Dr. Yue Qian
Yue Qian has performed as both a soloist and chamber musician at prestigious festivals around the world, including the Verbier Festival in Switzerland, International Musician's Seminar Prussia Cove in the UK, Morningside Music Bridge in Canada, Kneisel Hall Chamber Music Festival, Music@Menlo, Taos School of Music, and the Ravinia Festival Steans Music Institute in the US. She has worked with renowned artists such as the Brentano Quartet, the Juilliard String Quartet, the Shanghai Quartet, Thomas Adès, John Adams, Christoph Eschenbach, Sir Simon Rattle, Nobuko Imai, and Robert McDonald. Her orchestral experiences include performing with s the NCPA Orchestra, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Beyond performing, Qian also finds much joy and fulfillment in teaching and community engagement, advocating for inclusive musical experiences. With Midori, she oversaw numerous outreach events in the historically underrepresented communities in Los Angeles, Mexico, and Sri Lanka. Recently, Qian served as artist faculty at the Classical Music Institute 210 Festival in San Antonio, Texas, and held master classes at Cal State University Long Beach. Previously, she instructed at the USC Music Minor program, and coached chamber music at the Colburn School CSPA. She is currently on violin and chamber music faculty at the Tianjin Juilliard Pre-College.
Qian’s musical journey began at the age of five. Her early education includes studying at the Shanghai Conservatory Middle School with Binyou Zhou, and later, Interlochen Arts Academy with Yuri Namkung. She pursued her undergraduate and doctorate degrees at USC, with graduate studies at The Juilliard School. Her mentors include Midori Goto, Ronald Copes, Sylvia Rosenberg, Bing Wang.
Dr. Michael Kaufman
"Dr. Michael Kaufman is an internationally acclaimed cellist whose performances are distinguished by their depth, versatility, and expressive power. Equally at home in solo, chamber, and orchestral settings, Dr. Kaufman is Assistant Professor of Cello, Education and Outreach at the University of Utah, where he brings a passionate commitment to mentorship and artistic exploration.
Celebrated for his dynamic artistry, Dr. Kaufman has appeared at premier venues including Zankel and Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, and has been featured in major festivals such as Open Chamber Music at Prussia Cove, Yellow Barn, Music@Menlo, and the Verbier Festival. He has collaborated with renowned artists including Midori and Kim Kashkashian, and has performed as principal cellist with La Monnaie Opera in Brussels.
His discography includes recordings for ECM Records, notably the works of Tigran Mansurian, and the recent release of Clair de lune with the SAKURA Cello Quintet on the Platoon label. A committed advocate for contemporary music, Dr. Kaufman has premiered numerous new works, including Sean Friar’s concerto with the Eastman Wind Ensemble and Brett Dean’s 12 Angry Men at the Piatigorsky International Cello Festival. As founder and artistic director of Sunset ChamberFest and a founding member of the boundary-pushing cello quintet SAKURA, he curates programs that fuse classical masterpieces with bold, exploratory repertoire.
Dr. Kaufman earned his bachelor’s degree at the Eastman School of Music under Steven Doane, and his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Southern California studying with Ralph Kirshbaum. In addition to his role at the University of Utah, he is a faculty member at the Colburn School, a cellist with LA Opera and Principal Cello of the Pasadena Symphony. A dedicated advocate for the music of our time, he continues to inspire audiences and students alike through his visionary approach to performance and education.
Даниела Черпокова
Даниела Черпокова-Николаева завършва Държавна Музикална Академия "Панчо Владигеро", под ръководството на проподаватели проф. Стефан Попов и доц. Светослав Манолов.
Специализира в Берлин при проф. Йожен Амелн, а по-късно специализира при проф. Миклош Перени. През 1987 година завършва едногодишна специализация по камерна музика при проф. Димитър Козев.
Лауреат е на национални и международни конкурси, участва в редица международни фестивали: "Пражка пролет", "Бела Барток" - Сомбатхей, "Storia e Musica nel Campielli" - Венеция.
