Faculty
Learn from the best
In the heart of Europe, the beautiful city of Hradec Kralove is home to Petrof Pianos, one of the oldest and finest piano makers in the world, and currently the largest manufacturer of acoustic pianos in Europe. Historically, the Petrof family has not only been concerned about making exceptional musical instruments, but also about supporting and passing on the great European musical traditions. Learn more about Petrof Pianos here: https://www.petrof.com/
Since 2018, the Petrof Fest, an international music festival, gathers some of the most prominent artists and music teachers of the planet who share their knowledge with students from all over the world. Petrof Fest is an academy and a festival that includes master classes, concerts, cultural exchange, and lifetime experiences, as well as an international competition.
Like the Olympic Games, Petrof Fest has been hosted by different cities, countries, and continents: after its inaugural edition in Hradec Kralove in 2018, in 2022 its home was Colima, Mexico; and the 2025 host will be Durango, Mexico. Petrof Fest will return to Czech Republic in 2026.
Anatoly Zatin, composer, conductor, pianist, Mexico
Anatoly Zatin graduated from the St Petersburg State Conservatory of Music as composer (PhD in 1983), concert pianist (MM in 1979) and orchestral conductor (MM in 1977). He became the youngest member in the history of the Union of Composers of St Petersburg (formerly of the USSR) in 1979, and a few years later made his conducting debut with the Leningrad Philharmonic. He continues the traditions of the legendary Russian school, having studied and collaborated with musicians like Sergei Slonimsky, Pavel Serebriakov, Yury Ananiev, Abraham Logovinsky, Ilya Musin, Evgeny Mravinsky, Alexandra Vavilina, Anatoly Nikitin, Timofei Dokshitzer, Ravil Martynov, Vladimir Kafelnikov, Yury Kramarov, and many others.
Dr. Zatin has been awarded numerous prizes in the artistic and musical environment: first prize at the Kiev Competition for Young Composers and Pianists (1968); second prize at the Sergei Prokofiev International Piano Competition (1979); prize of the Brass Bulletin for his Triple Concerto for French Horn, Trumpet, Piano and orchestra (1981); prizes of the USSR Association of Musical Theatre Artists for the best musical of the year (1987 and 1990), among others. He was presented with the prestigious Mozart Medal in 2015 and in 1990 with the UNICEF Medal of Honour for his activities as pianist and conductor. In 2021 he joined Mexican Sistema Nacional de Creadores de Arte (SNCA), and since 2023 his works are being published by Universal Edition in Vienna.
He served as artistic director of the Ekaterinburg Musical Theatre and principal conductor of the B-A-C-H Chamber Orchestra in Russia. As guest conductor with the Moscow Philharmonic he made recordings for the USSR Central Radio station, for ‘Melodiya’ and for Azzurra Music in Italy. In 1990 he was presented with the UNICEF Medal of Honour and in 2015 with the prestigious Mozart Medal in Mexico.
Throughout his career Dr. Zatin has performed at the most prestigious music festivals in the world: International Festival of Contemporary Music in Hungary, Musical Spring in St Petersburg, International Art Festival in Korea, Shakespeare Festival in Stratford upon Avon, UNESCO Festival in Leningrad, Black and White Piano Festival in Mexico, Musicalta in Alsace, Silver Lyre Chamber Music Festival in St Petersburg, Mozart Festival in Shanghai and many others. He has toured over 20 countries performing at many of the world’s most important concert venues: National Arts Palace and National Auditory in Mexico, Opera City Hall in Tokyo, St Petersburg Philharmonic Hall, First Concert Hall in Stockholm, Liszt Academy in Budapest, Carnegie Hall in New York and Foro Confalone in Rome.
Dr. Zatin frequently serves as member of the jury at piano competitions in Mexico, United States of America, Canada, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Italy, the Netherlands, and China. His master classes can be appreciated at the Petrof Fest in Czech Republic (where he also serves as Artistic Director), Semper Music Festival and Cremona International Music Academy in Italy, at Zell an der Pram Austrian Master Classes, the Summer Music Academy in Kiev, at the International Piano Festival of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, as well as United States of America, Japan and Mexico.
