&FRIENDS
Connect With Your Audience
Park University and the Park International Center for Music
Present
STANISLAV & FRIENDS
The Sixth Annual Signature Event of Park University Benefitting Park International Center for Music
Saturday, March 1, 2025
Helzberg Hall Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
Welcome to Stanislav & Friends 2025!
On behalf of Park University’s International Center for Music, we are honored to welcome you to Stanislav & Friends 2025. Tonight, we celebrate the extraordinary legacy of Park ICM and the remarkable artists whose talents continue to captivate audiences around the world.
For more than two decades, Park ICM has quietly shaped the next generation of classical music luminaries, transforming Kansas City into a cultural epicenter for musical excellence. From the early success of Behzod Abduraimov, whose breathtaking performances continue to astound global audiences, to the meteoric rise of artists like Kenny Broberg, Ilya Shmukler, and David Radzynski, Park ICM has firmly established itself as one of the most elite conservatories in the world.
This evening, we celebrate not only the outstanding accomplishments of these musicians but also the dedicated faculty—masters of their craft—who have nurtured and guided them. Under the visionary leadership of Stanislav Ioudenitch, Park ICM has built an international reputation, producing competition winners, concertmasters, and recording artists who perform with the world’s leading orchestras and ensembles.
As proud supporters of the arts, we believe in the power of music to inspire, unite, and transform lives. Tonight’s event is a testament to that power, bringing together a community of passionate individuals who share a deep appreciation for classical music and its profound impact.
We invite you to enjoy an unforgettable evening of artistry and excellence, celebrating Park University’s “best-kept secret”—a secret the world is quickly discovering.
With gratitude,
Scott Boswell Honorary Chairman
Robin Boswell Honorary Chairman
Photographer Keith Gard
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
For 150 years, Park University has been a steppingstone for ambitious students. We work diligently to create an environment where students can develop and refine the skills essential to thrive in their work. Our motto, Faith and Labor, reflects our unwavering commitment to the belief that our students bring immense value to the world through their dedication and effort.
Since 2003, the International Center for Music (ICM) has exemplified this commitment through its singular focus on mentoring future generations of world-class musicians. At the ICM, world-renowned instructors prepare students for the highest levels of international competition and equip them for roles in the most prestigious symphonies and orchestras. Their success has not only enhanced the reputation of our program and alumni but has also helped to elevate Kansas City’s standing within the global classical music community.
With Kansas City as our home and the world as our audience, there is no better venue than Helzberg Hall at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts to showcase the extraordinary work of the ICM. This event is a signature moment on the calendars of both Park University and the Kansas City arts community. Here, in the heart of America, we have the privilege of witnessing the finest talent the world of classical music has to offer.
We are deeply grateful for your support. A special thank you to this year’s honorary event chairs, Scott and Robin Boswell, as well as to our esteemed benefactors in attendance. We also extend our appreciation to everyone in the audience for joining us in celebration and contributing to the ICM through your presence. Should you feel inspired by tonight’s performances (and I know you will!), please visit the ICM website (icm.park.edu) to explore the remarkable accomplishments of our students.
Shane B. Smeed President Park University
PROGRAM
STANISLAV & FRIENDS
KAUFFMAN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 2025
Spanish Rhapsody
Franz Liszt (1811-86)
Stanislav Ioudenitch, piano
Suite populaire espagnole
Manuel de Falla (1876-1946)
Nikita Korzukhin, cello
Mumin Turgunov, violin
Lolita Lisovskaya-Sayevich, piano
Boléro (arr. for four pianos)
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
Yangrui Cai, Tatiana Dorokhova, Ali Mammadoff and Jiarui Cheng
Triana (from Iberia, Book II, No. 3)
Isaac Albéniz (1860-1909)
El sombrero de tres picos (The Three-Cornered Hat)
........................................................................ Manuel de Falla (arr. for piano by the composer)
1. Danza de los vecinos (Seguidillas) — Dance of the Neighbors
2. Danza del molinero (Farruca) — Dance of the Miller
3. Danza de la molinera (Fandango) — Dance of the Miller’s Wife
Luis Fernando Pérez, piano
Trio No. 2, Op. 76
Joaquín Turina (1882-1949)
1. Lento – Andante mosso
2. Molto vivace
3. Lento – Allegretto
Ben Sayevich, violin
Daniel Veis, cello
Lolita Lisovskaya-Sayevich, piano
Rapsodie Espagnole for Two Pianos, M.54
Maurice Ravel
1. Prélude à la nuit
2. Malagueña
3. Habanera
4. Feria
Behzod Abduraimov; Ilya Shmukler; Luis Fernando Pérez; Stanislav Ioudenitch; Tatiana Ioudenitch; Mark Lowry, percussion and David Yoon, percussion
About this evening’s artists
(In Order of Appearance)
STANISLAV
IOUDENITCH
Known for a ravishing technique and his compelling musical conviction, pianist Stanislav Ioudenitch is part of the elite group of Cliburn Gold Medal winners, having taken home the Gold Medal at the 11th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. His profoundly warm and intelligent performances have won him prizes at the Feruccio Busoni, William Kapell, Maria Callas, and New Orleans competitions, among others.
Ioudenitch has performed at major international cultural centers including Carnegie Hall (New York), Kennedy Center (Washington, D.C.), Gasteig (Munich, Germany), Conservatorio Verdi (Milan, Italy), Mariinsky Theater (St. Petersburg, Russia), International Performing Arts Center (Moscow, Russia), The Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory (Moscow, Russia), Forbidden City Concert Hall (Beijing, China), International Piano Festival of La Roque d’Anthéron (France), Théâtre du Châtelet (Paris, France), Bass Hall (Fort Worth, Texas), Jordan Hall (Boston, Massachusetts), Orange County Performing Arts Center (Costa Mesa, California), and the Aspen Music Festival (Aspen, Colorado).
Ioudenitch has had the privilege to perform with the conductors James Conlon, Valery Gergiev, Mikhail Pletnev, James DePreist, Günther Herbig, Asher Fisch, Stefan Sanderling, Michael Stern, Carl St. Clair, and Justus Franz, and with orchestras including the Munich Philharmonic, the Mariinsky Orchestra, National Symphony (Washington, D.C.), Rochester Philharmonic, Honolulu Symphony and the National Philharmonic of Russia. Chamber music partners have included the Takács, Prazák, Borromeo, and Accorda quartets.
His teachers have included Natalia Vasinkina, Dmitri Bashkirov, Galina Eguiazarova, and Karl Ulrich Schnabel, Leon Fleisher, Rosalyn Tureck, William Grant Nabore at the International Piano Foundation in Como, Italy (the current International Piano Academy Lake Como). He subsequently became the youngest teacher ever invited to give master classes at the Academy. He also studied at the UMKC Conservatory of Music under the direction of Robert Weirich.
