Liya Petrova & Ivan Karizna

Two monumental, cosmic talents directing gigantic power from all parts of the universe straight into your heart. A surge of electricity pales in comparison. These two exceptional young musicians already set the sparks flying in 2009 when they took part in our master-classes with Gavriel Lipkind. Where a normal child is happy playing with Lego blocks, they piled up one prize after another as child prodigies. The Bulgarian Liya Petrova (1990) was only eight when she walked off with the Mozart Medal and the title of 'Youngest Unesco Artist'. In 2007, the National Bulgarian Radio proclaimed her 'Musician of the Year'. Currently, Petrova is preparing at the Queen Elizabeth Music Chapel for the big competition. Ivan Karizna (1992) is the favourite cellist of no less a figure than Valery Gergiev and recently took third place in the great Tchaikovsky Competition. Cello experts compare him to the young Rostropovich. Both Petrova and Karizna breathe music, their superior technique and endless fantasy enabling them to draw the soul out of it. So we're all wondering what cosmic energy will be released when these two stride onto the platform. Our bet is that it will have about the same intensity as a meteorite strike.