Since 1991 he lives and works in Mexico. In 1999 he joined the faculty at the University of Colima in Mexico, where he established the professional music programs, serving as Chairman of the Music Department (2001-2011) and Dean of the Fine Arts Institute (2011-2016). Since 2006 he is a recurring guest professor at the International Piano Academy at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. Many of his students have pursued successful international careers.
With pianist Vlada Vassilieva he formed Duo Petrof in 2003. The ensemble quickly attained international recognition, winning numerous awards for their recordings, touring in Europe, Asia, and America, and being praised by audiences and critics alike (www.duopetrof.com). Since May 2020 Vlada Vassilieva and Anatoly Zatin serve as presidents of the WPTA Piano Duo association.
Irina Kaufman-Brookes, piano, UK
Graduated from the State Russian Musical Academy named by Gnesins (PHD).
Awards: II prize and silver medal on the II International Piano Competition in Andorra; award of the recognition for the contribution of the young musicians development (American Protégé, New York). Has performed numerous recitals in Russia, USA, France, Austria, Hungary, Belize, Caribbean islands, Andorra, Costa Rica and Spain as a soloist, soloist with orchestra, as a member of the different chamber ensembles.
Many times, she was invited as an artist to festivals all over the world (the Slavic Music Festival in Paris, the I Piano Festival in San Jose, the Belize Classical Music Festival & etc.). In 2012 participated in the honourable recital dedicated to the Golden Anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, acted as Chairwoman of the American Protégé Concerto competition (New York), and as a jury member of several international piano competitions.
She has CD recordings with music of W. Mozart, F. List, F. Chopin, I. Brahms, S.Prokofiev, C.Saint-Saens, F.Liszt – V. Horowitz, E. Wild – G. Gershwin, E. Grieg – G. Ginzburg.
Her students are prize-winners of the various piano competitions.
Boris Konovalov, piano, Canada
One of the most prominent pianists of his generation, Dr. Boris Konovalov has received his education from Novosibirsk Glinka Conservatory, MD (under Prof. S. Gindis) and then Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, DMA under Prof. Vera Gornostaeva, who was a student of legendary H. Neuhaus (who also taught Gilels and Richter).
At the age 11 Boris won First prize at the All-Siberia piano competition. At the age 21 he won First prize at All-Russia piano competition in Kazan, 1977. Since then, Dr. Konovalov had numerous tours in many countries, including Russia, Israel, Germany, England, Austria, USA, China, South Korea, and Canada.
The highlights of these concerts are performances at The Chopin Society in London and Jerusalem, International Festivals in Banff, Russia Great Hall in Moscow and recitals in Vienna, Austria.
Boris Konovalov performed his first Concerto (Liszt # Concerto #1) at the age of 16. Since then, he collaborated with such distinguished conductors as Arnold Katz (Russia), Vassilij Sinaisky (UK), Robert Bernhardt (US), Lu Sha (China), Alexei Kornienko (Austria) and others.
Dr. Konovalov started teaching at the age of 23. His teaching experience includes Professor’s positions at Novosibirsk Glinka Conservatory (Russia), Jerusalem Rubin Academy and Mevasseret-Zion music Conservatory (Israel), Alberta College Music Conservatory (Edmonton, Canada), Tom Lee Music Academy (Vancouver, Canada). Master classes were held in Art College of Nicosia, Cyprus, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA, University and Art High School in Seoul, South Korea, Sapporo music Conservatory, Japan, Baunatal Conservatory, Germany, Phoenix State University, USA.
Dr. Konovalov is in a great demand as adjudicator on various Festivals and Competitions, including the North Shore Festival and the Russian Music Festival in Vancouver, Canada, Canadian Music Competition (CMC) through all Canada, Jerusalem music Festivals, Israel, and many of those in Russia. Boris Konovalov released six solo CDs, recorded live from his concerts. He also recorded many concerts on Radio of Israel, Russian TV, and Radio music programs etc.
