Professors in residence
Alejandro Drago
Violinist
A violinist, conductor, and arranger originally from Argentina. He has performed worldwide and is dedicated to both tango and classical music. He is the author of scholarly studies and arrangements, teaches in the United States, and leads masterclasses across Europe, Asia, and Latin America.
Roman Fedchuk
Violinist
A violinist and conductor originally from Ukraine, now based in Prague. He has performed on stages around the world, founded the ensemble Concertino, serves as a professor at the Conservatory in Plzeň, and is a jury member at prestigious international violin competitions in Europe and Asia.
Raimondas Butvila
Violinist
Ramutė Kalnenaitė
Cellist
A cellist and educator, she graduated from the Moscow Conservatory under Professor Kalyanov. She is a winner of international competitions, has performed as a soloist with leading orchestras, and has appeared at prestigious festivals. She teaches at the M. K. Čiurlionis School of Arts and the Lithuanian Academy of Music.
Vsevolod Dvorkin
Pianist
A Russian pianist and laureate of numerous international competitions. He studied in both Moscow and Italy, and has performed worldwide as a soloist and chamber musician. His appearances include concerts in Tokyo, Milan, and Mexico City, and he has collaborated with prominent orchestras and artists.
Donaldas Račys
Pianist
A pianist and educator, he has performed across Europe, the USA, and China. He is a sought-after lecturer and competition juror. He heads the piano department at Vytautas Magnus University Academy of Music and also teaches actively at the M. K. Čiurlionis School of Arts.
Evgenia Epshtein
Violinist
A violinist and educator of Russian origin, she is a co-founder of the Aviv Quartet. She has performed as a soloist around the world and leads masterclasses across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. She teaches at the Academy of Arts in Split and is a member of the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra.
Iakov Zats
Violist
A violist originally from Moscow, he has served as principal viola of both the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and the London Philharmonic. He has performed worldwide under the batons of Claudio Abbado and Riccardo Muti. He teaches in Piacenza and Bergamo and leads the orchestra of the University of Milano-Bicocca.
Sergei Kalyanov
Cellist
A Russian cellist and conductor, graduate of the Moscow Conservatory, he performs across Europe both as a soloist and in chamber music projects. He has collaborated with orchestras and renowned educators, and is also active in teaching and leading masterclasses. He is currently based at the Academy of Music in Lund.
Natasha Lipkina
Violinist
A violinist and violist with an international career, she has performed on world stages from Carnegie Hall to Berlin. She is active as an educator, has recorded for Sony and film soundtracks, and is the founder of the Interplay Chamber Music Society.