Rencontres Musicales | The winners of the Dutch Princess Christina 2025 competition for young musicians

Musicians:
- Competition winners (Part One)
- Menuhin Academy Soloists (Second part) : Oleg Kaskiv - violin, Theodor Kaskiv - violin, Ivan Vukčević - viola, Pablo de Naverán - cello, Olga Sitkovetsky - piano

Program:
> Upcoming competition winners
> Antonín Dvořák - Quintet for piano and strings in A major, Op. 81


The winners of the Dutch Princess Christina 2025 competition for young musicians

Opening the evening, the winners of the prestigious Princess Christina Competition of the Netherlands will dazzle you with their virtuosity and musical sensitivity. These young prodigies embody the new generation of promising artists. The Menuhin Academy Soloists will then perform Antonín Dvořák's magnificent Piano Quintet, a vibrant work combining lyricism and intensity. An encounter between youth and mastery not to be missed!

Oleg Kaskiv
Oleg Kaskiv is a renowned Ukrainian violinist and pedagogue, holding the position of Artistic Director and Professor of Violin at the Menuhin Academy in Switzerland. His career brilliantly combines outstanding performances on the world's most prestigious stages with a deep commitment to training the next generation of violinists. Born in 1978 in Kremenets, Ukraine, Oleg Kaskiv began his musical education at the Lviv School of Specialized Music, named after Solomiya Krushelnytska (1985-1995). He continued his studies at the National Academy of Music in Lviv, where he was trained by Tetiana Syrotiuk and Bohdan Kaskiv (1996-2001). In 1996, he joined the International Menuhin Music Academy (IMMA) in Switzerland, where he studied with Professor Alberto Lysy and obtained his Master's degree in 2002. Oleg Kaskiv has won numerous international violin competitions, including the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels, the Montreal International Violin Competition, the Louis Spohr Competition in Weimar and the David Oistrakh Competition in Odessa. As a soloist, Oleg Kaskiv has performed with such world-renowned orchestras as the Camerata Lysy Gstaad, the Camerata de Lausanne, the Zurich Symphony Orchestra, the Belgian National Orchestra, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, the Baden-Baden Symphony Orchestra and the Gstaad Festival Orchestra. His interpretations are hailed for their artistic depth and technical mastery, captivating audiences the world over.
Since 2002, Oleg Kaskiv has played a central role in the Menuhin Academy, initially as assistant professor. He gradually took on more responsibility, eventually becoming head of the violin department. As principal professor, he perpetuates and enriches the Academy's pedagogical tradition, training violinists who today enjoy international success. His students have distinguished themselves in the greatest international competitions, including the Long-Thibaud, Nielsen, Kreisler, Spohr and Carl Flesch, gaining recognition for their artistic and technical excellence. The majority have gone on to become leading figures in the musical world, whether as soloists on international stages or members of prestigious orchestras. Together, they extend the Menuhin Academy's artistic legacy worldwide. Oleg Kaskiv is actively involved in numerous recording projects, both as soloist and chamber musician. His discography includes: "F. Mendelssohn & A. Dorati - Octuors" (DINEMEC) - recorded with Camerata Lysy, including the first publication of Dorati's Octuor; "The Colours of Antonio Stradivari" - solo violin repertoire (Bach, Ysaÿe, Kreisler, Bloch) performed on the "Szigeti" Stradivari of 1718 (Claves); "J. Svendsen & M. Bruch - Octuors" - chamber music recording; "L. van Beethoven - Violin Concerto" - with the Gstaad Festival Orchestra; "Paul Wissmer - Violin Concertos" - with Sinfonia Varsovia or "The Colours of Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù" - Six Sonatas for solo violin by Eugène Ysaÿe.
His recordings have been widely acclaimed by critics and audiences alike for their artistic excellence and musical depth.

As Artistic Director of the Menuhin Academy, Oleg Kaskiv plays an essential role in defining the institution's artistic vision, programming concerts and maintaining the highest standards of musical education. His dedication and expertise continue to inspire young musicians and strengthen the Academy's international reputation.

Theodor Kaskiv
Theodor Kaskiv was born into a musical family in Switzerland in 2006. He began playing the violin at the age of 4 under the guidance of his father, Oleg Kaskiv. In 2015, Theodor was awarded a scholarship to study at the renowned "Institut Le Rosey". In 2020, he will continue his studies at the prestigious Regent International School, where he is currently enrolled in the International Baccalaureate Program (IBDP). As a soloist, Theodor has performed with several ensembles, including the "Lviv Virtuosos" Chamber Orchestra, the "INSO-Lviv" International Symphony Orchestra, the Accademia d'Archi Arrigoni, the Menuhin Academy Soloists and the Orchestre Symphonique du Rosey. Since 2016, he has been a regular concert artist, performing in various venues in France, Switzerland, Ukraine, Italy and Belgium. Theodor Kaskiv is the winner of several international competitions, including the Grumiaux International Competition - 2ᵉ prize in Brussels in 2017 and the "Lvivskyy Virtuoz" International Competition - 1ᵉʳ prize in Ukraine in 2017. He has participated in numerous masterclasses with renowned teachers, such as Anna Chumachenko, Tetiana Zolozova Le Menestral, Dong-Suk Kang, Dora Schwarzberg, Liviu Prunaru, Tedi Papavrami, Guillaume Chilemme. Theodor currently studies with Oleg Kaskiv, principal teacher at the Menuhin International Academy of Music and concertmaster of the *Menuhin Academy Soloists.