As the founder of the International Center for Music at Park University in Kansas City, he currently serves as both Artistic Director and professor of piano, while also holding a position as a piano professor at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Recently, his contributions to the field of music education were recognized with the prestigious appointment to The Fundación Banco Santander Piano Chair at the Reina Sofía School Of Music in Madrid, Spain
Stanislav Ioudenitch is the founder of the International Center for Music at Park University (Kansas City) where he is an Artistic Director and professor of piano.
NIKITA KORZUKHIN
Nikita Korzukhin was born in Yekaterinburg, Russia. In 2017 after graduating from Ural Music College, he continued his studies at St. Petersburg State Conservatory, in the class of Professor Alexei Massarsky Honored Artist of Russia. At the moment, Nikita is studying with Professor Daniel Veis at Park University International Center for Music.
From 2018 to 2020, Nikita worked as an artist for the St. Petersburg Contemporary Music Ensemble MolOt, with which he performed many world premieres of works by contemporary composers on various stages as a soloist and a chamber ensemble member.
In 2019 he was awarded a certificate of honor by the Russian Music Union for his contribution to the revival of the youth composer movement in Russia and his active work to promote Russian contemporary music on the national and world stages. He has performed as a soloist and as a member of chamber ensembles at such music festivals as reMusik (Saint - Petersburg), Sound 59 (Perm), SILK::Road (Hamburg), Ural Music Night (Yekaterinburg), The International Conservatory Week Festival (Saint - Petersburg), М.150.11. (Saint - Petersburg), Sound Ways (Saint - Petersburg).
Nikita has participated in master classes with outstanding musicians, such as Marti Rousi, Alexander Rudin, Alexander Buzlov, Wolfgang Schmidt, David Geringas, Kirill Rodin, Shmuel Ashkenasi, and many others. Worked as a principal of the St. Petersburg State Philharmonic for Children and Youth orchestra (2018-2020). Korzukhin has also experience as a principal in Ural Music College chamber and symphony orchestras, and Saint Petersburg State
Conservatory symphony orchestra. He has performed as a substitute musician in such renowned orchestras as “MusicAeterna”, “Saint Petersburg Academic Symphony Orchestra” and the “Divertissement Chamber Orchestra”. Nikita has also performed as a soloist with the Saratov Philarmonic Orchestra, Ural Music College Orchestra, and Karagandy Symphony Orchestra.
MUMINJON TURGUNOV
Muminjon Turgunov is a student of Ben Sayevich currently working on his Bachelor’s Degree in Violin Performance. Prior coming to the United States in 2019, he studied for 11 years at the Glier School of Music in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, with such renowned teachers as Nikitin Yaroslav and more.
In 2018 Turgunov started working as a concertmaster of “Consonanza” Chamber Orchestra at the Tashkent and Uzbekistan Diocese. In the same year, he was awarded a Diploma for the Best Musician of the Season “Spring 2018.” In 2019, Turgunov participated in the Republican Competition of Uzbekistan and won second prize. In 2020, he was privileged to work as a full time violinist in the “State Symphony Orchestra.” He has a passion for playing violin solo repertoire, but greatly enjoys playing in chamber ensembles and orchestras. From 2022 until now, Turgunov won a position as a substitute violinist in the Kansas City Symphony. In the Summer of 2023 he was privileged to be part of the National Repertory Orchestra under conductor Michael Stern.
YANGRUI CAI
Born in November of 2000, Chinese Pianist Yangrui Cai began his piano study at age 4. Between the ages of 8 and 12, he studied with Jay Sun and continued under Dr. Vivian Li of the Xinghai Conservatory of Music since age 12 until college.
In 2016, Yangrui was admitted to the Xinghai Conservatory Middle School with a first-place ranking in the national audition. He has since then taken top prizes in all the major national competitions in China. In the past few years, Yangrui has won prizes at major international competitions such as the 7th Sendai International Music Competition in Japan, the 9th Bösendorfer & Yamaha USASU Competition for Young Artists in USA and
the most recent Sydney International Piano Competition in 2021. He has also distinguished himself at the Cliburn International Piano Competition 2022 with an impressive performance. Yangrui was awarded 4th prize in The Ljubljana Festival International Piano Competition 2023 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. He was also awarded 1st Prize in 2023 Japan Piano Open international piano competition. He was recently named a semifinalist in the 2024 Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition.
Since a young age, Yangrui has given solo recitals in China, Japan, Germany, Denmark, Italy, France, Canada and the United States; appeared as soloist with Hong Kong Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra in China, Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra in Japan, TIMM Ensemble in Italy, RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra in Slovenia, Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Orchestra and Armenian State Symphony Orchestra. Yangrui was a full scholarship recipient of numerous influential music festivals such as Morningside Music Bridge and Tanglewood Music Festival. He has performed in masterclasses with Dmitri Bashkirov, Antonio Pompa-Baldi, Stanislav Ioudenitch, Yoheved Kaplinsky, Lev Natochenny, Michel Dalberto, Krzysztof Jablonski, Peter Donohoe, Chengzong Yin, Thai Son Dang, Horacio Gutirrez, Robert Spano and Yefim Bronfman.
Upon his graduation with distinction at the Middle School of Xinghai Conservatory in July 2019, Yangrui was admitted to several prestigious conservatories in the USA with full scholarships. He recently received his Bachelor of Music degree at Oberlin Conservatory and is continuing to pursue his Master of Music at Park University ICM, studying under the tutelage of world-renowned pianist, Professor Stanislav Ioudenitch.
TATIANA DOROKHOVA
“An innate musical involvement and understanding is always evident in her Interpretations.” That’s how the great pianist Dina Yoffe described one of Tatiana Dorokhova’s performances.
Tatiana plays with virtuosity, a sensitive touch and a clear understanding of cultural context and style. She deftly performs music encompassing all eras from the Baroque to the present. Even during her formative years, despite her young age, distinguished musicians
repeatedly noted the impressive maturity of Tatiana’s musical interpretations; her performances invariably left deep and lasting marks in the hearts of listeners around the globe. Today, Tatiana continues to leave strong memories as she plays concerts in the most prestigious halls of Europe, the United States and Asia.
Born in Volgograd in southern Russia into a family of musicians, Tatiana began studying music at the age of 6. Her talent was immediately discovered, and it was decided that she would move to Moscow to study at the Moscow Conservatory with Professor Alexander Mndoyants, a laureate of the 5th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Later, she served as his assistant at the conservatory.
In 2023, Tatiana changed her life dramatically and entered the Park University International Center for Music to study with an outstanding teacher – Stanislav Ioudenitch, Gold Medal winner of the 11th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Under his sensitive guidance, Tatiana became a laureate of such prestigious competitions as the Gurwitz International Piano Competition (San Antonio, USA) Santa Cecilia International Piano Competition (Porto, Portugal), Enescu International Music Competition (Bucharest, Romania).
Tatiana has performed with orchestras under the baton of Stanislav Kochanovsky, Christian Reif, Scott Yoo and others.
As a participant of a huge project of the Anthology of Russian and Soviet Piano Music CD series, Tatiana’s recordings were released by the world renowned ”Melodiya” label. Her first solo album will come out with KNS Classical in 2025.
