Gregory Shifrin is one of the most sophisticated and demanded pianists among the new generation of Israeli musicians. Performing in piano duo with Irina Kotlyar he won the 7th Murray Dranoff International Two Piano Competition in Miami, Florida (1999) and the 1st International Two Piano Competition in Byalistok (Poland, 1999).The Kotlyar-Shifrin Duo was among three finalists of the 49th International Competition of the ARD in Munich (Germany, 2000). The Duo has performed as soloists with The Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, The New World Symphony Orchestra (Miami), The Bialistok Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra and The Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, IBA.
Gregory Shifrin held countless performances in Israel, Europe and America. His American debut in March 1993 was a success. He performed in concert series in Dayton (Ohio), San Francisco and Los Angeles. During year 2000 he has given recitals in Miami, Florida and participated in Chamber Music Festival in Nove Sonch (Poland). He is invited to participate in Israel Festival (Jerusalem) since 1992.
As a part of piano duo and also in collaboration with various chamber music ensembles and singers Gregory performed frequently in Targ Music Center, directed by legendary piano duo Bracha Eden- Alexander Tamir, and in Jerusalem Music Center (Mishkenot Shaananim). Those concerts were broadcast live on Kol Hamusica radio station and via Internet. By special invitation of Israeli Government, Gregory performed in Israeli Knesset and by invitation of Mayor of Jerusalem in City Hall of Jerusalem.
Gregory Shifrin released recently his Piano Duo CD in Music from Ein-Kerem series.
Gregory is a director of Chamber Music stage at the Abu Gosh Vocal music Festival since 2000, and coordinator of concerts in project called "New immigrants perform "of Ministry of Absorption and Targ Music Center since 2002. He teaches piano and chamber music in Yad Harif Center of Arts (Tsora) and Raanana Music Center. Gregory is also a pianist of Hebrew Union College (Jerusalem).
Born in 1971 in Moscow (Russia), Gregory began his music studies at age of five in Gnessin music school for adolescent prodigies with teacher Ada Traub. His first public appearance took place at Small Hall of Moscow Conservatory with his twin brother Peter (who is a flautist) at age of seven.
Gregory continued his studies in Music School attached to Moscow Conservatory with Valentina Sedova- Berman and in a college of Moscow Conservatory with Boris Bekhterev. In 1990 Gregory moved with his family to Jerusalem (Israel) and was accepted to the studio of Dr. Irina Berkovitz in The Jerusalem Rubin Academy of Music where he finished his B.Mus in 1994. Since 1994 studying piano duo performance with professors Bracha Eden and Alexander Tamir, Gregory Shifrin participated in master classes with Samuel Sanders, Valter Hauzig, Claude Franc, Jeremy Menuchin, Dmitry Bashkirov and Alexander Korsantia. Currently Gregory is finishing his M.Mus degree in musicology at Jerusalem Hebrew University.
E-mail: shifam2000@hotmail.com
