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MEET OUR DISTINGUISHED JUDGES 2024
Camilo Rojas
Bogota, Colombia
Camilo Rojas is a conductor and composer from Bogotá, Colombia. As a composer, he has created works for esteemed organizations such as the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), the Orfeón San Juan of Puerto Rico, and several award-winning short films in his native city.
Rojas has held significant conducting positions, including serving as Chief Conductor of the Bogotá Philharmonic Choir and founding the United Nations Choir in Bogotá. His orchestral work has taken him to stages in Colombia, Argentina, the United States, Italy, Spain, and Bulgaria. Notably, he has been a guest conductor for several editions of the BMTG piano competition in New York City, conducting at prestigious venues such as the Barge and Carnegie Hall.
Currently, Rojas is furthering his studies in Spain, supported by a scholarship at the Conservatorio Superior Katarina Gurska. His career reflects a deep dedication to both composition and conducting, with a focus on delivering refined, thoughtful performances across a variety of musical platforms.
Stanley Wong
Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Deemed as “With Poetic Soul, radiating love, warmth, strong and subtle emotion. The true artist of Keyboard”, Stanley Wong is a versatile and maverick artist who has made a career championing new music and has given countless local and world premiere of works by Fred Hersch, Karen Tanaka, Alexander Peskanov, Lei Liang, Augusta Read Thomas, Polina Nazaykinskaya and Manos Tsangaris.
Stanley's work as a collaborative artist has been very diverse and colorful. He has appeared as soloist with City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Community Philharmonic Orchestra, Hong Kong New Music Ensemble, Taipei String Quartet as well as solo performances in Hong Kong, Japan, Europe and Taiwan.
Besides concertizing, Stanley is active in piano teaching. He is an Honor Teacher of Hong Kong Piano Teacher Association and has been honored with “Best Teacher Award” by Hong Kong International Youth Performing Arts Festival.
He is now the Music director of Dufy Atelier des Musicians & Artists.
Coady Green
Melbourne, Australia
One of Australia’s busiest concert pianists, Coady Green is acknowledged as a major talent on the international concert circuit, described as “a virtuoso pianist with sensitivity, intelligence and charm”, “accurate and exhilarating” (Musical Opinion, London), and with “a strong and versatile technique capable of the most delicate coloring and tonal brilliance, rising to the challenges of extreme virtuoso demands with relish” (The Advertiser, South Australia).
In 2005, Coady relocated from Melbourne to London after winning almost all the most prestigious awards that his native Australia had to offer, including first prize in the City of Sydney National Piano Competition, a Winston Churchill Fellowship Award, a British Council Award, the Trevor Prescott Memorial Award from the Masonic Foundation, a Sir Ian Potter Cultural Prize, two awards from the Australian Council for the Arts and the South Australian Arts Council, and the Ormond Exhibition from the University of Melbourne.
Irina Mints
Friedberg, Germany
Irina Mints – is an internationally acclaimed piano teacher, concert artist, adjudicator and author from Germany, achieving great successes with the education of young pianists.
Irina’s students performed at Carnegie Hall / New York, Royal Albert Hall and St. John's Smith Square / London, Wiener Musikverein and Laeiszhalle / Hamburg
Since 2008 her pupils received over 230 awards, including many first prizes and grants in renowned national and international competitions, such as
International Steinway Piano Competition in Hamburg (Germany),
International “Carmel Klavier” piano competition in Carmel (USA)
International Competition "Chopin for the Youngest" in Antonin (Poland),
Irina Mints, originally from Ukraine, graduated from the Academy of Music and Arts in Kharkiv with the highest excellence. Her teachers were Professor Sergei Polusmiak and Professor Regina Horowitz – the sister of legendary pianist Vladimir Horowitz.
Irina Ovtchinnikova
Povoletto, Italy
Irina Alexandrovna Ovtchinnikova has graduated in Piano in Russia and in "Music Teaching" and "Harpsichord and related instruments" in Italy. The solid preparation obtained under the guidance of professors descending from the prestigious Piano School of St. Petersburg allowed her to immediately begin collaborating as an accompanying pianist with various chamber and orchestral ensembles for several years.
As a piano assistant she studied various repertoires for wind and string instruments, preparing and accompanying students in state exams and international competitions.
Since 2004 she has conducted an equally consolidated teaching activity, bringing the Russian Method for the piano to Italy, universally appreciated for its exclusive effectiveness.
Inna Kogan
Brisbane, Australia
Inna studied piano from the age 5 at a specialised music school for gifted children in Baku, Azerbaijan. She performed publicly as a child prodigy from a young age, winning numerous youth competitions both in USSR and later in Israel. Inna received Master’s Degree with Distinction from the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Arts, under the tutelage of the renown professors B.Lvov and M.Boguslavski.
Inna is an AMEB examiner, and a sought-after adjudicator. In her mentoring capacity she is invited frequently to conduct Masterclasses and provides professional development sessions for QLD teachers. Inna adjudicated Brisbane, Toowoomba, Central Highlands and Gold Coast Eisteddfods, Little lev Vlassenko Piano Competition, QLD Piano Competition, ASKM Gold Coast Competition and Toowoomba Charles & Motee Rogers Memorial Piano Competition.
Mira Jakopantz
Melbourne, Australia
Originally from Belgrade, Mira received her BA and BMus (Masters) from the Belgrade Faculty of Music and was the recipient of the First Prize for the best student. She has won a number of competitions in former Yugoslavia and was subsequently awarded a scholarship to study piano at the Tchaikovsky Conservatorium in Moscow. She has studied with Professors E. Timakin, V. Vitale, K. Taylor. Mira has performed extensively since age of 15 throughout Europe and Australia. She has recorded and performed for ABC-FM and 3MBS-FM. For the last 20 years she was teaching piano and piano pedagogy at Monash University as well as performing and giving masterclasses. She is an experienced teacher at all levels, an examiner and adjudicator and takes a keen interest in working with talented children. Mira is currently Head of Piano at Melbourne Grammar School and an accompanist for VCE students.
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