Активната й концертна дейност като солист, камерен изпълнител и солист на оркестри, включва редица изяви в Германия, Унгария, Италия, Испания, България. През 2005 година е удостоена с "Кристална Лира" в категория камерен изпълнител за концертния цикъл "Espressivo", съвместно с пианистката Весела Маринова.
От 1990 година е преподавател по специалностите камерна музика и виолончело в НМУ "Любомир Пипков" София, като в момента е ръководител на ансамблова група в същото училище.
Нейните възпитаници са носители на над 36 лауреатски звания и награди, сред които са две Гранд При и три първи награди от международния конкурс "Концертино Виртуози" - София; "Немска и австрийска музика" - Бургас; "Музиката и земята" - София; "Карл Давидов" - Латвия и редица други. Камерните й ансамбли участват от 2006 година до днес, в пресижния международен камерен фестивал "Musica Mundi" - Белгия. Нейните Ученици участват активно в концертния афиш, както в страната, така и в чужбина. Като педагог в НМУ е удостоявана многократно с награди за постижения в педагогиката и музикалното изкуство.
Ивайло Данаилов
Роден в град Враца в музикантско семейство, Ивайло завършва НМУ "Л.Пипков"- София с пиано. След това продължава обучението си в НМА "Панчо Владигеров", където изучава и виола. Магистърската си степен взима в НБУ със специялност цигулка в класа на професор Марио Хосен. Свири в съставите на трио "Артес", "Стрийт квартет" и струнен квартет "CREDO".
Има множество награди от конкурси и участия в майсторски класове на изтъкнати наши и чуждестранни музиканти. Свири като солист на "Нов симфоничен оркестър", Врачанска филхармония, "Орфеус", кам. оркестър "Орфей", "Кончерто антико", "Арс барока", КА "Софийски солисти". Концертира главно с камерна музика в България и чужбина. От 2012 г. е първи цигулар в състава на симфоничния оркестър на БНР, също така първи цигулар в съставите на оркестъра на Classic FM радио и Нов симфоничен оркестър.
От 2021г. е част от състава на КА "Софийски Солисти" и започва да преподава Камерна музика в НМУ "Любомир Пипков"
Moni Simeonov
A native of Bulgaria, Moni Simeonov began playing the violin at age five and came to the United States on a full scholarship to the Idyllwild Arts Academy at fifteen. He has performed extensively with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and Opera, Ensemble San Francisco, and previously served as Concertmaster of the Sacramento Philharmonic. He has also appeared as guest concertmaster with the Reno, Louisiana, and Pacific Symphonies. His doctoral studies at USC’s Thornton School of Music included minor fields in viola performance, Schenkerian analysis, and Japanese language, with a research emphasis on the interpretation of Balkan folk music.
As a dedicated educator, Moni’s chamber music students have won three gold medals at the St. Paul and Coltman Competitions, as well as multiple prizes at the Fischoff Competition, and have performed at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. His private students have earned admission to the Juilliard School, Colburn Conservatory, Yale University, New England Conservatory, the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, and the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory in Singapore, among many others.
On tour and in Los Angeles, Moni devotes significant time to community engagement and educational initiatives. He performed and coached alongside Midori for the Orchestra Residencies Program’s American and international tours, serving as its director until 2014. His outreach has reached diverse communities—from homeless shelters in Peru and at-risk communities in Tennessee to Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon and hospitals for the terminally ill in Sri Lanka.
Moni’s summer teaching includes the Interlochen Arts Camp, Singapore Violin Festival, Atlantic Music Festival, the Hawaii Chamber Music Festival, and the Texas Music Festival. He is also the founder of Quartet Intensive, a chamber music academy held annually in Bulgaria.
His performances and masterclasses have taken him throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, with recordings archived by PBS, NPR, KUSC, Bulgarian National Radio and TV, and NHK Japan. He has also partnered with GloTone, Tonebase, and IMSLP.
Moni received his Bachelor’s and Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music under Zvi Zeitlin, his Master’s and Artist Diploma from Yale University under Ani Kavafian, and his Graduate Certificate and Doctorate from USC under Midori.
He currently serves as Director of String Studies at the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at California State University, Long Beach, and as Chair of Chamber Music at the Colburn School. He is also the creator of zenviolin.com.