The vast repertoire of Boris Konovalov includes Beethoven’s all 32 sonatas, about 40 solo programs and 30 piano Concertos. Dr. Konovalov is a member of the Faculty at International Music Festivals in Italy, Germany, and the Czech Republic. Currently, Dr. Boris Konovalov is running his piano studio in North Vancouver.
Vlada Vassilieva, piano, Mexico
Mexican pianist of Eastern-European descent, Vlada Vassilieva has been characterized as a superb musician, and praised by critics and audiences alike for her clear, expressive, and profound playing, impetuous character, and stage presence.
Winner of the Nadia Reisenberg Piano Award in New York City (2010), and top prizewinner at numerous international piano competitions, Ms. Vassilieva has performed at Carnegie Hall, Merkin Concert Hall, the Rudolfinum in Prague, and many other prestigious concert venues. She has appeared as soloist with different orchestras in North America, Europe, and Asia. In 2013 she was the soloist at the Mexican premiere of Scriabin’s Prometheus, Poem of Fire, with the Jalisco Philharmonic (2013).
She studied with Anatoly Zatin at the University of Colima and with Pavlina Dokovska at Mannes College in New York City as Fulbright grantee. From 2008 to 2024 Ms. Vassilieva served as faculty at the Music Department of the University of Colima, and from 2015 to 2018 was guest professor at the National Music Conservatory of Mexico. She regularly teaches master classes at music festivals and academies, among them the Semper Music International Festival in South Tyrol, the Cremona International Music Academy, the music conservatories in Shanghai and Zhejiang (China), and many other conservatories and universities in different countries and continents. She is a member of the Petrof Art Family, the International Academy of Performing Arts and Sciences, and frequently serves as judge at music competitions. Her students are winners of top prizes at national and international piano competitions.
In 2003 Anatoly Zatin and Vlada Vassilieva founded the now renowned piano ensemble, Duo Petrof. After two decades of successful joint performing career, they have developed their own, unique concept of the piano duo as stage genre. Besides inspiring their exceptional quality and sophisticated style to the classical repertoire, they create and perform their own arrangements for piano four-hands and two pianos, distinguished with many awards in the world of classical music.
In 2018, Vlada Vassilieva, Anatoly Zatin and Petrof Pianos established the Petrof International Festival, better known as Petrof Fest: an annual two-week-long session of master classes, concerts, excursions, and an international competition taking place alternately in the Czech Republic and Mexico. Since May 2020 Vlada Vassilieva and Anatoly Zatin serve as presidents of the WPTA Piano Duo association.
Frank Levy, piano, USA
Pianist Frank Lévy has been hailed by audiences and critics alike as an artist of rare poetic insight and communicative powers. A prize-winner in the Leeds and Clara Haskil international piano competitions, Frank Lévy has an international career as a recitalist performing on many of the world’s great stages.
Frank Lévy is Professor of Piano at San Jose State University School of Music and Dance. Award-winning teacher, Frank Lévy served on the piano faculty of the Juilliard School Pre-College Division (1995-2008) and the City University of New York Graduate Center (2008-2014).
Mr. Lévy recorded the complete piano works of Schubert and Brahms for the Canadian label, Palexa, and the complete works of Chopin for MusOpen. Frank Lévy recorded the complete Brahms Sonatas for piano and violin with violinist Bin Huang.
Mr. Lévy’s recent appearances include solo recitals in Chile, Brazil, China, Russia, Kuala Lumpur, Switzerland, Italy, Canada and the United States. Frank Lévy has given numerous lectures and master classes at universities, conservatories and music festivals around the world. His recent lectures include “The Art of Practicing: From Concept to Sound,” “From the Fortepiano to the Fazioli”, “Schubert and the Suspension of Time,” “Musical Offerings for a Monument: Masterpieces by Beethoven, Liszt and Schumann,” “Practicing Piano Creatively” and “The School of Piano: Understanding the Interaction between the Piano Mechanism and the Human Body.”
