Dance Souvenirs

ABOUT:

In this handpicked programme of Dance Souvenirs, one can be sure that classical music is fun. The selection of waltzes, tangoes, and compositions in blues style by different composers are impressive. These lovely tunes bring listeners to different continents and give a taste of various cultures. A programme not to be missed!

PROGRAMME:

M. Ravel - Blues from Sonata

M. Castelnuovo - Tedesco - Tango

A. Piazzolla - Milonga del Angel

I. Albeniz - Tango

D. Shostakovich - Spring Valse

Fr. Poulenc - Improvisation n15, Hommage to Edit Piaf

A. Schnittke - Polka

I. Frolov -Blues

Cl. Debussy - Valse (Le plus que lente)

A. Khachaturyan - Dance in B flat

G. Gershwin - Summer time and

Ain't necessary so

A. Piazzolla - Cafe 1930

M. Skoryk - Spanish dance

M. Skoryk-In a Folk Style (blues)

I. Albeniz/Schedrin - Tango

ARTISTS:

Ani Umedyan, violinist

A versatile and active chamber musician with wide range of repertoire Ani Umedyan is originally from Armenia but based in Singapore as her second home. Ani graduated Yerevan State Conservatory with Master's degree in 2004 where she started teaching in Chamber Music Faculty same year. She had successful concerts in EU, Australia,Middle East, Asia as a Soloist,Chamber musician and Orchestra player. Famous musicians had a big impact on her as mentors and collaborators on stage - Prof. B. Vardanyan (Armenia),  Philippe Graffin (France), Maria Egelhoff (Germany), Levon Chilingirian(UK), Charles Avsharian (USA), Andrea Bocelli (Italy), Rafael Serrallet (Spain), Michaela Martin (Romania), Koh Gabriel Kameda (Germany). In Singapore, Ani is a co-founder of the "Armenian Heritage Ensemble", and a co-founder of Triolah Piano Trio, having performed with both ensembles extensively across Asia. Beautiful production of !Piazzolla!Not only tango! led by Ani brought the team to notable festivals in Malaysia and Philippines. With her long time stage partner pianist Kseniia Vokhmiianina the Duo had more then hundreds of performances at all venues across the Asia.

As an active and experienced teacher Ani is nurturing her students to get their diplomas and ace their music competitions. She is happy to see the growth of her beloved students achieving the finest musicianship.

In addition to her music career Ani is also a mosaic artist and a long time volunteer of Armenian Church Singapore.

Kseniia Vokhmianina, pianist

Hailed as a performer with an “artistry of the highest order” by Straits Times and “maturity of musicianship and virtuosity” by Pianomania, Kseniia Vokhmianina has gained critical and audience attention as a concerto soloist, recitalist and chamber musician.

A prizewinner of numerous piano competitions held in France, Australia, Poland, Italy, Serbia, Indonesia, Singapore, Germany, Ms Vokhmianina has been a guest artist in various international music festivals, including “Convivium Musicum” (Serbia), “International Piano Festival” (Vietnam), “Days of Music” (Montenegro), “George Town Festival” (Malaysia), “International Holland Music Sessions” (Netherlands), “Pablo Casals Festival” (France). Ms Vokhmianina opened the 27 th edition of the Singapore International Piano Festival in 2021 “…with a grand manner of pianism in the tradition of her birthplace’s classical greats, such as Shura Cherkassky, Emil Gilels and Sviatoslav Richter…”

She appeared as a concerto soloist with international symphony orchestras, including Kaunas Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra (Lithuania), Sichuan Symphony Orchestra (China), Murmansk Philharmonic Orchestra (Russia). A recipient of the Lee Foundation Scholarship, Kseniia studied at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore (class of Prof. Boris Kraljevic). Further studies took her to Royal College of Music (UK), Kharkiv National Pedagogical University (Ukraine) and Zurich University of the Arts in Switzerland (class of Prof. Konstantin Scherbakov).

Besides her international performing career, Ms Vokhmianina has been a full-time Music Faculty member at the School of the Arts (SOTA) in Singapore since 2014. Her love for musical collaboration led her to initiate the “By Candlelight” chamber music series in connection with the Arts House (Singapore), where she has been in her role of both programme curator and performer since 2017. In 2022 Ms Vokhmianina joined Emmanuel & Sons as a Senior Music Director.