ALI MAMMADOFF
Praised by The Examiner as a “piano protege” and an “award winning talent” Ali Mammadoff has been captivating audiences around the globe with his virtuosity, depth, sensitivity and individuality. His exceptional pianistic abilities have taken him all over the world from Europe to the United States. He appeared numerous times both as a soloist and with the orchestra in the United States, England, Germany, France, Italy, Turkey, Ukraine and Azerbaijan. His most recent highlights include the performance of
Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto in D minor and Prokofiev’s Concerto No 3 in C major with maestro Fuad Ibrahimov, which was received with a huge ovation. His breathtaking performances have won him prizes at international competitions both as a pianist and a composer.
Born in Baku, Azerbaijan the future musician began to show curiosity in piano at the age of five. Noticing his passion, at the age of 7 his mother took him to the Special Music School named after Bülbül in Baku, where he studied music fundamentals with Adelya Rahimova and composition with Pike Akhundova.
Despite early successes with winning local competitions; orchestrating and performing his own works with orchestra, he wasn’t sure whether he is going to continue with music. However, Mr. Mammadoff decided to make a life-long professional commitment to music from the age of 16. As a huge fan of jazz music Mammadoff wanted to pursue his career as a jazz pianist first, but then he decided to leave it as a hobby. His exceptional talent and passion for music brought him to Manhattan School of Music in New York, where he studied under Phillip Kawin and immediately was awarded the Harold and Helene Schoenberg scholarship. He also received lessons from Israeli pianist Alon Goldstein, Rena Shereshevskaya, William Grant Nabore, etc. at the age of 24.
As a part of the “New Names” project, Mammadoff performed for the first time with the symphonic orchestra one of the most difficult concertos in piano literature— Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto in D minor. After this sensational performance, he was immediately invited to perform this concerto at the 13th Gabala International Music Festival with maestro Fuad Ibrahimov in the open air concert. In the interview, Mammadoff said that he couldn’t have done it without a guidance of his mentor Stanislav Ioudenitch, because of whom he left everything in New York City to move to Kansas City.
In October 2023 Mammadoff participated in the “World Concerto Tour” project by Stanislav Ioudenitch celebrating Sergei Rachmaninoff’s 150th anniversary featuring the composer’s complete piano concerti. In March 2024, as a part of “New Names” project Mr. Mammadoff was invited again to perform Prokofiev’s Third Piano Concerto with maestro Fuad Ibrahimov at the Azerbaijani State Philharmonic Hall which was received with huge success. In April 2024, he was invited to perform at David Dubal’s Piano Evenings series. In the summer 2024, Mr. Mammadoff recorded a complete set of 24 Preludes and Fugues from the second book of Well Tempered Clavier by J.S. Bach, which will be released in January 2025.
Currently Mr. Mammadoff studies at Park University International Center for Music under 2001 Van Cliburn Gold medalist Stanislav Ioudenitch.
JIARUI CHENG
Jiarui Cheng from Nanjing, China, is known for his blend of artistic nuance and bravura pianism. He is hailed for his affinity for a wide range of stylist traditions. Cheng has performed as a concerto soloist and recitalist in China, United States and Europe. He has been featured as concerto soloist with the Shanghai Conservatory of Music Symphony Orchestra for the Conservatory’s 70th Anniversary Celebration Concert, performing Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 in Shanghai Symphony Hall. He subsequently performed Beethoven No. 4 with the Grossetto Symphony Orchestra in Italy.
Jiarui Cheng has been a prizewinner in multiple competitions including the Scriabin International Piano Competition and the National Piano Competition in Shanghai. In 2019 he performed Rachmaninoff’s 3rd Piano Concerto to great acclaim with The Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra as winner of the CIM Concerto Competition.
As recipient of the Niu Ende Piano Scholarship, Jiarui Cheng studied at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music with Professor Jin Tang. He also studied at The Cleveland Institute of Music as an Artist Certificate candidate with Kathryn Brown. He was one of semi-finalists of the Cleveland International piano competition and Santander International piano competition.
In 2023 he performed Grieg piano concerto with the Aspen Conducting Academy orchestra as winner of Aspen concerto competition. He also performed Beethoven piano concerto No.4 with Tongyeong Music Festival Orchestra as prize winner of ISANGYUN International Piano Competition.
Cheng is pursuing a Bachelors in Music Performance and is part of the Piano studio under the tutelage of Stanislav Ioudenitch.
LUIS FERNANDO PE´REZ
“Praised for his virtuosity, his colorful playing and his extraordinary and rare capability to communicate straight forward to his public, Luis Fernando Pérez is considered to be one of the most exceptional artists of his generation, embodying “The Renaissance of Spanish Piano” (Le Monde).
Applauded unanimously by the world critics and owner of numerous prizes like the Franz Liszt (Italy) and the Granados Prize-Alicia de Larrocha prize (Barcelona), Luis Fernando was honoured with the Albeniz Medal too, given to him for his outstanding interpretation of Iberia, regarded by Gramophone Magazine as “one of the four mythical” (together with those of Esteban Sanchez, Alicia de Larrocha and Rafael Orozco).
Luis Fernando tours worldwide and is currently invited in festivals such as Richter Festival, La Roque-d’Anthéron, Granada International Festival, Santander International Festival, Quincena Donostiarra, Musica-Musika (Bilbao), Schleswig-Holstein Festival, La Folle Journée in Nantes, Japan, Warsaw, Ekaterinburg, and a number of concert halls like New York Carnegie Hall, United Nations, New York University, Auditorio Nacional (Madrid), Auditori de Barcelona, Palacio Euskalduna (Bilbao), Salle Gaveau (Paris), BOZAR (Brussels), Flagey Musique 3 Festival, National Philharmonic in Warsaw, MUPA (Budapest), Dom Musiki & Tchaikovsky Conservatory (Moscow), Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Tokyo Opera City, Forbidden City Beijing, Shanghai … He also keeps an intense activity as chamber musician collaborating with such colleagues as Marta Gulyas, Gerard Caussé, Leticia Moreno, Momo Kodama, Casals Quartet, Bartok Quartet, Ardeo Quartet, Enesco Quartet, Modigliani Quartet and Adolfo Gutierrez Arenas.
Despite his youth, Luis Fernando has an extensive catalogue of recordings which have received numerous prizes — his Albeniz award-winning Iberia has just been reissued under the label Mirare. All his records are ‘Disco Excepcional’ from the Spanish magazine Scherzo. He is currently an artist of the French label Mirare. His ‘Goyescas’ from Enrique Granados won the Diapason d or and the ‘Choc’ of the year of Classica magazine. Recently his record dedicated to the music of the Spanish composer Federico Mompou, has been ranked ffff by Télérama, ‘Exceptional Record’ by Scherzo magazine and got ‘five stars’ in Diapason. He has just recorded his new album, dedicated
to Sergei Rachmaninoff which will be presented under the label Mirare next autumn.