Frank Lévy, who grew up in Switzerland, entered the Geneva Conservatory at the age of fifteen and earned the bachelor’s and master’s degrees studying with renowned pianist and pedagogue Louis Hiltbrand, and the doctorate in performance studying with Maria Tipo. After winning the Kiefer-Hablitzel Prize, Frank Lévy went to study with Leon Fleisher at the Peabody Conservatory, from where he received the Artist Diploma. Mr. Lévy also studied with Emanual Ax, Samuel Sanders, Margo Garrett and Dorothy Taubman in New York, Vlado Perlemuter in Paris, Maria Curcio, Radu Lupu and Murray Perahia in London.
Anna Vavilova, Latvia / Canada
Anna Vavilova was raised in a musical and cultural environment of teachers, composers, and performing artists in the direct lineage of Chopin. Among her many distinguished teachers were prof. Kum Sing Lee (juror of Chopin’s Competition), Dr. Sara Davis – Buechner (Bronze medalist of Tchaikovsky Competition) and Dr. Henri-Paul Sicsic (disciple student of A. Cortot). Ms. Vavilova took masterclasses from world-renowned musicians: V. Monastyrski (Israel), Aquiles Delle Vigne and Martha Noguera (Argentina), and attended piano summer festivals in the US, France, Italy, and Russia.
A laureate of the Pacific Spotlight Competition on CBC Radio Two (Canada), Latvian-born Canadian pianist Anna Vavilova has won many accolades for her intuitive and sensitive interpretations of contemporary music. The recipient of KPU Top 25 Music Alumni Award, Dr. Vavilova is the director and founder of World of Music and Arts, one of British Columbia’s largest private music academies for K-12. With a great passion for teaching Dr. Vavilova has guided her students to enter prestigious university music programs and her students have been noted in competitions with highest praise. Throughout her years in Canada, Anna Vavilova has been continuously performing solo and chamber music, in addition to being a board member, adviser and a juror at numerous international competitions and festivals (to name a few: Abbaye de Pontlevoy (France), Tsar’s Village International Music Festival (Russia), Perugia Music Festival (Italy) Mark Rothko Contemporary Music Competition (Latvia).
Dr. Vavilova has been a guest artist and lecturer in KPU University, as well as a clinician for RMTA with unique workshops on performance artistry.
Vladislav Kovalsky, USA
Vladislav Kovalsky, Pianist, and Executive and Artistic Director of the Monmouth Conservatory of Music in Red Bank, NJ, was born in Khabarovsk in the Far East of Russia. He graduated the famed Rimsky-Korsakov Leningrad State Conservatory of Music, and studied under Nathan Perelman, one of the legendary Russian pianists and pedagogues revered for his musicianship and refined pianism. Kovalsky, a pianist of prodigious musicianship, superb technique, impeccable training and an ideal of music that is both high and profound, is a first-place winner of many international awards.
As a pianist Vladislav Kovalsky is the highest representative currently active in the West of the famed St. Petersburg School of pianism. As a virtuoso capable of mere speed, Kovalsky is second to none. With no visible effort, and with never a harsh sound, Mr. Kovalsky draws from the piano a prodigious wealth of tone and a stunningly varied palette of shadings. His repertoire is wide: from Schubert to Rachmaninoff, from Bach to the moderns. His performance experience as a concert pianist and collaborative artist includes tours of Russia, the United States, Canada, Korea, Japan, and all the European countries.
His collaboration with Russian violinist Mark Lubotsky at Carnegie Hall and an American violinist Christopher Collins Lee brought standing ovations at all performances. In addition to his active performance schedule, Mr. Kovalsky has been honored by Steinway for his professional achievements, including publications and lectures, his service as Executive and Artistic Director of the Monmouth Conservatory, teaching at Georgian Court University, Lakewood, NJ, and his role as a distinguished member of the International Keyboard Festival and Competition Faculty at Mannes College of Music in New York. Mr. Kovalsky is a Steinway Artist.
Gianluca Luisi, Italy
Born in Italy, he graduated with honors from the Conservatory of Pesaro with M° Franco Scala; studied at the Incontri col Maestro International Academy in Imola with Lazar Berman, Boris Petrushansky, Riccardo Risaliti, Piero Rattalino and with Aldo Ciccolini in Naples and Paris.
