Guests 2025
IRINA KULIKOVA, Russia
Widely acclaimed for the rare beauty of her sound and her enchanting presence on stage, Irina Kulikova has established herself as one of today’s leading guitarists. She tours far afield, with appearances at major festivals in Europe, North America and Asia and in concert halls such as the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, the Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow, the Palau de la Musica in Valencia, the Musashino Hall in Tokyo and the Oriental Arts Center in Shanghai.
Irina Kulikova started playing guitar and piano at five. The daughter of a cellist and distinguished pedagogue, she was educated in the Russian tradition of classical music.
At eight she gave her first public performances. By the time she was twelve, she was a child star playing all across Russia and at festivals in Europe. At seventeen, Irina Kulikova moved to Moscow to continue her studies at the Gnessins Academy. Later she graduated with distinction at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg and the Conservatoire of Maastricht in The Netherlands.
Performing with outstanding violinists, cellists and pianists, she developed her passion for chamber music. She joined the ‘Salzburger Solisten’ and ensemble-chef Luz Leskowitz with his Stradivarius for numerous concerts in Austria and Germany: “Wherever she performs, she plays herself into the hearts of her audience.” She played for various members of the royal and aristocratic families of Germany and Denmark.
Irina Kulikova received over 30 awards for her artistry, including 1st prizes at the highly prestigious competitions of Michele Pittaluga in Italy, Guitarra Alhambra in Spain, Forum Gitarre Wien in Austria and Iserlohn in Germany. She recorded six albums, five of which in cooperation with Grammy-Award winning producer Norbert Kraft. “Some of the most sheerly beautiful playing I have ever heard”, Soundboard Magazine reviewed.
The beauty of Ms. Kulikova's playing has become iconic for guitarists around the world. She is a much-appreciated mentor for conservatorium students and fellow professionals and shares her profound understanding of music in master classes brimming with imagery and humor.
She is founder and director of the online Classical Guitar Academy and of The Hague–Altamira Guitar Competition. Her personal motto, in life and music: It’s about the touch.
Irina Kulikova plays Simon Marty guitars (spruce top, cedar top) with Savarez strings.
TOMASZ RADZISZEWSKI, Poland
An artistic director of the Paris Guitar Days, author of the book “The Ultimate Classical Guitar – Technical guide not for beginners” and educator Tomasz Radziszewski-Martin is a Polish guitarist performing all over Europe, has recorded 5 CD’s and has been awarded over 30 times on international competitions.
Tomasz graduated from Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw. So far, he has performed concerts in many countries including France, Italy, Germany, USA, Luxembourg, Croatia, Poland, Finland, Estonia, Austria, Bosnia, Spain, Netherlands, Romania and others. Also, multiple times as a soloist with orchestra (with ADDA Sinfonica, Sound Factory Orchestra, Polish Art Philharmonic, Cottbus Philharmonic, Zielona Góra Philharmonic, Lublin Philharmonic and AMKL Chamber Orchestra), including Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez, Concierto Andaluz and Double Portrait Concerto by Marek Pasieczny.
In May 2025 “The Ultimate Classical Guitar – Technical guide not for beginners” – his book about the path of a guitarist was published online and is supporting the educational activities that Tomasz has put his attention to. The guide is available for free on the website www.tommusic.art and is a part of bigger mission to make the classical guitar community more focused and united.
Since 2024 Tomasz is a Savarez Artis and an ambassador of Altamira Guitars. Having a huge passion for older instruments. He plays 1979 Jose Ramirez III 1a, ~1900 Salvador Ibanez and 1890 Jérôme Thibouville Lamy and a copy of J. L. Romanillos built by Hanson Yao.
EMINENT DUO, Austria
EMINENT DUO (www.eminentduo.com) started as a project of baroque music in Vienna, where both musicians finished their studies: Japanese violinist Moeko Sugiura and Slovenian guitarist and composer Nejc Kuhar.