Together with his enthusiastic concertising activity, Luis Fernando keeps an intense dedication to teaching at the Centro Superior Katarina Gurska (Madrid) and the Marshall Academy in Barcelona – in the wake of his teacher Alicia de Larrocha. He is also Piano & Chamber Music Masters teacher at the Conservatorio Superior de Aragón (Zaragoza) as well as Guest Professor at Tokyo Senzoku University.
Ben Sayevich
Lithuanian-Israeli violinist Ben Sayevich has established himself as one of the most distinguished violinists and teachers of his generation. He has performed in concert extensively throughout North America, Europe and the Far East, and he has appeared on radio and television as a soloist and chamber musician.
He is featured as the soloist in a recording of Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” with the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra. At the New England Conservatory of Music, he was chosen to play the Violin Concerto by Alban Berg for the celebration of the composer’s centenary. Sayevich’s interpretation carries the tradition that comes down directly from the composer, through his work on the piece with the late Louis Krasner, the commissioner, dedicatee and the violinist at the work’s premiere.
His extensive activities with orchestras have included concertmaster posts at the Kansas City Camerata and the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra, with both making numerous concerto appearances, including violin concertos by Vieuxtemps, Glazunov, Mozart and Beethoven. He was also concertmaster of the Heidelberg Chamber Orchestra during a five-week world tour of Japan, Singapore and Canada.
Sayevich also maintains a vigorous schedule as chamber musician. He is a founding member of the Park Piano Trio, established at Park University in 2006, and is violinist of the London-based Rosamunde Piano Trio. With the Rosamunde Trio, he has performed widely in Europe, including appearances on BBC Radio London, Irish Public Radio in Cork and the Abbado Festival
Bologna. He is also a founding member of Quartet Accorda, which began in the 1990s and was officially incorporated in 2002.
Sayevich has taught at the University of Kansas, the Grieg Academy in Bergen, Norway, the New England Conservatory of Music, the Hartt School of Music and the Yellow Barn Music Festival in Vermont.
Born in Kaunas, Lithuania, he studied violin in Vilnius from the age of 6 at the Churlonis School for the Performing Arts. At 12, he immigrated to Israel with his family and studied with Felix Andrievsky. At age 21, after serving in the Israeli army, he went to the U.S. to study with Dorothy DeLay, later moving to the New England Conservatory of Music to continue studies with her and Eric Rosenblith. He is a recipient of the prestigious artist diploma from the New England Conservatory of Music, where he was Rosenblith’s teaching assistant.
Daniel Veis
Daniel Veis has been widely recognized as the finest Czech cellist since winning the Silver Medal at the prestigious 1978 Tchaikovsky International Competition, Moscow, and the First Prize at the 1976 Prague Spring International Competition.
He started his musical studies in his native Prague and proceeded to the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatoire furthering his studies with the famous Natalia Shakhovskaya, graduating with full distinction. Since 1979 he has performed regularly as a soloist with many major orchestras in such respected venues as Avery Fisher Hall and Carnegie Hall NY, Royal Albert Hall, Purcell Room, Wigmore Hall and Kings Place (London), Orchard Hall (Tokyo), Auditorí de Barcelona, Auditorio National de Madrid, Neues Gewandhaus Leipzig and Festsaal Dresden, and all major halls in Czechoslovakia including Rudolfinum and Smetana Hall in Prague.
He has worked with world famous conductors (V. Neumann, Sir Ch. Mackerras, S. Baudo, L. Pesek, J. Belohlavek, G. Deluge, O. Danon, Y.P. Tortelier, Ch. Seaman, J.P. Saraste) and outstanding musicians (J. Panenka, V. Snitil, L. Kavakos, A. Levine, K.W. Park, D. Poppen and P. Neubauer).
As a regular guest Veis has been invited to various international festivals
(Prague Spring, Schumann- Zwickau, Bodensee-Fridrichshaven, PolencaMallorca, Canarias, Ex Toto Corte- Saõ Paolo, Victoria International Arts- Malta). His repertoire is vast and diverse and includes a large number of contemporary compositions, some of them dedicated to him.
For various labels he has recorded complete cello works by Brahms, Schumann, Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Martinu and concertos by Dvořák, Brahms, Saint-Saens, Sommer and Vella. For several years Veis held the position of guest soloist for the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, and as a founding member of Dvořák Trio he has recorded with this group complete trios by Dvořák and Martinu as well as trios by Brahms, Smetana, Tchaikovsky, Suk etc.
As a sought after teacher he led the cello studio at the Prague Academy of Performing Arts where he also held the position of Head of Strings. During this period he brought up a number of excellent cellists who are now principals and members of major orchestra and chamber groups. In 2010 Veis was invited to lead the Cello Studio at the International Center for Music at Park University. He is a member of the Park Trio and a founding member of in London-based Rosamunde Trio. Veis regularly performs in the UK, Germany, Austria, France, Japan, Brazil, China and the USA, and is frequently invited to judge international competitions. He plays Jacobus Horil cello made in Rome 1750.
Lolita Lisovskaya-Sayevich
Born into a Tashkent (Uzbekistan) musical family, Lolita Lisovskaya-Sayevich began studying piano at the age of 4.
In 1985, she entered the Uspensky Central Music School in Tashkent. In 1993, she started attending a private school for young musicians in Moscow, and that same year received the first prize at the Chopin International Piano Competition in Göttingen, Germany. She entered the Tchaikovsky Special Music School in 1995, and two years later was accepted to the Tchaikovsky Moscow Conservatory under the tutelage of Vera Gornostaeva, with whom she continued postgraduate study from 2002 to 2004. Lisovskaya-Sayevich also studied with Stanislav Ioudenitch at Park University.
In 1996, Lisovskaya-Sayevich received the first prize from the Nikolai Rubinstein International Piano Competition, and in 2007 the first prize at the Iowa International Piano Competition. She was awarded scholarships from the
Rostropovich Foundation, the Spivakov Foundation and the Nikolai Petrov Foundation. She has also earned the laureate designation from the international program “New Names,” and the festival “Virtuoso 2000” in St. Petersburg, Russia. Lisovskaya-Sayevich has recorded at the Hessen Radio Station in Frankfurt, Germany, and at Orfei Radio in Moscow.
Lisovskaya-Sayevich has presented numerous solo recitals and has played as a soloist with orchestras in Austria, France, Japan, Spain, Germany, Hungary, Italy and Russia. She has participated in many music festivals, including the Bashmet Festival in Tours, France, “Wave 2000” in Japan, International Musical Arts Institute in Maine (USA), Killington Music Festival in Vermont (USA), “Ars Longa” and “Primavera Classica” in Moscow. She collaborated with such renowned musicians as Daniel Muller-Shott, Shmuel Ashkenazy, members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and many others. She now performs extensively in chamber music ensembles.
BEHZOD ABDURAIMOV
“Behzod Abduraimov has the magic touch” The Times
Behzod Abduraimov’s performances combine an immense depth of musicality with phenomenal technique and breath-taking delicacy. He performs with renowned orchestras worldwide including Philharmonia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Deutsches SymphonieOrchester Berlin, San Francisco Symphony, The Cleveland Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, Concertgebouworkest, Czech Philharmonic, Vienna Symphony Orchestra, NHK Symphony and Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin (RSB) with prestigious conductors such as, Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Gustavo Dudamel, Semyon Bychkov, Gianandrea Noseda, Juraj Valčuha, Vasily Petrenko and Constantinos Carydis.
