Young Classical Virtuosos of Tomorrow

Judges 

Piano

Dr. Timothy Blair (piano) – Founding Dean of the newly formed College of Arts and Humanities at West Chester where he is also a Professor of Piano.

Faina Lushtak (piano) – Chair of the Piano Department at Tulane University and judge at many international competitions, including the Gina Bachauer and Cleveland International Piano Competitions

Marianna Prjevalskaya (piano) – Gold medalist at over 20 international piano competitions, including the World Piano Competition in Cincinnati, OH, and judge at the New Orleans International Piano Competition

Dr. Irina Yurkovskaya– pianist, vocalist, and pedagogue with an international performing and teaching career. Owner of the Perfect Pitch Music Studio in Springfield, VA.

Jack Moore – Conductor, Ambler Symphony and WRTI Classical Radio Host.

Yelena Masotti – Former president of the New Jersey Music Teacher’s National Association.

Strings

David Geber (strings/chamber)– Dean of Instrumental Performance at Manhattan School of Music.  Renowned Cello Soloist, Chamber Music and Pedagogue.

Eduard Schmieder (strings/chamber) – Head of the Violin Department at Temple University — Conductor of iPalpiti Festival Orchestra in Los Angeles

Paul Arnold (strings/chamber) – Violinist with Philadelphia Orchestra

Ovidiu Marinescu (strings/chamber) – International cello soloist/chamber musician and faculty at West Chester University

Sylvia Ahramjian (strings) – International violinist/chamber musician and retired West Chester University Faculty.

Winds/Brass

Julian Milkis (winds) – International clarinet soloist recently featured by UNESCO, and the only student of Benny Goodman.

Ethan Bensdorf (brass) — 2nd Trumpet at the New York Philharmonic and trumpet faculty at the Manhattan School of Music.

David Blumberg (winds) — International clarinetist and pedagogue.

Dr. Daniel Cherry (brass) ­– Orchestral, solo and chamber Trombonist. Faculty at West Chester University.

Voice

Jen Creed (voice)– board of directors for the Vocal Institute.

Maria Russo (voice) – Winner of the ARD Competition in 1984.  International Operatic Soprano.

Mission: The NBS Classical Music Institute, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a mission to promote serious classical music concerts and competitions in the Philadelphia area, will be presenting “Young Classical Virtuosos of Tomorrow,” a national competition as a memorial to its founder, Nelly Berman.  It will draw students from across the nation, and winners at various levels will be performing in concerts at Radnor Middle School, West Chester University, and the Kimmel Center; over $10,000 in prizes will be awarded.  The jury will be members of the Philadelphia Orchestra and New York Philharmonic, international performing artists, and faculty from West Chester, Manhattan School of Music,  Temple, Tulane, Long Island Universities, and the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University.

We need young classical music performers now more than ever. Just like when the 23 year old American pianist Van Cliburn went to Moscow in the ’60’s to win first prize at the monumental Tchaikovsky piano competition and with his passionate playing helped thaw the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the US — young musicians of the tumultuous and pivotal years 2016-2017 can help shape international debate with high ideals for future generations through their likewise memorable performance.

The Nelly Berman Memorial “Classical Music Young Virtuosos of Tomorrow” competition, established in 2010, sees its important national place as a cultural emissary for the transformative power of classical music.  It provides a platform for young musicians to reach the hearts of old and young alike with their playing and, through classical music, illuminate the highest human virtues.

Nelly Berman’s whole life exemplified her belief in the transformative power of classical music and her visionary ideas of music education. As an emigrant from Odessa, USSR in 1976 Nelly came to the US with only $17 to her name and two children.  She struggled with congenital heart disease since the age of 3 but went on to bring the Russian method of teaching to thousands of children in the US, where she founded the Nelly Berman School of Music. In 1995, Nelly wanted to further classical music in the US, and she founded the nonprofit NBS Classical Music Institute, with a mission to provide merit based scholarships to students as well as to bring high level classical music concerts to the community. In 2010, she wanted to reach even more children around the nation, and she founded the “Young Classical Virtuosos of Tomorrow,” which brought over 300 students from across the United States to the greater Philadelphia area.

This year’s revival of the “Young Classical Virtuosos of Tomorrow” as the Nelly Berman Memorial Competition will honor and institutionalize her visionary work in music education.  It will also provide a philanthropic means of recognizing her lifelong struggle with heart disease.  The competition will draw hundreds of students from across the United States and provide several concerts by extraordinary young musicians to the Greater Philadelphia Community while giving a direct opportunity for young musicians to make a difference in the lives of others. The top 15 students in the Platinum division will be chosen to play at a large fundraising event for Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where their playing can make a difference to the lives of many sick children with heart disease.

Here is a video of the competition in 2010, then called “Young Classical Music Idol.”  The name and the structure have since changed but we have the same goals.