Ivan Vukčević
Ivan Vukčević has been principal viola of the Orchestra della Svizzera italiana since 2002 and viola teacher at the Menuhin Academy since 2012, where he passionately devotes himself to training young talent. He studied at the same academy under Johannes Eskaer and Alberto Lysy, after completing a degree in music performance and musicology at the University of Western Australia. His intense concert activity has led him to perform at some of the most prestigious international festivals, including the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival, Gstaad Menuhin Festival, GOG (Genoa), MiTo, Schubertiade, LuganoMusica, Settimane Musicali di Ascona, Delft Festival** Passionate about the viola repertoire, he has made numerous acclaimed recordings and premiered several contemporary works dedicated to the viola. He has also performed in Australia, North and South America and Asia. Ivan Vukčević is a founding member of Quartetto Energie Nove, a Lugano-based ensemble whose recordings have received critical acclaim. In the past, he has held the position of principal viola with the Stavanger and Basel symphony orchestras, and has been invited as principal viola by the Filarmonica della Scala and the Sinfonieorchester St. Gallen. Since 2017, he has directed the Mediterranean Notes Music Festival in Montenegro. He is also co-founder of the Arabian Opera company, where he was artistic director of the production of Zarqa al-Yamama, the first major operatic work sung entirely in Arabic. Ivan Vukčević plays on a viola by C. F. Landolfi, dating from 1753.

Pablo de Naverán
Born in 1975 in Bilbao, Pablo de Naverán began studying cello at the age of 11 with Mihai Besedovschi. At 17, he was admitted to the prestigious International Menuhin Music Academy, Gstaad (Switzerland), where he studied with Lord Menuhin, Alberto Lysy and Radu Aldulescu, an experience that had a profound influence on his career. He later joined Philippe Muller's class at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, where he passed his academic diploma with top honors. He has won numerous prizes in national and international competitions, including the Gaspar Cassado International Cello Competition, the National Spanish Chamber Music Competition for Young Musicians, the Premier Prix of the Conservatoire National de Paris and the Performance Prize of the Collège d'Espagne in Paris. Pablo de Naverán has performed in recitals and as a soloist in many countries: Switzerland, Germany, France, Holland, Belgium, Sweden, Austria, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Argentina, Ukraine and Japan, and in such music halls as Teatro Colón (Buenos Aires), Tokyo and Osaka Symphony Hall, Victoria Hall (Geneva), Romanian Athenaeum (Bucharest), Tonhalle (Zürich), Philharmonie (Berlin), Teatro Arriaga (Bilbao) and Mozarteum (Salzburg). Given his particular interest in chamber music, he has been invited to perform at prestigious festivals: Cello-Fest (Belgrade), Festival de Radio-France (Montpellier), Menuhin Festival (Gstaad), Salzburg Festival, Midis-Minimes (Brussels), Prussia Cove (England), Festival do Estoril (Portugal), Festival of Torroella (Spain), Festival Lysy (Argentina), Incontri Musicali (Siena), Festival Ibérico (Spain), Festival di Pompei (Italy), Schubert Festival (Austria). Acclaimed by the international press for his exceptional musical talent and communication skills, Pablo de Naverán has won over audiences and critics alike from an early age. His varied discography for labels such as Dinemec Classics (Switzerland), Hilargi (Spain), Several Records (Spain) and Stil (France), has been enthusiastically received by media and public alike. At the age of 27, he was engaged as cello and chamber music teacher at the International Menuhin Academy in Switzerland, as well as solo cellist with Camerata Lysy. He has been a professor at the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Extremadura (Spain) and is currently a full-time permanent professor at the Menuhin Academy in Switzerland (Rolle), where he already gave regular classes. He is also regularly invited to give master classes in Switzerland, Spain, Belgium and Portugal. Pablo de Naverán plays a 1723 Carlo Antonio Testore cello.

Olga Sitkovetsky
Olga Sitkovetsky, born in Moscow, began her musical studies at the Moscow Conservatory College of Music, before continuing at the St Petersburg Conservatory, specializing in piano and accompaniment. Olga has distinguished herself as an accompanist in prestigious international violin competitions, winning several prizes for best accompanist. She has taken part in numerous renowned music academies in France, England and Italy. In 1991, she was invited by Lord Yehudi Menuhin to accompany students at the Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey, England. Subsequently, she also contributed to the success of students at the International Menuhin Music Academy in Switzerland. Even today, she accompanies former students, now accomplished musicians, on their world tours. Since 2017, at the invitation of Maxim Vengerov, Olga has been a key member of the Menuhin Academy in Switzerland, where she continues to inspire and guide the new generation of musicians. Olga performs regularly on prestigious stages, including London's Queen Elizabeth Hall, Wigmore Hall and Royal Festival Hall, the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, Carnegie Hall (New York), the Concertgebouw (Amsterdam) and the Konzerthaus (Vienna). She was recorded on a CD celebrating Menuhin's 80th birthday and released the album Favourite Chinese Classical Violin Music in 1998. Her *US debut took place at the Newport Music Festival in 1998, followed by tours of China and South Korea in 2000. She also accompanied her son, Sasha, on his debut album for Angel Records/EMI Classics. Olga has worked with Yehudi Menuhin, Mstislav Rostropovitch, Maxim Vengerov, Pinchas Zukerman, Ida Haendel, Tim Hugh and many others. She has recorded for prestigious labels such as Angel Records/EMI Classics, Naxos and ASV. Recent tours have taken her to Italy, Japan and the UK, consolidating her international reputation as an exceptional accompanist and teacher.


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