History

Founded in 2018 by the Romanian born conductor, cellist, educator and composer Ovidiu Marinescu, the International Musicians Academy (IMA) is an intensive summer program for aspiring artists designed to provide a unique and high-level artistic experience working with a professional orchestra as soloists, conductors or composers. Chamber music and orchestral training is also available for young artists interested in playing side-by-side with highly experienced professional orchestral players. 

9TH EDITION, VIDIN, BULGARIA, July 14-25, 2025
Faculty: Ovidiu Marinescu, Blanka Bednarz, Cheung Chau, Vidin Sinfonietta
Participants: Stephanie Kim, Max Jiang, AJ Peery, Maren Daynes, Kimberly Memmott, Lauren Erickson

Concert July 18

  • Friedrich Hermann (1828-1907): Suite for Three Violins in D Minor, op. 17, Stephanie Kim, Max Jiang, Dr. Blanka Bednarz, violins
  • Edvard Grieg:Peer Gynt, Suite no.1, op. 46, AJ Peery, conductor
  • AJ Peery: And Thus I Awaken (world premiere), AJ Peery, conductor
  • Henri Vieuxtemps: Concerto No.4 in D minor, op. 31, Andante, Stephanie Kim, violin, Ovidiu Marinescu, conductor
  • Edouard Lalo: Symphonie Espagnole, op. 21, Allegro non troppo, Max Jiang, violin, Cheung Chau, conductor
  • Gioachino Rossini: Overture to “La Gazza Ladra”, Cheung Chau, conductor

Concert July 25

  • Ludwig van Beethoven: Sonata for piano and cello in A Major, op. 69, I. Allegro, ma non tanto, Ovidiu Marinescu, cello, Maren Daynes, piano
  • Joseph Haydn – London Trio no. 1, in C Major, Max Jiang, violin, Blanka Bernarz, violin, Ovidiu Marinescu, cello
  • Jake Heggie: Full Circle 50 , for flute, cello and piano,Lauren Erickson, flute, Cheung Chau, cello, Kimberly Memmott, piano
  • Dvorak – Romance op. 11, for violin and orchestra, Blanka Bednarz, violin, Cheung Chau, conductor
  • Lauren Erickson/Kimberly Memmott – Flute Fantasy for flute, piano, and orchestra, Lauren Erickson, flute, Kimberly Memmott, piano, Ovidiu Marinescu, conductor 
  • Ludwig van Beethoven – Concerto for piano and orchestra no. 4, in G major, op. 58 – Maren Daynes, piano, Ovidiu Marinescu, conductor 

8TH EDITION, VIDIN, BULGARIA, July 19-24, 2024
Faculty: Blanka Bednarz, Cheung Chau, Vidin Sinfonietta
Participants: Enoc Estrada, violin, Elizabeth Curtis, violin, Kaitlin Booth, cello, Isabella Bueno, piano

Concert – Wednesday, July 24, 2024, Vidin Sinfonietta, Conductor Cheung Chau
Passacaglia in G minor (after Handel) – Johan Halvorsen: Enoc Estrada, violin, Kaitlin Booth, cello
Suite for Two Violins and piano, op. 71- Moritz Moszkowski: Elizabeth Curtis, Dr Blanka Bednarz, violins, Isabella Bueno, piano
Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129 – Robert Schumann: Kaitlin Booth, cello
Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 22- Henryk Wieniawski: Enoc Estrada, violin
Violin Concerto in D minor, op. 47 – Jean Sibelius: Elizabeth Curtis, violin
Piano Concerto in A minor, op. 54 Robert Schumann: Isabella Bueno, piano

7TH EDITION – BRASOV, ROMANIA, JUNE 2-9, 2024
Artistic Director and Conductor: Ovidiu Marinescu
Piano Director: Helen Lin
Masterclasses: Horia Mihail and Ioan Dragos Dimitriu