A winner of numerous competitions (TIM Roma, International Competition Bellini of Caltanissetta, Rendano Prize, Competition of Cesenatico, Italian Music Youth Auditions, International Competition of Sulmona and many others) Gianluca won the first prize of the 4th International J.S. Bach competition in Saarbrucken – Würzburg (Germany). He was selected among 70 pianists from 26 different countries while the critics heralded him as a new interpreter of J.S. Bach. On that occasion the Saarbrucken Zeitung declared: “The Italian won the first prize here. Well-deserved […] because the young man is a great interpreter of Bach […] He produces music freely”.
Gianluca Luisi has performed in prestigious halls and important venues such as the Musikverein in Vienna , Carnegie Hall in New York City, the Festival of the “Rarity of the piano music” of Husum (Germany), the Concert Hall Toyota (Japan), the ” Musical Evenings “(Serate Musicali) in Milan, the Fondazione del Teatro Lirico di Trieste, the Accademia Filarmonica di Verona, the” Tiroler Festspiele (Austria), the Konzert Hall and Chuden Hall in Nagoya ( Japan), the Rossini Festival (Pesaro), the New Auditorium of Milan, the Maison the la Musique in Montreal (Canada), the Bach Academy in Stuttgart (Mozart Saal) and Leipzig Bach Festival (Germany).
He also performed at the famous Teather San Carlo in Naples , to the Schleswig- Holstein Musik Festival (Hamburg ), in the castle of Bach in Köthen, Boesendorfer Hall in Vienna, for the Music Festival of the Saarland, in Weiden and Sulzbach Meisterkonzerte, in Bauman Auditorium in Newberg (USA) and many other U.S. cities as Washington D.C., New York, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Cleveland as well as other places in Europe (Czechoslovakia, Malta, Porto ,Oslo, Helsinki, Berlin, Frankfurt ) and China ( Shanghai SHCM , Nanjing New Concert Hall, Shenzhen Piano Music Festival, Pudong Piano Festival ) and for the 200th anniversary of Sauter Piano in China on 2019.
He has worked with important international orchestras : the Frankfurt Philarmonic Orchestra, Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra , San Carlo Simphony Orchestra (from San Carlo Theater, Naples), Philharmonic Orchestra from the Marche Government Foundation (FORM), Gioacchino Rossini Simphony Orchestra (ROF) , Kasugay Symphony Orchestra (Japan), Shanghai Philarmonic Orchestra (China), “Filarmonici italiani”, the ECF ( Ensemble Concertant Frankfurt) , the Chantily Quintett winner of ARD first prize ( Bavarian Radio) , the Deutsch Chamber Orchestr as well as many others .
Among the extensive selections of his repertoire stands are the complete Well-Tempered Clavier by J.S. Bach, a work he has performed countless times from memory, receiving enthusiastic acclaim from international critics (i.e., during the Bach Week in Potsdam, Berlin, Germany) and one he recorded for the American label Centaur Records. Fanfare and American Record Guide described his recording as an absolute reference with the historic atmosphere of Edwin Fischer; the magazine “Piano News” (Düsseldorf) rated Gianluca’s recording 6 out of 6 stars for the quality of his interpretation.
Gianluca has made 28 recordings (CDs) some of which are devoted to unusual repertoire, including unpublished works and world premieres. He has taken part in the complete recording project of the Gradus ad Parnassum by Clementi and has issued a CD dedicated to Liszt with the Years of Pilgrimage, Italy (also for Centaur). Two additional CD that have received prizes from the critics, include the quintet of G. Onslow and the two piano concertos of Chopin with the Ensemble Concertant Frankfurt for Dabringhaus und Grimm label (mDG). On Naxos International Gianluca recorded 1 CD with music by F. Liszt, two CD’s with chamber compositions of L.Thuille , two CD’s with the complete set of the 100 J.B.Cramer complete Etudes for Naxos Grand Piano Label.
