avignon-Provence in France; the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra in Czech Republic; the Mihail Jora Philharmonic of Bacau in Romania; the Pleven Philharmonic Orchestra in Bulgaria; the Westsächsische Philharmonie and the Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Symphony Orchestra Leipzig in Germany; the Camerata con Cor(d)e of Belgium and various chamber concerts in Croatia and United Arab Emirates among others.

Gustav Rivinius is the first and only German musician to be awarded a first prize Gold Medal at the 1990 International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. In addition, he received a special prize for the best interpretation of a Tchaikovsky composition, outperforming all other competitors. Since then he has appeared with leading musicians, orchestras and conductors around the world. 

Among the many high points of an illustrious career, Gustav Rivinius has performed with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Lorin Maazel (Tchaikovsky Variations on a Rococo Theme), Ingo Metzmacher (B.A. Zimmermann’s Cello Concerto, “pas de trois”) and was conducted by Hans Zender in a performance of Zender’s Cello Concerto “Bardo”, which he also premiered. In celebrations marking the re-opening of the Spanish Hall at Prague Castle, Gustav Rivinius joined the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Vaclav Neumann, performing Dvorak’s Cello Concerto. In a gala marking the 50th anniversary of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra the cellist performed Beethoven’s Triple Concerto, accompanied by Antje Weithaas and Lars Vogt and conducted by Horst Stein. Gustav Rivinius has often appeared as a soloist with the orchestra and toured with it throughout Germany, performing Martinu’s second Cello Concerto, conducted by Manfred Honeck.