2023/24 performances include Chicago Symphony, Mozarteumorchester Salzburg, Houston Symphony and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestras, Oslo Philharmonic, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra including a tour of Spain and Belgian National Orchestra performing at the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam. Behzod will also appear with Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Conductor collaborations include Osmo Vänskä, Juraj Valčuha, Constantinos Carydis, Robin Ticciati, Manfred Honeck, Yoel Levi, Han-Na Chang, Hannu Lintu and Andris Poga.
In recital Behzod has appeared a number of times at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium, Queen Elizabeth Hall in London and Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, and has recently been presented by Alte Oper, Frankfurt, Toppan Hall, Tokyo, Teatro alla Scala and La Società dei Concerti di Milano. In 2023/24 Behzod will appear twice at Carnegie Hall – returning to the Stern Auditorium for solo recital, followed by a duo recital with Daniel Lozakovich at the Weill Auditorium. The duo will present recitals elsewhere in North America including Bing Hall, Stanford, and the Vancouver Recital series. Behzod will also perform in recital at the Seoul Arts Centre, Shanghai Concert Hall, Amare Hall, Hague and the Tuesday Evening Concert Series, Charlottesville. Regular festival appearances include Aspen, Verbier, Rheingau, La Roque Antheron, Lucerne and Ravello festivals.
Behzod’s second recording for Alpha Classics, featuring works by Ravel, Prokofiev, and Uzbek composer Dilorom Saidaminova, was released on 12 January 2024. The album won the Gramophone Editor’s Choice award and was named one of the Apple Music ‘10 Classical Albums You Must Hear This Month’ of February 2024. 2021 saw the highly successful release of his first recital album for Alpha Classics based on a programme of Miniatures including Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. In 2020 recordings included Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini with Lucerne Symphony Orchestra under James Gaffigan, recorded on Rachmaninov’s own piano from Villa Senar for Sony Classical and Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.3 with Concertgebouworkest, for the RCO live label. Both recordings were nominated for the 2020 Opus Klassik awards in multiple categories. A DVD of his BBC Proms debut in 2016 with Münchner Philharmoniker was released in 2018. His 2012 debut CD of Liszt, Saint-Saëns and Prokofiev for Decca won the Choc de Classica and Diapason Découverte, and his first concerto disc for the label featured Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No.3 and Tchaikovsky’s Concerto No.1.
Born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in 1990, Behzod began the piano aged five as a pupil of Tamara Popovich at Uspensky State Central Lyceum in Tashkent. In 2009, he won first prize at the London International Piano Competition with Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No.3. He studied with Stanislav Ioudenitch at the International Center for Music at Park University, Missouri, where he is Artist-in-Residence.
ILYA SHMUKLER
“Shmukler is a volcano; the name of Ilya Shmukler should be remembered!”– that is how the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung described this pianist after his triumph at the world-renowned Concours Géza Anda 2024 in Zurich, Switzerland, where he won four special awards in addition to the First Prize.
When he was 3 years old, Moscow native Ilya Shmukler’s mother found him jumping on the bed and beautifully singing Robertino Loreti’s “Jamaica”. Thus recognizing his talent, she immediately made him take his first music lessons. It was important to Ilya’s non-musician parents, however, that he be raised as a well-rounded person, so his early years were also spent with school, table tennis, and ballroom dancing. But at 10, he says, his life changed after applying for and winning his first music competition and attending the subsequent international summer academy: “There I discovered a true musical life, and I fell in love with it, inspiring me to commit my life to music.” He performed his first recital at age 12, and made his orchestral debut at 14. Since then, he made solo appearances in Europe and North America, and performed with such artists as Mikhail Pletnev, Paavo Järvi, Marin Alsop, Nicholas McGegan, Junichi Hirokami, Anne-Marie McDermott, Anton Nel and David Radzynski. Ilya Shmukler’s collaborations include the Tonhalle-Orchester Zurich, Musikkollegium Winterthur, the Mariinsky, Fort Worth Symphony, Sendai Philharmonic, Kansas City Chamber, Bayer-Symphoniker, and New Music Orchestras.
Besides the Concours Géza Anda, Ilya is a laureate of many international piano contests, taking top prizes at the Wideman (Shreveport), Lewisville Lake Symphony, Artist Presentation Society (St. Louis), Shigeru Kawai (Tokyo) Competitions. To have become a finalist of the 2022 Cliburn Competition, where he also received the award for the “Best Performance of a Mozart Concerto”, is a milestone in his career. As a winner of the Carnegie Weill Recital Hall Debut Audition he made his New York debut at the venerated venue on December 13, 2022.
An alumnus of the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory under the guidance of Professors Elena Kuznetsova and Sergey Kuznetsov, Ilya continues his studies at Park University (USA) with Professor Stanislav Ioudenitch, so he combines
PHOTO: EMIL MATVEEEV
diverse approaches in piano playing. Ilya’s dear teacher Stanislav Ioudenitch characterized him as “an exceptionally talented pianist with a unique blend of imagination and individuality.”
Tatiana ioudenitch
Tatiana Ioudenitch holds a Master’s Degree in Piano Performance, Piano Teaching, Chamber Music Performance, and Piano Accompaniment from the Saratov State Conservatory of Music in Russia, and a Music Performance Degree from the Uspensky Specialized School of Music in Uzbekistan. She also studied at the Rachmaninov International Piano Courses in Russia and received a high accolade at the All-Russia Piano Competition. She regularly performs internationally and in the USA.
Along with her husband, Stanislav Ioudenitch, Tatiana founded The Young Artists Music Academy in 2001 and originally offered instruction only in piano. Subsequently, they were able to extend their programs to include music theory and music history and appreciation. Today they are happy to offer instruction in a wide variety of programs. Ms. Ioudenitch’s students have continuously received high acclaim at multiple competitions such as Baldwin Piano Award Competition, Music Teachers National Association competition, Kansas City Symphony Young Artist Concerto Competition, Omaha Symphony Competition, Heritage Philharmonic Young Artist Competition, Missouri State University Fite Family Foundation Piano Competition, and Missouri Western State University Young Artist Piano Competition. Her students regularly participate in master classes locally and abroad.
Mrs. Ioudenitch recently received the honor of being a Tholen Fellow Master Teacher, as part of Portland Piano International.
mark lowry
Mark Lowry enjoys the variety of life as a percussionist. As an orchestral musician, he performed for over 30 years with the Kansas City Symphony, Kansas City Ballet, and Lyric Opera of Kansas City. He is also timpanist with the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra and Spire Ensemble, specializing in music of the Baroque and early Classical periods.