Concert: June 9, 2024, Brasov Philharmonic, Ovidiu Marinescu – conductor

RON HUANG – Allegro con brio from Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 19 by Beethoven
CRYSTAL HUANG – Romance – Larghetto from Piano Concerto No. 1 by Chopin
HE XIN TANG JOYCE – Allegro con brio from Piano Concerto No.1, Op.15 by Beethoven
LUCAS HU – Military March by Schubert
VIOLA HUANG – Rondo – Allegro from Piano Concerto No. 1 by Beethoven
CARINA T. XIAO – Vivace from Piano Concerto in D Major by Haydn
CAROL WEN – Andante from Piano Concerto No. 21 by Mozart
CRYSTAL HUANG, soprano: Lascia Chio Pianga by G. Fr. Händel, On My Own by S. Barks (arr. Crystal Huang), Never Enough by L. Allred (arr. Crystal Huang)
RON HUANG, voice: Edelweiss by R. Rodgers, You Raise Me Up by J. Groban, Bring Him Home by C. Wilkinson
WENDY HUANG – Moderato from Piano Concerto no. 2 by Rachmaninov

5TH EDITION – CONDUCTING FESTIVAL 2023, VIDIN, BULGARIA, 8-16 August 2023
The CONDUCTING FESTIVAL of the International Musicians Academy was designed to invest in the advance training of the conductor. Only four conductors were selected. Each conductor received 40 minutes of podium for all five days with the Festival Orchestra, the full-time professional orchestra Sinfonietta Vidin.
Faculty:
Allan R. Scott: Music Director, Helena Symphony Orchestra & Chorale (Montana, U.S.A.), Music Director, Southeastern Pennsylvania Symphony Orchestra (Pennsylvania, U.S.A.), Principal Conductor, Wilmington Ballet Company (Delaware, U.S.A.)
Ovidiu Marinescu: Professor, West Chester University (Pennsylvania, U.S.A.)
Conductors: Michael Mleko, Jillian Burgam, Sebastian Grand, Johannes Bowman
The opening performance on Wednesday, 9 August 2023, featured Allan R. Scott, conducting and Ovidiu Marinescu, cello with the Sinfonietta Vidin.
The CONDUCTING FESTIVAL 2023 included 40 minutes each day of podium coaching as well as daily Off the Podium workshops. The CONDUCTING FESTIVAL 2023 concluded with a public performance of the Festival Conductors.
Repertoire
ORCHESTRAL REPERTORY
BEETHOVEN Leonore: Overture No. 3, Op. 72b*
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, Op. 55, Eroica – Mov. I
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125, Choral – Mov. IV (mm. 1-91)
BIZET Carmen: Suite No. 1*
BIZET Carmen: Suite No. 2*
BRAHMS Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68 – Movement I
DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95, From the New World (all)
ELGAR Enigma Variations, Op. 36 – all movements
HUMPERDINCK Hansel & Gretel: Prelude to Act I*
MENDELSSOHN The Hebrides Overture, Op. 26 (Fingal’s Cave)*
J. STRAUSS Die Fledermaus: Overture*
STRAVINSKY The Firebird: Suite (1919 version) – Movements I-IV
TCHAIKOVSKY Romeo & Juliet (Overture – Fantasy)*
TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36 – Movement I
CELLO CONCERTO TO BE DETERMINED (it will be part of the repertory to be studied and conducted).
OPERA ARIAS (with guest soprano Radinela Vasileva)
MOZART Le Nozze di Figaro: “Deh vieni non tardar,” “Venite, inginocchiatevi,” “L’ho perduta, me meschina,” “Dove sono,” “Porgi, amor,” “Un moto di gioia” (arias and recits.)
PUCCINI La Bohème: “Mi chiamano Mimì” and “Quando me’n vo’”
PUCCINI Madama Butterfly: “Un bel di”
PUCCINI Suor Angelica: “Senza mamma”
PUCCINI Tosca: “Non la sospiri la nostra casetta”
Off the Podium Workshops
In addition to the daily podium coachings, Festival Conductors shall participate in the Off the Podium workshops designed to enhance the leadership training needed for a conducting career. These include the following workshops:
SCORE PREPARATION: Marking Scores, Memorization, Score Study Plan & Rehearsal Process
PROGRAMMING: Programming a Season, Programming Guest Conducting engagements, Use of soloists, Understanding Budget and Marketing plans, Creating Sample Programs for potential positions
MUSIC DIRECTOR: Mission vs. Vision, Development, Role of the Music Director in the community, Working with the Board of Directors and Staff, Creating Strategic Plan

