Jury
The members of the jury for the 31st International violin competition Young virtuoso, Zagreb, 2025:
Vasilij Meljnikov (chairman)
The esteemed violinist and pedagogue, VASILIJ MELJNIKOV, was born in 1962 in the southern region of Russia. Following his graduation from music school in his birth town, he enrolled at the Belarusian State Conservatory in Minsk, where he studied under the tutelage of the distinguished musician and pedagogue, Olga Parkhomenko, herself a disciple and graduate student of David Oistrakh. During his tenure at the Conservatory in Minsk, he embarked upon a notable career within the Belarusian State Chamber Orchestra, contributing to the ensemble’s extensive concert tours throughout the Soviet Union and abroad. Upon completion of his studies at the Minsk State Conservatory and postgraduate asisstentura, Meljnikov concurrently balanced his academic pursuits with engagements in the Minsk Chamber Orchestra, solo performances, teaching responsibilities at the Specialized Music School affiliated with the Belarusian State Conservatory, and participation in competitive events. In recognition of his outstanding performance at the Belarusian Competition for Performing Musicians in 1988, Meljnikov was bestowed with the title of laureate.
Since 1990, he has been actively involved in the cultural and musical spheres of Slovenia, particularly within the capital city of Ljubljana. Meljnikov’s repertoire includes solo recitals, performances as a featured soloist alongside various orchestras, participation in the renowned string quartet Camerata Slovenica, and contributions to a Ljubljana Piano Trio alongside pianist S. Gadjiev and cellist I. Mitrovich. Critics have consistently lauded Meljnikov’s performances, with press reviews acclaiming his brilliance and profound interpretation of musical works.
Since 1993, Meljnikov has been actively engaged in pedagogical endeavors at the Academy of Music, University of Ljubljana, a commitment he continues to uphold to the present day. Since assuming the role of Full professor in 2007, he has demonstrated a steadfast dedication to fostering the artistic and professional development of his students, emphasizing the cultivation of individuality, creativity, and initiative among aspiring musicians. Many of his proteges have achieved success in international competitions and have garnered acclaim through their performances both domestically and internationally.
Among his extensive discography, Meljnikov’s 2000 release featuring violin compositions by A. Schnittke garnered widespread acclaim among music enthusiasts. Notably, his recording of Schnittke’s Sonata for Violin and Piano earned first place at the Vienna Modern Masters International Competition in 1997. Additionally, he has recorded Schnittke’s Concerti Grossi No. 2, 3, and 5.
Throughout his tenure in Ljubljana, Meljnikov has maintained a close collaboration with the Symphony Orchestra of Radio and Television of Slovenia, frequently serving as a featured soloist and previously holding the esteemed position of first concertmaster within the orchestra. Furthermore, he has conducted the Symphony Orchestra of the Ljubljana Academy of Music, overseeing performances that have garnered acclaim across Slovenia, Austria, Italy, and Germany. Particularly noteworthy were the orchestra’s performances at the Berlin festival, Young Euro Classic, which contributed to the ensemble’s recognition and prominence on the European stage. Meljnikov regularly conducts masterclasses in Slovenia, Croatia, and Italy. In recognition of his significant contributions to the promotion of musical culture, Professor Vasilij Meljnikov was honored with the Julij Betetto Prize by the Slovenian Society of Musical Artists. Furthermore, in 2023, he was awarded the University of Ljubljana’s Gold Medal for his outstanding creative and pedagogical achievements.
Lajos Földesi
LAJOS FÖLDESI (Paks, 1954) graduated at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest under prof. Mária Vermes and János Pallagi. After his graduation he took part in masterclasses held by Jean-Pierre Wallez and Ruggiero Ricci.
Since 1982, he has taught violin at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, tutoring numerous future winners of international and local violin competitions. He held masterclasses in Finland (from 1980 onwards) and Germany (from 1985 onwards).
He is the founder member of the Szekszárd Chamber Orchestra (1984), the Budapest Haydn String Quartet (1989), and the Instrumenta Nova Chamber Orchestra (1994). With them and with the Budapest violin-harp duo, he has played in many European countries and made CD and DVD recordings for leading labels (e.g., Naxos).
Marco Graziani
MARCO GRAZIANI (Rijeka, 1988) attended the Ivan Matetić Ronjgov Music School in Rijeka from 1995 to 2000. In 2000, he began taking violin classes with Prof. Leonid Sorokow from the Vienna University of Music, who later became his professor at the Zagreb Academy of Music. After an additional year of refinement at the Vienna University of Music, he graduated in 2010 and started working as an assistant at the Zagreb Academy of Music. In 2011, he became the concertmaster of the Zadar Chamber Orchestra, and from 2012 to 2016, he also worked as concertmaster at the Croatian National Theatre. Since 2016, he has been teaching at the Zagreb Academy of Music. Many of his students have already won first prizes at various competitions and have successfully performed as soloists in front of large audiences.
In 2011, he founded the Croatian String Quartet, which has been well received both by the audience and renowned musicians and is being qualified as the most promising chamber ensemble in Croatia. In 2014, the Quartet won the first prize at the Darko Lukić competition for young artists.
