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| Olsi Qinami conducting the London City Philharmonic |
The orchestra "London City Philharmonic," under the artistic direction of Albanian conductor Olsi Qinami, gifted us with a symphonic concert featuring young talents from different parts of the world, classified as virtuoso and promising instrumentalists destined to reach the peaks of success in various musical instruments.
This orchestra has not been the first to offer us concerts of high artistic level, with an attentive and competent audience that always follows and supports it.
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| Olsi Qinami and the team |
The uniqueness of the symphonic orchestra "London City Philharmonic" lies in the fact that it is composed of international musicians, inviting talents from all over the world and promoting them. The musicians exhibit a superior level of artistry.
The multicultural diversity within the ensemble gives a unique touch to every aspect, both in performance and in the melodic lines of the program presented to the audience each year.
This time, at the venue "St James Paddington," a place with excellent acoustics and historical value, we attended the "Emerging Soloists Gala Concert."
Olsi Qinani, a promising Albanian artist in London and beyond, is the artistic director of this orchestra and is also invited as a conductor at the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet in Albania.
His biography is filled with successes, not only in the United Kingdom in collaboration with the BBC Symphony Orchestra but also with the Hong Kong Opera, the Norwegian Radio Orchestra, the Paris Massy Opera, the Youth Orchestra of Genoa, the National Opera of Macedonia, the Satra Zagora Opera, the Parnu Festival Orchestra, the Albanian Theatre of Opera and Ballet, and more.
Two countries with great potential and high artistic reputation have had Albanian talent in their midst. Olsi, with a Master's degree in Orchestral Conducting from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, has also earned the title from Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris, graduating with honors in conducting.
Mentioning his collaborations with Paavo Jarvi at the Jarvi Academy, with Riccardo Muti at the Riccardo Muti Opera Academy, followed by Alexander Vedernikov, Mark Heron at the Royal Northern College, etc.
His intuitive artistic sense allows him to select a beautiful repertoire with artistic foresight.
In this soloist gala, the featured musicians were:
Fiamma Di Gennaro (Oboe)
Born in Rome in 2004.
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| Fiamma Di Gennaro in Oboe |
She completed her studies at the National Academy of St. Cecilia and the Philharmonic Academy of Bologna.
Despite her young age, she has participated as a soloist in over 200 concerts and won the National Art Prize in Italy.
Sophia Geng (Violin)
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| Sophia Geng in Violin |
Another international talent who began her journey at the age of 6 and continued her studies at the Royal Conservatory of Canada and the Royal Conservatoire of England.
Without counting the numerous successes, this very young girl has achieved triumphs in international violin competitions in Canada, China, the United States, Poland, and MB. At the age of 13, in 2017, she was awarded "Best of Class" at the Toronto International Music Festival, among others.
Khrystyna Mykhailichenko (Piano)
A 17-year-old girl from Ukraine, born in Crimea!
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| Author Anila Kadija with Ukrainian pianist Khrystyna Mykhailichenko |
She started playing the piano at the age of 4, and her parents immediately realized that she was a born virtuoso.
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| Khrystyna Mykhailichenko in Piano |
In the last 7 years, she has had around 15 solo recitals and participated with symphony orchestras in New York, Washington, Paris, Brussels, Antwerp, Bruges, Vienna, Berlin, Bayreuth, Newcastle, and Ukraine. Initially, in 2022, she relocated as a refugee to Poland with her sister and mother and later moved to the United Kingdom. In September 2023, she was awarded a scholarship to continue her studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
Naor Equba (Clarinet)
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| Naor Equba in Clarinet |
He started his clarinet studies at the age of 8 at the Hassadna Conservatory in Jerusalem. He became the first clarinetist in the Jerusalem Youth Philharmonic Orchestra and has performed in concerts and masterclasses with renowned musicians. He consistently receives scholarships for his outstanding interpretation skills. He has also served in the Israel Defense Forces in the position of "Outstanding Musician."
Rit Xu (Flute)
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| Rit Xu in Flute |
A young and renowned flautist from Singapore, known for his mastery of both jazz and contemporary music. He has graced the stages of events like the Lion City Youth Jazz Festival and the Singapore Street Festival, showcasing his virtuosity. Rit Xu is the Assistant Music Director of the Jazz Association (Singapore) and has received the prestigious Young Artist Award from the National Arts Council of Singapore.
Lewis Tang (Cello)
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| Lewis Tang in Cello |
At only 16 years old, Lewis is currently studying in Manchester. He began playing the cello at the age of 5 under the artistic guidance of Nicholas Jones. He was a winner at the Hong Kong Young Musicians' Concert 2021 and continues his studies at Chetham's School of Music in Manchester.
Marie Helling (Violin)
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| Marie Helling in Violin |
Coming from a family of musicians, Marie embarked on her musical journey at the age of 5. This talented young girl has won numerous prestigious awards and has performed at the international "Arppegione" festival in Austria, among others. She was invited as a winner to perform in the "Rising Stars Grand Prix Berlin" international competition. Marie plays the Camillo Camilli violin from 1731, which was gifted to her by the "Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben" foundation.