19 April - Thirteenth Day of MECMA
Providing transformative educational and performance experiences to young musicians, The Middle East Classical Music Academy (MECMA) supports up-and-coming artists in expanding their talents and pursuing artistic innovation. The academy program is carefully curated for aspiring musicians of all ages, bringing the most promising emerging talent from around the world to study and perform in the magnificent surroundings of Dubai, UAE, from the 6th to the 21st of April, helping them further refine their skills and gain valuable input from industry professionals.
As MECMA 2025 nears its final stretch, students continued their one-on-one work with professors through a series of intensive masterclasses and rehearsals led by distinguished professors, along with the chance to witness renowned musicians during a memorable daytime concert series.
The day began at 9:00 a.m. with an orchestral masterclass held in the Sky Zayed Room on the 40th floor by Raisa Musahadzhaeva, focusing on ensemble cohesion. Following this session, students were transferred to Zabeel Hall at Jumeirah Zabeel Saray for exciting rehearsals that culminated in concerts featuring pedagogues Ekaterina Zaboronok and Batirdzhan Smakov. The schedule also featured a series of individual masterclasses, covering every corner of the classical music landscape, focusing on instruments such as flute, piano and violin, conducted by professors:
Luisa Sello (Italy): A Flute Miyazawa Artist and an Ambassador of Music and Italian Culture, supported by the Italian Ministry of Culture, Sello's international career includes collaborations with Teatro alla Scala di Milano, Riccardo Muti, Wien Symphoniker Orchestra, Thailand Symphony Orchestra, and Carnegie Hall, among many others. She is a visiting professor at the University of Music in Vienna, a flute professor at the Academy of Music in Trieste (Italy), a doctoral professor at the New Bulgarian University of Sofia (Bulgaria) and a visiting professor at the University of Music in Vienna (Austria).
Arkadi Zenzipér (Germany): A professor at the Carl Maria von Weber Academy of Music in Dresden since 1992, Zenzipér has performed as a soloist with the Staatskapelle Dresden, the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Czech Philharmonic, the Bruckner Orchestra Linz, the Slovak Philharmonic, the Moscow Philharmonic, the Dresden Philharmonic, the Konzerthausorchester Berlin etc. A jury member of various international competitions, his regular concert tours and masterclasses take him to China, Poland, Argentina, Italy, Malta, Spain, the Czech Republic, Japan, South Korea, the USA, and Switzerland, among others.
Zohrab Tadevosyan (Spain/Armenia): A beacon of melodic artistry and dedication, Tadevosyan is a global masterclass leader and influential musical artist who is a renowned jury member at leading violin competitions such as the 2019 International Louis Spohr Violin Competition (Weimar), 2020 Aram Khachaturian International Violin Competition (Yerevan) and 2021 Joseph Joachim International Violin Competition (Hanover). He is also regularly featured at leading music academies, including the Swiss International Music Academy and the Mozarteum International Summer Academy.
Furthermore, a daytime concert also took place, featuring the winner of more than 50 national and international competitions, maestro Giuliano Mazzoccante and one of the most sought-after cellists of his generation, Alexander Ramm, as soloists. Delights and discoveries abounded at every turn of the musical performance as select academy students were also given the extraordinary opportunity to join these virtuosos in live shows on stage.
With just two days remaining of the dazzling affair, MECMA continues to bring young musicians and seasoned instructors together on a journey of classic music discovery and collaboration in the beautiful surroundings of Dubai's Two Seasons Hotel, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray and Dubai Opera.
For the latest news about MECMA's daily occurrences, visit our official website for updates.