Recently was released a double Cd Decca with the J.S.Bach piano concertos for two, three, four pianos and orchestra, a CD live with the Chopin Prelude op.28 and for Naxos, a Cd dedicated to impressions of China release on 2020.
For ONCLASSICAL and Aevea Label recorded the 6 Partitas by J.S Bach (2 CD ‘s) and 6 French Suite (2 Cds), a CD devoted to the sonatas of Mozart and one with virtuoso paraphrases. Gianluca recorded a CD, live, at Husum Festival which has been reviewed by Gramophone Magazine (UK) as the best album of the month of November 2013 (Danacord Label). There are also many live and studio radio recordings broadcast by Munich Radio, a popular radio station in Cleveland, Portland, BBC, Radio New Zealand, Rai Radio Tre, and Deutschland Radio Kultur (Berlin). With pianist Konstantin Sherbakov, Gianluca has performed the complete 9 Beethoven Symphonies in the transcription of F. Liszt in Berlin- Neuhardenberg castle.
Gianluca’s repertoire encompasses a large part of the literature for the piano and includes composers as diverse as J.S. Bach, Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Brahms, Rachmaninov, Ciaikowsky, and Prokofiev and contemporary composers Petrassi, Barber, Britten and unknown or little-known composers as Thuille and Onslow.
Mark Fouxman – Israel/USA
Dr. Mark Fouxman, a man of many talents—concert pianist, charismatic and inspiring piano teacher, inventor, audio and electronics engineer, microphone designer, and owner/chief designer of a successful microphone production company—has performed as a soloist, with orchestra, and in chamber music recitals in some of the greatest halls in Russia, Israel, Czech Republic, and Holland, including the Grand Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, Tel Aviv Museum of Arts, Jerusalem Music Center, Rudolfinum in Prague, and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.
He started piano lessons with his father, Vladimir Fouxman (distinguished teacher at the Kemerovo Music College). Among the influences on his early musical education were Lev Naumov in Moscow, Michael Boguslavsky, Victor Derevianko, and Pnina Saltzman in Tel Aviv.
Mr. Fouxman moved to the US in 1998 to complete his DMA at Arizona State University under Professor Robert Hamilton. Concert engagements in the United States have included recitals at Scottsdale Steinway Hall, Chicago Steinway Hall, Arizona State University, University of Utah, Indiana University South Bend; a live broadcast on WFMT radio station in Chicago; and performances at the New York International Piano Festivals, as well as concert tours in Russia and Costa Rica. In 2015 season he performed an opening recital at the Russian Music Festival in Vancouver, Canada, and Schlern International Festival in Italy. His appearances for 2016-17 included recitals and master classes at Weber University (Utah), Brownsville, Edinburg, and Canyon Universities (Texas), San Diego University (California) performances with Irkutsk Philharmonic orchestra (Russia), and solo recitals in Vancouver (Canada). The 2018 appearances include Weber University (Utah), San Diego University (California), Vancouver (Canada), solo recitals and master classes in Vladivostok and Irkutsk (Russia), Helsinki (Finland), Italy, concert hall Rudolfinum (Prague) and Petrof Gallery in Hradec Kralove (Czech Republic), among others. In 2019-20 seasons he performed Beethoven 4th Concerto with Irkutsk orchestra in the concert dedicated to victims of Holocaust. Other performances have included solo recitals at San Diego University, as well as recital in Masters Series for Oracle Piano Society, Arizona.
Having a deep belief in the purity of music, Dr. Fouxman gives preference to a constant search for new ways of self-expression and perfecting the musical craft. In his playing critics emphasize his piano mastery, along with a deep and highly personal approach to music making. They also note that his attention to shaping the melodic line, voicing the music texture, and beauty of sound, link his work to the performing values of the past.
An integral part of Dr. Fouxman’s musical activity is his highly respected pedagogical work. At the core of his approach to teaching piano is the music itself, where a clear picture of the composer’s intentions and thorough analysis of musical content dictate the means of technical execution and inspire personal emotional connection with music and performance.