Elizaveta Ivanova, born in 1997 in Estonia, began her musical journey in 2009 at the St. Petersburg Musical School (lyceum), where she studied under Vladimir Ushakov in flute performance. From 2014 to 2020, she pursued advanced studies at the St. Petersburg State Conservatory with Prof. Olga Chernyadeva and Ksenia Kuelyar. In 2023, Elizaveta graduated from the Music Academy in Basel, studying with Prof. Felix Renggli, further refining her artistry. The same year, she achieved 1st prize at the prestigious Geneva Flute Competition, marking a significant milestone in her career. She has also won several prizes, including 3rd prize at the Crusell International Flute Competition, a Special Diploma at the Maxence Larrieu Flute Competition, and 2nd prize at the Cluj International Competition. In 2022, she reached the semifinals of the Kobe International Flute Competition. In addition, Elizaveta has excelled in chamber music, winning awards with her woodwind quintet in Russia. From 2017 to 2022, she was the solo flute in the St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra, and since 2022, she has served as the co-principal flute of the Frankfurt Opera Orchestra in Germany.
Sébastian Jacot, born in Geneva, Sebastian Jacot began studying music at six. He is currently Principal Flute of the Berliner Philharmoniker, previously holding the same position at the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig for seven years. Sebastian is recognized as one of the leading flutists of his generation, winning top prizes in the Kobe International Flute Competition (2013), Carl Nielsen Competition (2014), and Munich ARD Music Competition (2015). At 18, he began his career as Assistant Principal Flute with the Hong Kong Philharmonic and soon joined the Saito Kinen and Mito Chamber Orchestras. Upon returning to Europe, he explored contemporary music with Ensemble Contrechamps and freelanced with top orchestras. He has performed under renowned conductors such as Seiji Ozawa, Andris Nelsons, and Simon Rattle. Apart from orchestral work, Sebastian gives solo recitals and performs chamber music. He taught at the University of the Arts Bremen (2020–2022) and is regularly invited as a jury member at international competitions. He plays a rare wooden Haynes flute from 1999 and enjoys blending music with circus arts alongside his family.
Ana Batinica is the principal flutist of the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra. She began her musical education in her hometown of Šibenik and earned her master’s degree in 2012 with Prof. Renata Penezić at the Zagreb Music Academy. She also studied with Matej Zupan and Mario Caroli and later attended masterclasses by prominent flutists such as Emmanuel Pahud, Andras Adorjan, Andrea Lieberknecht, Davide Formisano, Patrick Gallois, Philippe Bernold, Carlo Jans, Janos Balint, Gudrun Hinze, Andrea Oliva, and Jan Ostrý. She has received numerous prizes at national and international competitions. She collaborated with the orchestra of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb for many years and has also worked with various other ensembles, including the Cantus Ensemble, Croatian Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra, Croatian Chamber Orchestra, and Rijeka Symphony Orchestra. As a soloist, she has performed with the HRT Symphony Orchestra, the Zagreb Philharmonic, the Zagreb Soloists, the Zadar Chamber Orchestra, the Cantus Ensemble, and the Zagreb Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra. Ana was a member of the Zagreb Flute Ensemble from 2012 to 2019, performing across Europe and Asia. Since 2017, she has been a member of the contemporary music Cantus Ensemble. She recently recorded an album, Pticopjev, for solo flute, which she presented at the Croatian Flute Meeting in 2023.
Ulla Miilmann became principal flutist of the Danish National Symphony Orchestra at 22, building a notable career in orchestral music, chamber music, and teaching. Since 2009, she has been part of the flute faculty at the Royal Danish Academy of Music and became Associate Professor in 2021. In 2007, she was nominated for a Grammy for “Best Instrumental Soloist Performance with Orchestra” for her recording of Ole Schmidt’s Flute Concerto. She has worked with the Danish National Symphony for nearly 30 years, witnessing its transformation, including the opening of Jean Nouvel’s concert hall in 2009, which elevated the orchestra’s sound. Carl Nielsen’s music has been central to her career. In 2017, she received Denmark’s Carl Nielsen Award for her contribution to Danish music. Miilmann has performed Nielsen’s Flute Concerto worldwide and recorded it with Fabio Luisi for Deutsche Grammophon. She highlights the concerto’s lyrical depth, viewing it as a conversation between the flute and other instruments. The recording was challenging, but her deep connection to Nielsen’s music helped her achieve the desired result.
Rachel Ombredane began her musical journey at three, singing nursery rhymes and learning through the Alexander method. At six, she entered the Conservatoire des Lilas for music theory. After attending concerts, her love for the flute was sparked by its sound in a metro station. She studied with Gilles Grammaize, Marianne Huard, and completed her training with Laurence Stricker at the Vésinet Conservatory and Pascale Feuvrier at the CRR of Rueil-Malmaison. At 21, Rachel pursued a musicology degree at the Sorbonne, graduating with honors. She studied flute with Frédéric Chatoux, soloist at the Paris Opera, then attended the Pôle d’Enseignement Supérieur in Lille, earning a DNSPM and a State Diploma in flute teaching. She also completed a research Master’s on women’s roles in cabaret music. Rachel teaches at the Provins Conservatory, works with the DEMOS project at the Philharmonie de Paris, and collaborates with artists. She has performed with Ed Sheeran and Jain, and co-founded the pop-jazz duo RoSaWay, releasing their first EP Stranger in 2019. Her passion for the flute continues, along with piano and opera singing with Vania Boneva.
