Israeli pianists Stanislava Varshevsky and Diana Shapira were judged the best piano duo at the prestigious 15th International Piano Competition, "Rome 2004", held in Italy this past week.
"Rome 2004" awarded the duo 700 euros each, and they will perform at the Vatican.
This is far from Varshevsky and Shapira's first successful competition. They have taken first prize as a duo at the Warsaw Competition for Piano Duos (1999), first prize in the Chamber Music Competition in Jerusalem (2000), and they have come in third place at the ARD Music Competition in Munich and first place at the Schubert Competition in the Czech Republic (2003).
Varshevsky and Shapira, conservatory instructors at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, went to the Rome competition directly after being selected Israel's best duo in the "Young Artist Competition". They have been playing as a duo since 1998, and have taken part in international festivals in Rostock, Warsaw, Novosibirsk, Israel, New York, Miami and the Czech Republic. In addition, the dynamic duo has performed with the national, city or chamber orchestras of Munich, Israel, Warsaw, Novosibirsk, Moravia, and more.
Varshevsky and Shapira have also produced two commercial music disks, which have enjoyed much radio air time, both in Israel and abroad. The Polish Gazeta Krakowska has declared of the duo: "Both artists are wonderful piano duo, which can charm even the most versed music lovers."
"Rome 2004" awarded the duo 700 euros each, and they will perform at the Vatican.
This is far from Varshevsky and Shapira's first successful competition. They have taken first prize as a duo at the Warsaw Competition for Piano Duos (1999), first prize in the Chamber Music Competition in Jerusalem (2000), and they have come in third place at the ARD Music Competition in Munich and first place at the Schubert Competition in the Czech Republic (2003).
Varshevsky and Shapira, conservatory instructors at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, went to the Rome competition directly after being selected Israel's best duo in the "Young Artist Competition". They have been playing as a duo since 1998, and have taken part in international festivals in Rostock, Warsaw, Novosibirsk, Israel, New York, Miami and the Czech Republic. In addition, the dynamic duo has performed with the national, city or chamber orchestras of Munich, Israel, Warsaw, Novosibirsk, Moravia, and more.
Varshevsky and Shapira have also produced two commercial music disks, which have enjoyed much radio air time, both in Israel and abroad. The Polish Gazeta Krakowska has declared of the duo: "Both artists are wonderful piano duo, which can charm even the most versed music lovers."