In the theater, he has performed with the national touring companies of Wicked, The Producers, Motown, Mean Girls, Little Shop of Horrors, Spamalot, A Chorus Line, Young Frankenstein, West Side Story, and several others. He has also performed numerous stage shows with show business legends such as Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Tony Bennet, Marvin Hamlisch, Wynonna Judd, and others.
As a teaching artist, his trio Tri-Percussion performs educational concerts throughout the Kansas City region and was awarded the 2009 Lighton Prize for Excellence as Teaching Artists; it was the first time in the history of the Prize that a group, rather than an individual artist, had been so honored. Mr. Lowry is active as a teacher, adjudicator, and clinician. He holds the Master of Music degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Contemporary music has long been an area of keen interest for Mr. Lowry, and in 1994 he became a founding member of the contemporary chamber group newEar. He was with the group until 2016, performing over 80 world premieres. Under his leadership newEar was awarded the Chamber Music America/ASCAP award for Adventurous Programming of Contemporary Music. The group performed internationally at the Thailand International Music Festival and the Tenth Beijing Modern Music Festival in Beijing, China.
David Yoon
David Yoon joined the Kansas City Symphony in the 2019-2020 season as Associate Principal Percussion. Originally from Irvine, CA, he began his musical journey with a few years of training in piano and violin. At age 10 he began taking drum lessons, and from then on, there was no looking back.
David received his bachelor’s degree from the Juilliard School and was a recipient of the Kovner Fellowship. Before joining the Kansas City Symphony, he spent a year in the master’s degree program at the Manhattan School of Music. His wonderful teachers along the way were Christopher Lamb, Daniel Druckman, Duncan Patton, Jack Van Geem, Kyle Zerna, Markus Rhoten, and She-e Wu.
David has performed with various orchestras including the Atlanta Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Dallas Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the New York Philharmonic. In 2023 he served as Guest Principal Percussion at the Colorado Music Festival. He serves on the percussion faculty at UMKC along with his colleagues, Sandbox Percussion. He is an endorser of Dragonfly Percussion, Vic Firth, and Zildjian Cymbals.
PROGRAM NOTES
Stanislav & Friends 2025: Echoes of Spain
The romance of the Iberian Peninsula has long exerted a pull for artists from all fields and from all walks of life. The warmth, colors, and rhythms; the legacy of toreros and flamenco, of Cervantes and Lope de Vega. There is even a word for this: hispagnolisme. During the 19th century, the craze for Spanish culture, dance, and music gripped Europe. It continued until well into the 20th century. The French, in particular, reveled in the Spain of their dreams and their imaginations — as seen in paintings of Monet and Degas, in literary works of Stendhal and Mérimée, and in music: from Bizet’s Carmen to Debussy’s Iberia.
Franz Liszt (1811-86): Spanish Rhapsody, S. 254
Tonight’s concert presents a rich array of works by Spanish masters and by composers who found inspiration in this ever-fascinating culture — beginning with one of the most dazzling of Spanish-influence piano works from the 19th century.
Franz Liszt toured Europe, during the 1840s, at the height of his pianist powers, performing recitals.... not just in France but in Italy, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Russia, Ukraine: even Turkey and the Balkans. As Lisztomania spread, the composer spent six months in Spain and Portugal (1844-1845), where he met members of the nobility and performed recitals to throngs of adoring fans. Some of the inspiration for Liszt’s three sets of Années de pèlerinage for piano grew out of these travels.
In 1858, after the composer had more or less settled into a position as Kapellmeister in Weimar, he composed one of his most “Spanish” works — reminiscing, perhaps, over the lovely months he had spent on the peninsula.
The Rhapsodie espagnole is a bracing showpiece that includes variations on
1858_Photo by Franz Hanfstaeng
two essential themes: the centuries-old Folies d’espagne and the folk-like Jota aragonesa. The former — a familiar Spanish-derived tune used by composers from Corelli to Handel, Rachmaninoff to Ponce — is presented in the bass a few minutes in. It is treated to several florid variations, after which the buoyant Jota aragonesa makes an entrance, extended by a lyrical secondary theme. What follows is a scintillating, irresistible apotheosis of all the themes.
Manuel de Falla (1876-1946): Suite populaire espagnole
For Manuel de Falla, a sense of regional or ethnic identity was central to one’s creative being. Born in Andalusia of a Valencian father and Catalonian mother, he absorbed influences not only from the Andalusian and “gypsy” folk music he heard around him as a boy, but also from traditional operatic and orchestral music he heard in his native town of Cádiz.
The young composer’s imagination was fired when he first encountered the music of Edvard Grieg, which revealed to him the possibilities of infusing folk materials into “cultivated” music: Even as a teenager Falla longed to achieve something similar for Spanish music.
After studies at the Royal Conservatory in Madrid, he moved to Paris and spent his thirties studying with Vincent d’Indy and growing increasingly immersed in the music of Ravel, Debussy, Dukas, and Stravinsky. Back in Madrid, he began composing his first significant works (Noches en los jardines de España, El amor brujo, El sombrero de tres picos) — French-tinged yet profoundly Spanish in character.
Falla’s first full-length theater work, La vida breve, was originally composed in 1904-1905 in Paris. And it was during the preparation for the French premiere of that opera in 1913 that its leading lady, Luisa Vela, solicited a set of songs for her upcoming series of solo recitals. Falla decided to use this opportunity to gather his national heritage into song, as Grieg had done.
The result was Siete canciones populares Españolas, settings of folk songs that perfectly suited the singer’s requirements. In 1925, six of the seven were
arranged as the Suite Populaire espagnole by the Polish violinist Paul Kochánski; among subsequent arrangements of the set for other instruments is a version for cello and piano by Maurice Maréchal.
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937): Boléro (arr. for four pianos)
Deeply moved by works of Debussy from the 1890s, around 1900 Ravel began to find his own answers to the questions about harmony, color, and instrumental texture that the late 19th century had left unresolved.
As a new century dawned, so did hopes of a “new music,” and this impulse found expression worldwide, in the music of composers as diverse as Elgar and Schoenberg, Puccini and Debussy. Around this time, Ravel’s music began to appear in print: The publisher Demets brought out elegiac pieces such as the Pavane pour une infante défunte and revolutionary works such as Jeux d’eau. Buoyed by these successes, in 1904 the composer wrote Miroirs, a remarkable set of “Impressionistic” piano pieces that some would later compare to the paintings of Monet or Van Gogh. After these landmarks, Ravel was destined to join Debussy in writing a new chapter in the history of French music.
He composed Boléro during the summer of 1928, on commission from the dancer and impresario Ida Rubinstein, who had requested of him a piece with a “Spanish flavor” for her Paris-based dance company. Ravel initially planned to fulfill the commission with brilliant orchestral arrangements of piano works of Isaac Albéniz, but when the publisher of those works refused him the rights, he hit upon a much more subversive idea.
He described the concept in a letter to his friend Joachin Nin that summer: “No form, properly speaking, and no modulation, or almost none — just rhythm and orchestra.” Thus was born Boléro, based on “folk tunes of the usual Spanish-Arabian kind,” as Ravel wrote. “It is a rather slow dance, and uniform throughout in its melody, harmony, and rhythm, the latter tapped ceaselessly by the side-drum. The only element of variety is supplied by the orchestral crescendo.”