Irina Stachinskaya became the youngest student at the Gnessin Russian Academy and the youngest co-principal flutist at the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra since its inception. Years later, she left her orchestra position to popularize the flute as a solo instrument. Irina, PhD (musicology), is a renowned Russian flute performer, Senior Lecturer at the Moscow State Institute of Music named after A. Schnittke, and the winner of numerous international competitions. She serves as the artistic director of the Voice of the Flute festival in Nizhny Novgorod and the Wind Music Festival in Kaliningrad. She is a recipient of the Rising Star Award by Sir James Galway and is an exclusive Powell Flutes artist and also the founder of the Stachinskaya Flute School. She regularly appears at prestigious festivals such as the Kuhmo Festival, Radio France, Gongjam Festival, NFA, Virtuoses of the Flute, and more. She is frequently invited to perform as a soloist with renowned orchestras including the Mariinsky Orchestra, Khabarovsk Symphony, and Novaya Rossiya, among others. Her recordings include a CD with Phillip Moll (2016) and Mikhail Turpanov (2022), both released on Melodiya Records. Irina’s flute education was shaped by V. Kudrya, J. Galway, and J. Ferrandis.
Elżbieta Woleńska is a versatile artist who embraces traditional and contemporary classical music. She frequently performs as a soloist with orchestras in China, Europe, and the U.S., as well as with chamber music groups. Her repertoire includes bass, alto, and piccolo flutes. Elżbieta collaborates with composers and enjoys performing jazz, contemporary works, and pieces with electronics. A highlight of her career was her solo recital debut at Carnegie Hall on October 4, 2019. Currently, Elżbieta is a Professor of Flute at Zhaoqing University in Guangdong, China. She has previously taught at the Karol Lipinski Academy of Music in Wroclaw, and the National Schools of Music in Opole and Bydgoszcz. She earned her Diplôme Supérieur de Concertiste in Paris under Professor Pierre-Yves Artaud and completed her studies with distinction under Professor Jerzy Mrozik. In 2006, she received a PhD of Arts, followed by habilitation in 2013. Elżbieta won the 2014 Salamon Prize and is laureate of several prestigious competitions, including the International Flute Competition in Cracow and the National Flute Competition in Warsaw.
Trieste Flute Ensemble is an orchestra composed entirely of flutes. Active since 2005, it is one of the first professional flute choirs in Europe which is unique in its genre and represents a new concept within the Italian musical scene. The ensemble is formed by professional flutists who play all the instruments of the “whole flute family”. Its refined and distinctive sound immerses the audience in a fresh experience, where the familiar crystalline tone of the flute blends with multiple instruments, creating a vibrant atmosphere in unexpected ways. The instrument’s characteristic high register is balanced by the warm, deep sounds of the alto, bass, and rare contrabass flutes, which are signature elements of the ensemble. Occasionally, singers, soloists, and percussionists join in. The ensemble’s rich repertoire, diverse in style and genre, includes original compositions, transcriptions, arrangements, and works by prestigious composers like Blasco, Bevilacqua, Brajkovich … Over the years, the ensemble has received significant recognition, including the 2010 Award for Brilliant Activity from the City of Trieste for its performances in Italy and abroad.
Slovenian composer Anže Rozman (1989) has been passionate about music from a young age, improvising and composing his own tunes on the piano at just nine years old. After earning a degree in composition and music theory from the University of Ljubljana Academy of Music with professor Jani Golob, he pursued a master’s degree in scoring for film, TV, and video games at Berklee College of Music in Valencia, Spain. His final project at Berklee, a 3-minute orchestral piece recorded at Air Studios in London, caught the attention of Oscar winner Hans Zimmer, who invited him to join his team of composers at Bleeding Fingers Music in the USA in 2018. He has scored a wide range of award-winning film and TV projects, including the Apple TV series Prehistoric Planet and Netflix’s Beckham documentary. Both scores were nominated for an Emmy in the Best Original Score in a Documentary Series or Special category. His other notable projects include BBC’s The Universe and The Planets, as well as the opening title music for BBC’s Frozen Planet II, co-composed with Hans Zimmer. Anže also contributed to the Frozen Planet II trailer, alongside Hans Zimmer and Camila Cabello. His orchestral compositions have been performed by orchestras like the London Studio Orchestra, Jerusalem Symphony, Tonhalle Orchestra of Zürich, and the Slovenian Philharmonic.