Since 1999, he has been attending summer and winter masterclasses in Croatia, Austria, Italy, France, and Japan, having the opportunity to work with many distinguished professors, such as Dora Schwarzberg, Marina and Leonid Sorokow, Alexander Vinnitzki, Zakhar Bron, Pavel Vernikov, Viktor Tretyakov, and Pinchas Zukerman. He has also been attending chamber music classes with the members of the Vogler Quartet, Gerhard Schulz (prev. Alban Berg Quartet), as well as orchestra coaching with members of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.
Thanks to the support of the Stauffer Foundation, from 2007 to 2010, he was able to attend monthly masterclasses with Mo. Salvatore Accardo in Cremona, Italy, and was his student at the prestigious Accademia Chigiana at Siena.
His playing and his interpretative skills have been recognized since his early age, so that in 2004, as a promising young musician, he was chosen to play Guarneri’s precious violin King in the Music Hall Vatroslav Lisinski in Zagreb.
Graziani took part in important national and international competitions and festivals in Croatia, Italy, Portugal, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Russia, Austria, and the Netherlands, with excellent results, winning numerous first prizes, as well as receiving several awards given to outstanding young musicians by various institutions in Croatia. He was a laureate of international violin competitions such as the Lisbon International Competition, the Astana International Violin Competition, and Stefanie Hohl Violin Competition in Vienna.
In 2006, he won the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra annual award as the most successful young musician. He was also awarded the Stjepan Šulek Prize, given every two years for the best violin performance, for his performance of the First Concert for Violin and Orchestra by S. Prokofiev. In 2012, he won the first prize at the first Croatian Competition for Young Musicians Papandopulo.
Together with his friend and colleague, the eminent Armenian pianist Ruben Dalibaltayan, he recorded a CD with works of Mozart, Beethoven, and Schumann. Another CD was the result of his cooperation with the famous Croatian cellist Stjepan Hauser, playing works of Bach, Sollima, Kodály, and Händel-Halvorsen.
As a soloist and a member of various chamber ensembles, he has been playing numerous recitals and concerts with orchestras all over Croatia, Austria, France, Slovenia, Italy, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Germany, Portugal, and Japan.
Nenad Merle
Professor NENAD MERLE (Zagreb, 1956) graduated at the Music Academy in Zagreb under Prof. Martin Barić. He was a violin and chamber music teacher for many years at the Pavao Markovac School of Music in Zagreb and was head of the strings department from 1979 to 2022. From 1988 to 1991 he served as headmaster.
He educated numerous young violinists. His pupils achieve outstanding performances at concerts and competitions (they won 175 prizes, among which 92 first prizes, eight times with a maximum of 100 points, two times Grand Prix, special prize of EMCY, etc.), and they record for radio and television. At their performances, his students win high marks from the profession, critics and the audience. A total of 44 students graduated the violin in his class.
He is a member and president of many judging panels at international, national and regional competitions. He participates in the development of curricula and teaching programs. He is a mentor to students of the Academy of Music (methodology subject) and young teachers for professional exams.
He is a member of the Croatian Association of Orchestral and Chamber Artists. For a number of years, he worked in many orchestras (Gaudeamus Chamber Orchestra, Croatian Chamber Orchestra, HRT Symphony Orchestra, Zagreb Philharmonic, Varaždin Chamber Orchestra).
He is the winner of the Croatian Association of Music and Dance Educators Annual Award for 2002, and in the same year, the Agency for Education and Training appointed him head of the intercounty expert council for violin and viola. The Ministry of Science and Education and the Education Agency awarded him nine awards “for excellent work with students”. He was also twice awarded the Professor Balthazar award for excellence. In 2006, he was promoted to the title of professor mentor, and in 2008 to the title of professor adviser. In 2023, the Croatian Association of String Pedagogues awarded him the Plaque of Honorary Member for his long-term contribution and development of string pedagogy in the Republic of Croatia.
Ines Ana Tomić
INES ANA TOMIĆ graduated at the Academy of Music in Zagreb under Prof. Kristijan Petrović and received her master’s degree under Prof. Marija Ćepulić. She is a Croatian violin pedagogue with 25 years of experience. She has received numerous awards for her work (including the Ministry of Education and Croatian Association of Music and Dance Pedagogues) and her students have won over 120 prizes at various national and international competitions. In addition to numerous concerts, they also appear on Croatian Television shows. A significant number of her students study at or have graduated from one of the academies of music in Croatia and around the world (Yale, Texas, Berlin, Vienna), and some of them are already established, respected musicians.
She is a jury member at music competitions in Croatia and abroad, and a mentor to students and trainee teachers.
Ms. Tomić has given over 100 lectures at international congresses and professional gatherings in Croatia, and for the past 15 years she has held masterclasses for students and teachers several times a year, as well as seminars in music schools.
She is the author of the textbooks Violina 1, Violina 2 and Violina 3 (Školska knjiga 2008, 2018, 2021, 2023), the very popular violin teaching manual Exercises and scales for violin positions, and also The Pizzicato method – a series of seven books of methodological and didactic materials in English, as well as a number of professional and popular articles on music pedagogy.
She is the mother of two children.