5TH EDITION – SESSIONS 1 AND 2, Vidin, Bulgaria
Faculty: Ovidiu Marinescu, Blanka Bednarz, Cheung Chau, Vladislav Adelkhanov, Liviu Marinescu, Michael Kurek, Izabel Mandache
Participants: Angelica Salazar, Tessa Faatz, Maya Dean, Sophie Blair, Hannah Kwong, Ashtyn Tumblin, James Krom, Elizabeth Tsung
Concert 1: July 28, 2023
James Krom – String Quartet Flying Pillars: Vladislav Adelkhanov, Hannah Kwong, Blanka Bednarz, Ovidiu Marinescu
Maurice Ravel – String Quartet in F major: Elizabeth Tsung, Angelica Salazar, Sophie Blair, Cheung Chau
Ludwig van Beethoven – Egmont Overture, Op. 84, Cheung Chau, conductor
Johann Sebastian Bach – Concerto for 2 Violins in D Minor, BWV 1043: Cheung Chau, conductor, Blanka Bednarz, violin, Ovidiu Marinescu, cello
Elizabeth Tsung – Lychee, for string orchestra, Ovidiu Marinescu, conductor
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra, in E♭ major, K. 364, I. Allegro maestoso: Cheung Chau, conductor, Hannah Kwong, violin, Sophie Blair, viola
Angelica Salazar – Baila en el Tiempo, world premiere, Ovidiu Marinescu, conductor, Angelica Salazar, violin
Pablo de Sarasate – Zigeunerweisen, Op. 20, Ovidiu Marinescu, conductor, Elizabeth Tsung, violin
Concert : August 5, 2023
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – String Quartet No.14 in G major, K.387: Elizabeth Tsung, Maya Dean, Izabel Mandache, Cheung Chau
Aleksandr Borodin – String Trio in G minor: Angelica Salazar, Tessa Faatz, Ashtyn Tumblin
Felix Mendelssohn – The Hebrides Overture, Op. 26, MWV P7 “Fingal’s Cave”, Johannes Bowman, conductor
Edward Elgar – Cello Concerto in E Minor, Op. 85: Ovidiu Marinescu, conductor, Ashtyn Tumblin, cello
Antonin Dvorak – Violin Concerto in A Minor, Op. 53: Cheung Chau, conductor, Maya Dean, violin
Felix Mendelssohn – Violin Concerto in E Minor, Op. 64, MWV 014: Ovidiu Marinescu, conductor, Tessa Faatz, violin
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35. : Cheung Chau, conductor, Angelica Salazar, violin
Xiao Yayu – Water Girl, Mountain Boy, Cheung Chau, conductor
James Krom – Night Ride Before A Duel, Ovidiu Marinescu, conductor

6th Edition – Brasov , Romania
International Musicians Academy organized a special project with Joy Youth Orchestra (South Korea) and Brasov Philharmonic (Romania). The highlight of the collaboration was an extraordinary concert on July 22, 2023, 20:00, in the Brasov Philharmonic Hall.
Joy Youth Orchestra is a NPO (Non-Profit performance Organization) in which Korean youth contribute their talents to artistic and charitable programs.
Program: Brasov Philharmonic / Conductor Inmo Kang
Overture to Le nozze di Figaro by W. A. Mozart
Czardas by V. Monti, Arr. E. Diz – Violin/ Chang Hyeon Lim
Clarinet concerto in E-flat major, Op. 36 by F. Krommer – 1. Allegro, Clarinet/ Hojun Lee
Cello concerto No. 1 in C major by J. Haydn – 1. Moderato, Cello/ Seung Chang Lee
Flute Concerto in No. 1 in G major, K. 313 by W. A. Mozart – 1. Allegro Maestoso, Flute/ Min Jung Kim

Joy Youth Orchestra with Brasov Philharmonic / Conductor Inmo Kang
Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21 by L. v. Beethoven
1. Adagio molto – Allegro con brio
2. Andante cantabile con moto
3. Allegro molto e vivace
4. Finale. Adagio – Allegro molto e vivace
MASTERCLASS DISTINGUISHED ARTISTS
International Musicians Academy and Brasov Philharmonic representing masterclasses for Joy Youth Orchestra with four distinguished international artists:
Gabriel Croitoru – violin
Sebastian Tegzesiu – violin
Ovidiu Marinescu – cello
Ion Bogdan Stefanescu – flute
Emil Visenescu – clarinet