Percussionist Stéphane Avellaneda, born in 1985 in Southern France, began drumming at age five and later studied classical percussion, specializing in keyboard percussion (vibraphone, xylophone), classical snares, and timpani. He also trained independently in blues, rock, and jazz, performing with various groups during his studies. At 18, Stéphane started his professional career with the French band MERCY, touring for three years and performing at blues festivals, opening for artists like the Imperial Crowns and Jimmy Cliff. Since 2009, he has been the official drummer for the Ana Popovic band, performing over 100 shows annually around the world, sharing stages with legends like B.B. King, Buddy Guy, and Joe Bonamassa. For the past five years, Stéphane has recorded albums, given drum clinics, and toured globally with Ana Popovic. In 2017, Stéphane, known as SteF, and Rachel Ombredane, known as Rachel, created the duo RoSaWay. Their music combines the flute and drums, blending vintage 70s vibes with modern electro-pop beats, offering a fresh “French Touch” with Rachel’s soothing vocals.
Matea Bilosnić is a choreographer, dance artist, performer, and multimedia artist. She began her dance education with the Zadar Dance Ensemble, with whom she still collaborates as a choreographer, performer, videographer, and organizer. She graduated from the Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance in Austria. She worked for two years as a performer with the En Knap Group (Slovenia), where she collaborated with Joseph Nadj, Kathleen Fischer (Trisha Brown Dance Company), Guy Nader, and Maria Campos. Upon returning to Croatia, she worked with numerous theaters, creating choreography and designing stage movement for dramatic performances. With the Zadar Dance Ensemble, she created the performance Gozd – danse macabre, for which she won the Croatian Theatre Award in the category of Best Choreography in 2020. That same year, she created a solo piece, Klown, for which she composed the music, choreography, and text, and performed it throughout Croatia. She is an assistant at the Academy of Dramatic Art in Zagreb, teaching the course Stage Movement. She is part of the production team of the educational platform Stream Zadar and serves as the coordinator and selector for the solo festival Monoplay, produced by the Zadar Dance Ensemble. In addition to theater and dance, she is also involved in music and video production.
Slovenian pianist and accompanist Mateja Hladnik graduated from the Academy of Music in Ljubljana under Prof. Janez Lovše, where she now works as an accompanist. Her musical career is marked by an exceptional sense of collaboration and support for musicians, making her indispensable at numerous musical events. She often accompanies musicians in competitions, auditions, summer schools, recordings, and concerts, where her professionalism, technical mastery, and musical sensitivity contribute to the success of soloists. Her work ranges from working with students to collaborating with established artists, who inspire her with their creativity and musical passion. This creative environment drives her to face new musical challenges, delve into repertoires, and enhance her interpretations. In addition to her pedagogical work, she has also established herself as an accompanist at masterclasses and seminars, working with renowned international artists and professors. Through her work, she has contributed to the success of many young musicians, supporting them on their journey, whether in the educational process or on stages in Slovenia and abroad.
Bulgarian-born pianist Galya Kolarova received her musical education in Bulgaria, Denmark, Austria, and Italy. She has won several international competitions, including 1st prize at Festival Musica in Laguna, Italy, for her interpretation of Chopin’s Piano Concerto No.2, Op.21. Kolarova has an active international career, performing as a soloist and chamber musician in prestigious venues across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. She frequently collaborates with musicians from renowned orchestras such as The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, The Berlin Philharmonic, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, and The Royal Danish Orchestra. She has worked as a collaborative pianist at major competitions, including the ARD International Competition (Germany, 2017), Carl Nielsen Violin Competition (Denmark, 2019, 2022), and the Tchaikovsky XVI International Competition (Russia, 2019). Kolarova has recorded CDs with Claudio Records, Brilliant Classics, Aulicus Classics, and Danacord Records. From 2017 to 2022, she worked at Danish National Radio and taught at the Malko Academy for Young Conductors. Since 2020, she has been a collaborative pianist at The Royal Danish Academy of Music.
Pianist Amedeo Salvato enjoys a career as a solo performer, chamber-music player and accompanist, partnering many different instrumentalists and singers. He began his piano studies at the age of 5 and graduated with honour grade at the Conservatorio S. Pietro a Majella, Naples, with Paolo Spagnolo and Antonio Florio. He, then, attended courses with Andrej Jazinskj and with Aldo Ciccolini, Alain Menieur and Christian Ivaldi. His intense musical activities led him playing all over Italy as well as the whole Europe, Russia, Japan and South America. He has played concerts in famous halls such as the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, Wiener Saal in Salzburg, Oji Hall in Tokyo, Burj-Kalifa Concert Hall in Dubai and many others. In 2002 he was appointed official pianist by the International Singing Competition of Clermont Ferrand. From 2010 he is a member of »La Scuola dell’Opera Italiana« held by Teatro Comunale di Bologna, where he regularly coaches professional singers and piano accompanists as well. He is currently teaching at Conservatorio “G. B. Martini” in Bologna and, since 2021, is appointed musical director and artistic advisor at the “Scuola dell’Opera del Teatro Comunale di Bologna”.