The ballet created a minor sensation at its November 1928 premiere at the Paris Opéra, and a century later its music — essentially a set of variations — continues to cause a stir. It was, as Ravel later said, “a piece lasting 17 minutes and consisting wholly of orchestral effects without music — one long and very gradual crescendo.”
Isaac Albéniz (1860-1909): Triana (from Iberia, Book II, No. 3)
The Iberia suite by Isaac Albéniz, particularly in its original version for piano solo, stands as one of our most graceful, evocative depictions of the beauty and earthy delights of Spain.
Albéniz famously toured the New World as a child prodigy pianist, performing in Buenos Aires, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Argentina, New York, and San Francisco before he had reached the age of 15. (Contrary to stories of the boy having run away from home, he was evidently accompanied by his father on these trips.) Returning to Europe, he studied first in Leipzig and subsequently in Madrid and Brussels.
In August 1880, he met Liszt in Weimar, and the elder composer helped Albéniz to achieve a new level of pianistic mastery. With the composer and musicologist Felipe Pedrell, Albéniz learned to use the music of his native Spain as a foundation for his compositions — while imbuing many of these works with the harmonic and formal complexity of the music of Liszt and Wagner.
During the 1880s, Albéniz lived in Barcelona and Madrid, pursuing dual careers as pianist and composer; he also sought instruction from Paul Dukas and Vincent d’Indy in Paris. Through this amalgam he forged a highly individual style, which reached fruition in the opera Pepita Jiménez (Barcelona, 1896) and in the Iberia suite for piano, composed from 1906 to 1908. He died of kidney disease in 1909, aged 48, just months after completing Iberia.
The original suite consists of 12 pieces for piano, though many concertgoers know parts of the set as orchestral pieces: In 1928 Ida Rubinstein solicited Enrique Fernández Arbos to create orchestrations of five of the 12; later, others orchestrated excerpts, including Carlos Surinach.
Triana with its snaky melody and subtle flamenco rhythm is named for a down-to-earth part of Seville that was, during Albéniz’ day, a community of Romani. Today it is, according to a recent travel guide, “a lively working-class neighborhood that has produced some quite famous bullfighters and flamenco dancers.”
Manuel de Falla (1876-1946): El sombrero de tres picos (The Three-Cornered Hat), arr. for piano by the composer
When Falla brought back to Madrid the musical techniques he had absorbed in Paris during the early years of the 20th century, a “full cycle” of Franco-Iberian mutual influences was complete. Debussy and Ravel had already manifested, in works such Ibéria and the Rapsodie espagnole, how deeply their approach to rhythm and color had been affected by Spanish folk and dance styles.
Now Falla reassimilated this Impressionist approach to form and technique into his own increasingly nationalist consciousness. In 1916, the Parisian impresario Diaghilev put forth the idea of a ballet based on the 1874 novel El sombrero de tres picos by the Spanish author Pedro de Alarcón.
The first version was a pantomime with songs called El corregidor y la molinera, performed in Madrid in 1917; this was then expanded as the ballet that we know today, premiered by the Ballets Russes in London in July 1919, with sets and costumes by Pablo Picasso himself.
The story concerns a corregidor or village constable who plots to seduce the miller’s wife (la molinera) and instead ends up with a whole village seeking recourse against his abuse of power. The Danza de los vecinos is in the quick meter of the seguidilla dance, while the Danza del molinero is in the style of Galician flamenco and the Danza de la molinera is a fandango.
Joaquín Turina (1882-1949): Piano
Trio No. 2 in B minor, Op. 76
Born in Seville, Turina graduated from the Royal Conservatory in Madrid. From 1905 to 1914 he lived in Paris, where he studied composition with Vincent d’Indy and piano with the legendary Moritz Moszkowski. During this time, he fell under the influence of the dominant trends in France, most notably the music of Debussy and Ravel.
Back in Madrid, Turina joined Falla in promoting a national “Spanish style” that incorporated folk elements into instrumental music and that drew upon Spanish literary subjects for vocal and stage works. Turina produced a large number of works for the guitar, several of which have become repertoire favorites.
He remained largely a traditionalist in terms of musical genre, composing operas, choral and solo-vocal music, symphonies and tone poems, a great deal of keyboard and guitar music, and numerous chamber works: quintets and quartets with or without piano, violin sonatas, and no fewer than three fine piano trios. The Trio No. 2, composed in 1933, is concise but cast into three neatly detailed and sweetly lyrical movements. It contains much of the flavor of the Impressionists but relies on Spanish rhythms and melodic material.
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937): Rapsodie espagnole, M. 54, arr. for two pianos and percussion
Of all the composers who responded to the craze for things Spanish during the late-19th and early-20th centuries, none did so with Ravel’s eloquence and panache. Neither Eduoard Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole nor Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio espagnol, as interesting as they might be, possess the pluck, passion, and sheer fun of Ravel’s music. This might be partly because Ravel’s engagement with Spanish idioms can be traced back to his own roots: His mother was Basque, and he himself was born and raised in Basque country.
This sense of identity found expression in a number of his compositions, including the splashy “Alborada del gracioso” from Miroirs, the little-known song cycle Don Quichotte à Dulcinée, and, of course, the indefatigable Boléro. Yet the most exotic and extravagant work in this vein is the Rapsodie espagnole, now a staple of the orchestral repertoire. It was composed primarily in 1907-08 (though the Habanera dates from 1895) and first performed in Paris in March 1908.
This gem consists of four lively tone-portraits of Spain. In the first, Prelude to the Night, an eerie nocturnal scene is created through a descending four-note ostinato figure — which cuts across the barline and obscures the triple meter altogether. The Malagueña is a spirited dance in triple meter, allegedly from Málaga in Andalusia (southern Spain). The Habanera is a duple-meter dance known for the halting prolongation of the second beat of each measure; it is probably of Cuban origin, believed to be an ancestor of the tango. The suite concludes with the Feria, containing all the joy and excitement of a holiday fair.
—Paul Horsley
SPECIAL THANKS
Robin and Scott Boswell
Lisa Browar
Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
Katie McBee
John Tibbetts
Angela Walker
Karen Yungmeyer
PARK ICM FACULTY & STAFF
Stanislav Ioudenitch, Founder & Artistic Director, Piano Studio
Behzod Abduraimov, Artist-in-Residence
Gustavo Fernandez Agreda, ICM Coordinator
Peter Chun, Viola Studio
Lolita Lisovskaya-Sayevich, Director of Collaborative Piano
Steven McDonald, Director of Orchestra
Ben Sayevich, Violin Studio
Daniel Veis, Cello Studio
Photo: Damian Gonzalez
We gratefully acknowledge these donors as of February 10, 2025.
supporter
Jeanne and Joseph Brandmeyer
Vincent and Julie Clark
Mdivani Corporate Immigration Law Firm
Nicole and Myron Wang
Major Benefactor
Lisa Browar
Patty Garney
Shane and Angela Smeed
John and Angela Walker
John and Karen Yungmeyer
Benefactor
Andrew and Peggy Beal
Terry and Marlene Calaway
ECCO Select
Stanley Fisher and Rita Zhorov
Ihab and Colleen Hassan
Stanislav and Tatiana Ioudenitch
Jackie and John Middelkamp
Kate and John Mitchell
Holly Nielsen
Susan and Charles Porter
Charles and Elizabeth Schellhorn
Greg and Barbara Storm
Joyce Weiblen
Carl and Lynne Weilert
PARK ICM FOUNDATION BOARD
The Park University International Center for Music Foundation exists to secure philanthropic resources that will provide direct and substantial support to the educational and promotional initiatives of the International Center for Music at Park University. With unwavering commitment, the Foundation endeavors to enhance awareness and broaden audiences across local, national, and international spheres.
