Anastasia Rizikov
Canadian pianist Anastasia Rizikov is a remarkably poised and precious 17-year old who is already showing signs of being “one to watch”. At age seven, she made her orchestral debut, and has since appeared as soloist with major orchestra in North America and Europe. In 2015 alone, Ms. Rizikov won first places at the Jaen International Piano Competition and the Eltore Pozzoli International Piano Competition, recorded on CD on the Naxus label, and performed at the Verbier Festival in Switzerland.
Since placing first at the Vladimir Horowitz International Young Pianists Competition in Kiev, Ukraine (where she also received a special award for Best Artistic Performance) and first sharing the stage with orchestra in a concerto with the National Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra of the Ukraine at age seven. Anastasia stepped on to the international competition circuit winning many awards in the process. Resolving to compete in adult competition since age 12, she won first places over musicians twice her age in numerous competitions.
In 2015, Anastasia performed Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 twice with the Granada Symphony Orchestra in Granada and Jaen, Spain. In 2014, she tackled one of the most technically challenging piano concerts performing Rachmainioli’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in Canada. Having given over 30 orchestral performances and 20-some concertos in her repertoire, she has already performed with the Toronto Symphony, Symphony Nova Scotia, Michigan Phillharmonic, Orchestra London Canada and countless others. She has performed all over Europe, the USA, and Canada under many esteemed conductors.
She studies with Professor Maia Spis at the Nadia Music Academy in Toronto. Being a person who loves and understands her audience, she dreams of being able to share her unique musical voice with the entire world.
Michael Davidman
Born in New York City, Michael Davidman began piano lessons at age five at Greenwich House Music School and between 2005-2015 piano performance with Efren Briskin at the Manhattan School of Music, conducting with Jonathon Strasser betwen 2009-2015, and conducting with David Gilbert from 2013-2015. Since the fall of 2015, Michael studies piano with Robert McDonald at the Curtis Institute of Music.
At age 19, he won over a dozen awards. His first-place accolades include Grand Prize LISMA Foundation’s Ninth International Music Competition in the 17-23 year-old division aged 15, first prizes in both solo and concerto in the 33rd Ithaca College of Music Competition, Manhattan School of Music Precollege Concerto Competition in all three age categories (2008, 2010, 2014). Grand prize winner in 2009 Wagner College Young Musician’s Competition. Michael completed the fourth and final year of the Chopin Foundation of the United States Scholarship program.
He has appeared on NPR’s From the Top radio broadcast, Mr.-Grav-Bill Financial Young Artist Showcase (The Robert Sherman Show) on WQXR several times, and was the youngest selected by audition at age 13 to perform in the 2010 Lang Lang Master Class at the Manhattan School of Music. Michael has performed in Lincoln Center – Alice Tully Hall, Kimmel Center-Verizon Hall, Music@Menlo Festival, Kneisel Hall Festival, Burgus International Music Festival in Spain, the International Academy of Music in Italy and St. Petersburg, Russia, Carnegie Hall’s Weil Rectial Hall, Bechstein Hall, Steinway Hall, Symphony Space, Baryshinkov Arts Center, Metropolitan Museum of Art, DiMeana Center, and Merkin Hall. Michael is a avid opera enthusiast, attends the opera regularly and enjoys accompanying opera singers.
