Young pianists of the world gather in Santorini to put skills to the test
A music competition bringing together young pianists kicks off on the island of Santorini next week. The First International Piano Competition is currently being organized by The Muse, an international association which aims to promote art, culture and friendship. At the heart of the association is the Miroshnikov Piano Duo, namely the husband-and-wife team of Natalia and Aleksei Miroshnikov. Born in Batoum, Georgia, Aleksei Miroshnikov studied piano and harpsichord at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow, subsequently becoming a piano professor at the Musical Academy of Kishinev, Moldavia. Natalia Miroshnikova was born in Kishinev and by the age of 11 was already a pupil at the Special Music School of the Tchaikovsky Conservatory. Having built solid careers as soloists and teachers, the couple moved to Greece in 1991, where they continued to perform and teach. (The Miroshnikovs are also known for a wide repertoire of works for piano for four hands and two pianos). In Santorini, the jury will be headed by Sergey Usanov (Russia), alongside Jed Gaylin (US), Maria Kanatsouli (Greece), Chantal Stigliani (France) and Aleksei Miroshnikov. Participating in the competition are pianists from Italy, France, Russia, Greece, Korea, Japan, Armenia and China.