Vince Clark, Chair
Steve Karbank, Secretary
Marilyn Brewster
Lisa Browar
Stanley Fisher
Brad Freilich
Ron Nolan
Benny Lee, Treasurer
Shane Smeed
John Starr
Steve Swartzman
Angela Walker
Karen Yungmeyer
Photo: Damian Gonzalez
Park International Center for Music
PATRONS SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP
Transform the world through the power of music by supporting the Park International Center for Music. Your gift not only helps our exceptionally talented students achieve their dreams but also enriches communities worldwide through their artistry. Together, we are establishing Kansas City as a premier hub for the arts, inspiring audiences and fostering a legacy of cultural excellence. As a Patrons Society member, you’ll enjoy exclusive benefits, including premium concert seating, invitations to private events, and opportunities to connect with Park ICM students and faculty. Be Part of the Legacy.
Visit ICM.PARK.EDU under ”Support Us” to join this dynamic community of music lovers and advocates. We extend our heartfelt thanks to our Patrons Society members. Your generosity fuels a brighter future for music, empowers generations of artists, and solidifies Kansas City’s role as a global stage for creativity and excellence.
We gratefully acknowledge these donors as of February 10, 2025.
SUPERLATIVE
Brad and Marilyn Brewster *
Steven Karbank
Benny and Edith Lee
Ronald and Phyllis Nolan
John and Debbie Starr
Steven and Evelina Swartzman
Jerry White and Cyprienne Simchowitz *
SUPREME
Jeffrey Anthony
Tom and Mary Bet Brown *
Brad and Theresa Freilich *
Shirley and Barnett C. Helzberg Jr. *
Holly Nielsen
Steinway Piano Gallery of Kansas City
Gary and Lynette Wages
EXTRAORDINAIRE
Vince and Julie Clark
Stanley Fisher and Rita Zhorov *
Susan Morgenthaler *
Rob and Joelle Smith *
PATRON
Kay Barnes and Thomas Van Dyke
Lisa Browar
Mark and Gaye Cohen
Suzanne Crandall
Charles and Patty Garney *
Doris Hamilton and Myron Sildon
Colleen and Ihab Hassan *
Lisa Hickok and Brian McCallister *
Robert E. Hoskins *
William and Regina Kort
Jackie and John Middelkamp *
Kathleen Oldham
Kevin and Jeanette Prenger, ’09 / ECCO Select
James and Laurie Rote *
Stanley and Kathleen Shaffer
Guy Townsend
John and Angela Walker *
Nicole and Myron Wang*
Phil and Barbara Wassmer *
* 2024-2025 Member
PARK UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Terry Calaway, Ed.D.
Chair of the Board
Lenexa, KS
Scott Jackman
Vice Chair of the Board
Weatherby Lake, MO
Jeff Anthony Treasurer of the Board
Prairie Village, KS
Mara Cohara, J.D.
Secretary of the Board
Weatherby Lake, MO
Vince Clark
Immediate Past Chair of the Board
Kansas City, MO
Mitzi Cardenas
Kansas City, MO
G. Scott Gorman, Ph.D.
Kansas City, MO
Andrea Hendricks, Ed.D. Lee’s Summit, MO
Gary Henry, ,89 Phoenix, AZ
Benny Lee Kansas City, MO
Sarah Moe Gladstone, MO
Timothy Pachasa, ’18 Phoenix, AZ
Merideth Rose, ’06, MPA ‘08 Independence, MO
Kathrine Swanson, Ed.D. Parkville, MO
Carl Weilert Overland Park, KS
presents David Radzynski and Lolita Lisovskaya-Sayevich IN CONCERT
David Radzynski and Lolita Lisovskaya-Sayevich in CO N C E R T
Friday • March 14, 2025 • 7:30 p.m.
1900 BUILDING • MISSION WOODS, KS
St. 3 0 9 S Stewart Rd, L A PR I L 2 7t h , 7:3 0 PM
Experience the exceptional musicality of violinist David Radzynski, former concertmaster of The Cleveland Orchestra, and Park ICM Director of Collaborative Piano, Lolita Lisovskaya-Sayevich. David’s illustrious journey from ICM to leading roles with some of the world’s greatest orchestras, and now to concert violinist, when combined with the virtuosity of pianist Lolita, results in a recital that showcases the height of instrumental mastery.
C oncert i s FR E E of cha
No t i ckets ed but ARK.
Scan for tickets! or visit icm.park.edu
S C AN HE R E TO RE
The Orchestra of the International Center for Music at Park University presents it s annual spring concer t under the direction of guest conductor Barbara Yahr, music director with the Greenwich Village Orchestra. A native of New York, Ms. Yahr’s career has spanned from the United States to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia!
PARK ICM ORCHESTRA WITH BARBARA YAHR CONDUCTING Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
CON C E R T IS FRE E WITH RESE R VAT I ON . SCAN THE CODE TO RSVP.
ICM. PAR K .EDU .
Park University International Center for Music Presents the
Park ICM in Partnership with NAVO Presents
Maria Ioudenitch and Stanislav Ioudenitch IN CONCERT
Friday, January 24, 2025 • 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 7, 2025 • 7:30 p.m.
1900 Building • Mission Woods, KS
Our season finale will feature the father-daughter duo, Stanislav Ioudenitch, piano, and Maria Ioudenitch, violin. Witness their exceptional musical chemistry as they present an all-French program. Maria has earned top honors at the Ysaÿe, Tibor Varga, and Joseph Joachim International Competitions, along with receiving special recognitions like the Joachim’s Chamber Music Award and a prestigious recording deal with Warner Classics. Scan for tickets!
When Van Cliburn Gold Medalist, Stanislav loudenitch, first started the Park International Center for Music, he began with a simple concept. Find exceptional music teachers, and give them the time, tools, focus, and dedication needed to transform exceptional students into masters themselves. Other outstanding programs have great master instructors. But no other American conservatory lets those masters devote the time to their students like they do at Park ICM. Not even storied programs like Juilliard, Curtis, or Eastman .
“These featured soloists from Park University’s Inter national Center for Music represent not only the quality of perfor mance in Kansas City, but the future of it, too ” – THE KA N SAS
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