The magic of romance 2022
Jury
Veronika Khvalevsky Grace - mezzo-soprano opera singer, laureate of international competitions,
conductor, teacher with 25 years of experience, member of the jury of many vocal competitions
and head of the "Harmony" Vocal School - the leading creative group in the city of Jerusalem.
She is organaizer and director of Holy Land Company(International Festivals and Contests of Art and Creativity)
Veronika has participated in many festivals, including the festival dedicated to the visit of Pope John Paul II to Astana,
Kazakhstan. 2001 and the 2003 Young Talents Festival in Seoul, South Korea.
She was seen on the opera stage in such roles as Marcellina in Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro,
Giovanna in Verdi's Rigoletto, Larina in Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin,
Kate in Madame Butterfly by Puccini; and Carmen in Bizet's masterpiece.
Since arriving in Israel in 2005, Ms Grace has performed both locally and abroad.
She has recently appeared in the Tel Aviv opera Sadna and the opera Aeterna in Jerusalem.
She was mentored by famous vocal teachers in Germany and the USA, namely:
John Norris from the New York Metropolitan Opera, Joan Donermann,
Mignon Dunn, Olga Makarina,Emma Sarkisian.
In 2008 she performed with Ranaana Orchestra,
and presented programm of Russian romances of russian famous composers.
In 2009 she gave concerts in Italy, in the theaters "Pergolesi" and "Gentile",
participated in the "Master class at the Teatro Rossini" in Pesaro,
Master class with Placido Domingo in Verona, participated in the festival of sacred music in Rome,
participated at the Opera Festival in Bergamo Italy 2012 at the opera Serenade in the Wind by Finzi as Countess,
and in numerous other vocal competitions and festivals, where she was awarded high prizes and awards.
In 2019 she was invited to the International Opera Project where she performed
at the Bolshoi Theater, on the Pokrovsky stage, in Puccini's opera Suor Angelica as Badesa, Moscow.
In 2021 performed in Concert of winners of "Classical Music Awards Contest" in Carnegie Hall in New York USA.
Aita Kaaver is a professional opera singer,
singing teacher and vocal coach.
She has own vocal studio in Pärnu School of Arts.
Her students have won prizes at international singing competitions.
She is jury member of international singing competitions.
Evgenia is a pianist, singer, producer, tutor.
As a concert artist she performed extensively,
recorded 2 highly acclaimed CD albums,
was broadcast on major radio and TV channels.
She is a winner of several international piano
and singing competitions and prestigious awards,
such as Gold Franz Kafka Medal for her outstanding
contribution to the world culture and a “Queen’s Award”
from the British Council. She adjudicates at several
international competitions in Great Britain and Europe.
Her students successfully enter exams,
further their education at the
Royal College & Academy of Music,
Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London.
She has created her own methods of teaching piano,
rhythm, sight-reading & singing yoga.
Evgenia works both in classical and contemporary music
genres and is consulting for prestigious labels and producers,
such as Ron Tom (Founder and CEO of Inteligenesis)
- Sugababes, Sinead O’Connor.
Evgenia is a founder and CEO of “Musica Nova”
International Academy of Music and
“Stars of the Albion” international performing arts
competition in London.
Meritxell Rodés
Musician, singer, painter, artist
Born in Barcelona, of catalan origin.
She studied Theatrical Arts in England (Colchester)
and music with two distinguished professors Ala Voronkova
(violin) and Tamara Alexeeva (vocal) in Barcelona.
Soloist and flute player of the first Irish band in Barcelona
"Ger the Rigger", singing in English and Gaelic,
touring several cities in Spain and Great Britain.
She started studying russian in 1993 and felt in
love with the language, culture and music of Russia.
She has been awarded in many festivals in Russia and abroad.
Winner of the National Festival in the Kremlin Palace (Moscow)
"Chanson of the Year" "For the popularization of Russian songs in Europe".
"Big Romansiada" Award (Moscow)
"Ambassador of Russian romance".
Her repertoire includes traditional, folklore, shanson,
romances, city romances, Vladimir Vissotsky's songs,
songs of the war years and the URSS.
She sings mainly in russian, spanish, catalan and french,
having translated russian songs into catalan.
She gives many concerts in Europe and Russia,
in where she has been very often congratulated by the
Department of culture in Moscow and various other
administrative, cultural and public organizations of Russia.
Her contribution into friendship and cultural cooperation
between countries is very significant.