Previous Years – 2022

The 4th edition featured 5 participants in the solo and composition category. Two orchestral concerts and a spectacular chamber music performance marked this edition defined by exceptional commitment and artistry. The program was led by faculty Blanka Bednarz and Ovidiu Marinescu, who also appeared with Sinfonietta Vidin as part of the Danube Waves Festival in a performance at the Baba-Vida Fortress.  Composer in Residence David Klock had his “Heavy Masks” for solo cello featured in the chamber music concert, along works by Bartok, Marinescu, Debussy, and Glazunov.  Nadejda Angelova, principal Cellist of Sinfonietta Vidin collaborated with Matison Stokes and Annalicia Loveridge in the Piano Trio by Claude Debussy.  The final concert included:

Conductor: Ovidiu Marinescu

  • A. Mozart – Piano Concerto No. 12, Matison Stokes, soloist
  • Sergei Rachmaninov – Piano Concerto No. 2, II. Adagio sostenuto Matison Stokes, Soloist
  • Wieniawski Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 2 II. , Annalicia Loveridge
  • Carl Stamitz – Viola Concerto, Rachel Horman
  • Antonin Dvorak – Violin Concerto, Morgan Doman Smith, soloist
  • Max Bruch – Violin Concerto, III. Finale. Annalicia Loveridge, Soloist 

Previous Years – 2020

The third edition took place in August 2020 virtually due to the covid-19 pandemic.  Two weeks of online classes featured a stellar cast of professors and students from Europe and the United States.  Special sessions on injury prevention for musicians were presented by licensed physical therapist Heather Salyers, and yoga sessions were led by Ceara Caisido.

  • Ovidiu Marinescu, Artistic Director, Cello, 
  • Cello: Cheung Chau, Harro Ruijsenaars (former principal Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra), Amparo Lacruz (Barcelona – Lyceum, Madrid), Ovidiu Marinescu 
  • Violin: Blanka Bednarz, Sylvia Ahramjian

Previous Years – 2019

Second edition of the International Musicians Academy had a talented group of young artists from USA, China, and Australia.  Featured were concerti by Goldmark, Mozart, Prokofiev (piano #3, cello, violin #2), Ravel G Major, Elgar, Scriabin.

2019 Faculty:

  • Ovidiu Marinescu, Artistic Director, Conducting, Cello
  • Cheung Chau, Conducting, Cello
  • Blanka Bednarz, Violin, Viola, Chamber music
  • Dmitry Rachmanov, Piano

2019 participants:

  • Kaiyan Qian, Piano
  • Serena Rose Clement, Violin
  • Natalie Browning, Cello
  • Isaac Browning, Percussion
  • Max Jacobs, Violin
  • Karissa Haeun Lim, Cello
  • Alan Murray, Piano
  • Jane Liu, Piano

  • Lily Eckman, Cello

  • *********************************
  • Previous Years – 2018
  • The first edition of the International Musicians Academy showcased an exceptional group of musicians from seven countries: USA, Russia, China, Canada, Brazil, Romania, and Korea. The participants came from reputable music institutions such as Juilliard School of Music, Moscow Conservatory, California State University – Northridge, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, and Maastricht Conservatory.  Exceptional artist faculty inspired the participants during the two week festival.
  • 2018 Faculty:
  • Ovidiu Marinescu, Artistic Director, Conducting, Cello
  • Dmitry Rachmanov, Piano
  • Sylvia Ahramjian, Violin/Viola, Chamber Music
  • Dimitri Chassouros, Composition
  • Vera Volchanski, Conducting
  • Diana Bucur, Lyric Soprano
  • 2018 Guest Artists:
  • Dan Cavassi, Principal Cellist, Bucharest Philharmonic, Romania
  • Carmen Maria Carneci, Composer, Romania
  • 2018 participants:
  • Alan Murray, piano
  • Tudor Cioceanu, piano
  • James Devor, composition, bass
  • Lily Eckman, cello
  • Kaitlyn Waterson, mezzo-soprano
  • David Brown, composition
  • Haeun Karissa Lim, cello
  • Catherine Ma, piano
  • Hyewon Jo, cello
  • Ceara Caisido, cello
  • Sarah Ann Palma, piano
  • Shara Sun, piano
  • Elvania Caram, piano
  • Amber Kowal, bass
  • Cameron Kuzepski, conducting
  • Ming Luo, piano
  • Yaroslav Tchistov, cello
  • The International Musicians Academy and Artistic Director Ovidiu Marinescu extend their gratitude to all faculty and participants as well as to our partners in Bulgaria: Miroslav Krastev, Director and Sinfonietta Vidin.