WINNERS at The 2003 5th International Web Concert Hall Competition

READ INTERVIEW
with THE TOSHEFF PIANO DUO


THE GRAND PRIZE – Tokyo, Japan
THE GRAND PRIZE – Dobrich, Bulgaria
FIRST PRIZE – Rome, Italy
FIRST PRIZE – Rome, Italy
FIRST PRIZE – Sofia, Bulgaria
WINNERS – Zaragosa, Spain
WINNERS – Michigan, USA
WINNERS – Miami, USA
WINNERS – Los Angeles, USA
MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR in Bulgaria
PREMIO “Zinetti” – Verona, Italy
PREMIO “V.Bellini” – Caltanissetta, Italy PRIZE – Groningen, Holland
PRIZE – Sofia, Bulgaria
LAUREATES – Biel, Switzerland
NOMINATION – Bulgaria


 

Vely and Ilia Tosheff began their professional career as duo pianists - one piano (4 hands) and two pianos in 1997. Described by critics and press as "brilliant concert artists", they possess "captivating stage presence", "fascinating temperament", "charm and spontaneity that grabs the audience"

The Tosheff Piano Duo have given performances in Japan, Korea, China, Germany, Holland, Malta, Italy, Spain, Bulgaria, Switzerland and the United States. They have won numerous honors and awards at prestigious international competitions and festivals worldwide.

PRIZES AND HONORS

THE GRAND PRIZE
Tokyo (Japan) 1998 International Piano Duo Competition
THE GRAND PRIZE
Dobrich (Bulgaria) 1997 The Coast of Hope International Contest
FIRST PRIZE
Rome (Italy) 1998 Valentino Bucchi Two Piano International Competition
FIRST PRIZE
Rome (Italy) 1999 International Music Tournament (TIM)
FIRST PRIZE
Sofia (Bulgaria) 1997 Music and Earth International Competition
WINNERS
Zaragoza (Spain) 1999 International Music Tournament
WINNERS
Michigan (USA) 2003 International Web Concert Hall Contest
WINNERS
Miami (USA) 2003 Best performers of newly commissioned work - Alvin Perlman Foundation
WINNERS
Los Angeles (USA) 2004 USC Concerto Competition
MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
1998 Sofia (Bulgaria) Most Successful Debut "Allegro Vivace Awards"
PREMIO "G. Zinetti"
Award for Excellence Verona/Sanguinetto (Italy) 2002 G. Zinetti Chamber Music Festival
PREMIO "V. Bellini"
Caltanissetta (Italy) 1999 International Chamber Music Contest
PRIZE
for the Most Promising Performers Groningen (Holland) 1998 Peter the Great Festival
PRIZE
for High Artistic & Performers Achievement 1998 Sofia (Bulgaria)
The State Academy of Music
LAUREATES
Biel (Switzerland) 1998 "Chain" Competition for Contemporary Music
NOMINATION
for Crowning Achievement in Musical Art 1999 "Crystal Lyre Awards" Bulgaria

ORCHESTRAL APPEARANCES

Tosheff Piano Duo made their orchestral debut with The State Academy Symphony Orchestra in Sofia (Bulgaria). In 2001, they made an acclaimed West European debut (more than 1500 people in the hall) with the Klassische Philharmonie Bonn (Germany) under the direction of Oliver Leo Schmidt. One of their latest notable appearances was a performance with The Staatsorchestrer Braunschweig under the baton of Jonas Alber. The German critics hailed Tosheff's performance describing it as: "…Grosse Klasse…" [World-class/High caliber]. Asian premiere with the Qingdao Symphony Orchestra (China). U.S appearances with the Thornton Symphony Orchastra (Los Angeles) and Vallejo Symphony Orchestra (San Francisco).

FESTIVALS

Tosheff have appeared as guest artists to the Valentino Bucchi Festival (Malta), Peter The Great Festival (The Netherlands), San Francisco International Music Festival (U.S.), Kurosawa Piano Duo Festival (U.S.), Apolonia Easter Festival, Pianissimo Festival of 20th Century Music, the Sofia Musical Weeks Festival (Bulgaria), Tastentaumel Braunschweig, Musiktag Hannover (Germany) and Altra Musica Festival (Italy). In 2003 they gave their American debut at The Kennedy Center (Washington, D.C.) followed by an appearance at The Cultural Center (Chicago).

DEDICATIONS

In 2003 the duo made the European/Italian premiere of "Pieces for Two Pianos" by the famous Hollywood film composer Marco Beltrami (Terminator III, Dracula, Scream), which they later recorded at Warner Bros. in Los Angeles. They were also invited to give the opening recital at the 7th World Piano Pedagogy Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. At the conference they met jazz legend
Mike Garson, who was very inspired by their performance and is currently composing a two piano work specifically for the duo. Two of Bulgaria's most popular contemporary composers, Yossifov and Petkov, wrote and dedicated to Tosheff Piano Duo two magnificent works - "Chromatic Prelude and Fugue" and "Adequacy". Adequacy was premiered in 1999 in a live television broadcast in Bulgaria.

CHARITY

In 1999 Tosheff Duo gave a charity recital for the world campaign The Power of Humanity organized by the Red Cross and the Red Crescent. In Hanover (Germany), they gave numerous Young Person's Concerts and provided educational commentary on Stravinsky's duo version of The Rite of Spring. In 2002/2003 they appeared at numerous events, raising funds for arts education in Los Angeles. Tosheff's projects have been supported by the Rotary Club's Inner Wheel (Germany), Alitalia Airlines (Italia), Soros Center for the Arts, Future for Bulgaria Foundation, Bistra-Galina Foundation (Bulgaria), International Music Foundation, Sylvia Grancell Foundation and the Adams-Mastrovich Foundation (U.S.).

BROADCASTS

Broadcasts of the duo include Radio DRS 2 (Switzerland), Radio France International, the Italian-, the Chinese- and the Bulgarian National Television, NDR Radio 3 Klassik (Germany), KMozart and KUSC radio in Los Angeles, Radio WFMT Chicago. 

Tosheff Piano Duo are members of the distinguished International Piano Duo Association in Tokyo (Japan). Originally from Bulgaria, they currently reside in Los Angeles, California.

EDUCATION

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