Jury
Ludwig Albert - artistic director
Internationally highly acclaimed as a virtuoso and devoted pedagogue, L. Albert belongs throughout the world as Belgian leading marimbist and pioneer with the absolute topflight and is profiled as one of the most successful marimbists and pedagogues of his generation. He's titular Professor at the Royal College of Antwerp and the Lemmens Insitute. At both leading Belgian universities he founded Europe's first marimba master department.
Igor Lesnik
Is one of the leading European percussionists. His compositions are part of concert programs of renowned soloists and ensembles as well as percussion competitions. His collaborations with famous colleagues, his rich collection of recordings and his international concert activities introduced Croatian percussion music to the world. Since 1984 he leads the Croatian Radio Symphony orchestra percussion section and since 1990 Igor has organized international percussion events.
Stefaan Ottenbourgs - executive director
(Belgium, °1964) studied musicology, communication and arts management at the University of Louvain, known as one of Europe’s oldest and prestigious universities. He worked for the Belgium National Classic Radio 3 (now called Klara) between 1987-1991 and was professor at the ‘Provinciale Hogeschool Limburg’ from 1992 till 1998. He’s a board member of several Cultural organizations and associations and is director of the Academic Hall since 1996 and director of the Cultural Centre de Bogaard since 2002. He's related as executive director at the Universal Marimba Competition since its foundation.
Daniella Ganeva
Daniella Ganeva, born in Bulgaria and now resident in the UK, is considered to be one of the finest marimba artists of our time. She has performed in many of the major venues in the UK and abroad and has twice been invited to perform at the Percussive Arts Society's International Convention. Her solo and collaborative work has earned her great respect from audiences and musicians worldwide and extraordinary critical acclaim. Her concerto performances have been given under the direction of internationally acclaimed musicians.
Kuniko Kato
Kuniko is one of the most gifted and significant percussionists of her generation. Her astonishing virtuosity, exquisite musical insight and expressive yet elegant performance style continues to attract not only audiences, but established conductors and composers too. She is renowned for her flawless technique when playing both keyboard and percussion instruments, which blends seamlessly with her profound musical intelligence.
Kunikostudied under the legendary marimba player Keiko Abe at Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo, Japan and advanced her studies under Robert Van Sice at Rotterdam Conservatorium in the Netherlands.
Chin Cheng Lin
Taiwanese marimbist Chin Cheng Lin is recognized worldwide for possessing a talent of uncommon ability and as an exceptionally gifted artist, reflected in the numerous awards and praising reviews he has received for his live performances, recordings and as prize winner of several significant competitions as marimbist and composer. He's faculty member of the maruimba department at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp and the Lemmens Institute Leuven.
Pei Ching Wu
Taiwanese marimbist Pei-Ching Wu, a founding member of the Ju Percussion Group, has served as principal of the ensemble since she was 18 years and is sulrely considered as one of the leading Asian female marimbists. Wu has commissioned and premiered a variety of new works for six mallets solo marimba. She has also performed at international music festivals in the Americas, Asia, Australia and Europe.
Nebojsa Jovan Zivkovic
A native from Serbia, Zivkovic completed his master’s degrees in composition, music theory and percussion in Mannheim and Stuttgart, Germany, where he has resided since 1980. He tours extensively throughout Europe, and performs frequently in the USA, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Latin America, Russia and Scandinavian countries. Zivkovic performed in prestigious venues and at many festivals.
Nanae Mimura
Nanae Mimura, hailed as Japans succesful leading marimbist and one of the most exciting marimba virtuosos of her generation, receiving tremendous praise for both her technical mastery and depth of expression. She has performed numerous concerts in the USA, Japan, Central America, South America, Europe, and Asia since her debut in 1999. She released by Sony Japan label 3 albums: Marimba Spiritual, Universe & Prana. Newly with a reborn pop sound establishing her as a pioneer in the world of the marimba while bringing to life a distinctly 21st century sound, Nanae Mimura is carving a new history on the world stage. As artist she represents Yamaha Japan and Encore mallets US.