Soon after their successful debut performance they continued playing together and successfully participated at International Chamber Music Competitions:
• 1. Prize 2018 – Aschaffenburg International competition for chamber music, Germany
• 1. Prize 2017 – Berlin Rising Stars Grand Prix, Germany
• 1. Prize 2016 – „Paganini Festival“ Competition, Italy
• 1. Prize “Enrico Mercatali” Competition, Italy
• 1. Prize 2016 “Twents” Competition, Netherlands
• 1. Prize 2015 “Balle/Vale” Competition, Croatia
They also started to perform frequently, which brought them to Japan, China, USA, Germany, Austria, Italy and much more.
EMINENT Duo also very actively commissions and performs newly composed pieces (including compositions by Nejc) and other compositions of 20th and 21st century.
Moeko Sugiura, Japan (violin)
Moeko Sugiura studied at Tokyo University of the Arts (BA), and at Vienna Konservatorium Prvatuniversität with Thomas Christian, and Pavel Vernikov, where she graduated her master’s degree with honors in 2015. Whilst her studies she played frequently with the Wiener Symphoniker, which included tours in Japan, Germany as well as concerts in Vienna Musikverein and Konzerthaus with renowned conductors.
During her studies she received 1st Prizes at Edogawa Philharmonic Orchestra Soloist Competition, Kobe International Competition and Nagoya Student Competition in Japan.
From 2014-2019 Moeko was a permanent member in Philharmonie Baden-Baden, and since 2019 until today member of the first violin group in Graz Philharmonic Orchestra.
Nejc Kuhar, Slovenia (guitar)
Nejc Kuhar (www.nejckuhar.com) received his master’s degree with honors in guitar and in composition in Vienna (guitar with prof. Alvaro Pierri and composition with Dr. Reiner Bishof and prof. Christian Minkowitsch). He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in composition in Surrey, England.
As a guitarist as well as a composer, he won numerous 1st prizes, such as Altheim in Austria, Changsha in China, Treviso and Acerra in Italy… His music has been performed in prestigious venues, including concerts in Vienna Musikverein, Vienna Konzerthaus, Washington National Gallery of Art, Rachmaninov Hall of the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Slovene Philharmonic Hall, etc. He is also published by Canadian publisher Les Production d'Oz.
In 2019 he was appointed Associate Professor for guitar and contemporary music at University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna and in 2018 Guitar Professor at Joseph Haydn Conservatory in Eisenstadt. He is also an active lecturer, giving lectures about composing for guitar on various European and USA Universities, such as The Juilliard School, Curtis Institute of Music, Manhattan School of Music, Vienna and Frankfurt Universities, etc…
BORIS POPOVIĆ, BiH/RS
Boris Popović was born in 2000 in Banja Luka. He received his musical education in his hometown at the “Vlado Milošević” Music School in the class of Professor Ljiljana Milić. After finishing secondary music school, he continued his education at the Faculty of Music in Belgrade, study program – Performing Arts, module: Guitar in the class of regular professor Srđan Tošić.
He completed his undergraduate studies in 2023 with an average grade of 9.67, after which he continued his education at the master's studies.
During his studies, he learned from eminent guitarists, including Zoran Krajišnik, Andras Csaki, Anders Miolin, Gabriel Bianco, Paolo Pegoraro, Pepe Romero, Sergio Assad, Lukasz Kuropaczewski, Zoran Dukić and others.
He participated in more than ten national and international competitions where he achieved notable results. Some of the most significant awards include: 3rd place in the professional category at the Guitar Art Festival in Belgrade 2024, 2nd place (1st place not awarded) at the Sarajevo International Guitar Fest in 2019 in the under-22 category; 1st place at the Sarajevo International Guitar Fest in 2018; 4th place in the final stage at the Guitar Art Festival in Belgrade; 3rd place at the Zagreb Guitar Festival in 2017; 3rd place at the Guitar United Fest in East Sarajevo in 2017; 2nd prize at Omiš Guitar Fest 2017; Special awards at the Republic Competition in 2016 and 2014.
He played in the most important halls in Belgrade, Republic of Serbia: The Great Hall of the Kolarac Endowment, the Student Cultural Center, the Italian Institute, the Cultural Center of the City of Belgrade, and in Banski Dvor in Banja Luka, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He also held concerts in Novi Sad, Šabac, Prijedor and Gornji Milanovac.