Young pianists from Vitebsk won a prestigious international competition in the Czech Republic

Юные пианисты из Витебска одержали победу на престижном международном конкурсе в Чехии
Students of the Vitebsk Children's Art School named after A.V. Bogatyrev, Eva and Nicole ROGATNIKOV and Viktor STEFANENKO, brought victory from the XXI International Competition of Young Pianists "Amadeus-2014" to Belarus.

Students of the Vitebsk Children's Art School named after A.V. Bogatyrev, Eva and Nicole ROGATNIKOV and Viktor STEFANENKO, brought victory from the XXI International Competition of Young Pianists "Amadeus-2014" to Belarus.

The competition was held in Brno (Czech Republic) from February 13-15. Talented pianists from Vitebsk, having conquered the international jury with their performing mastery, proved to be among the best participants of the prestigious competition – children aged 6-11 from various countries: Czech Republic, Slovenia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Lithuania. Nicole Rogatnikova won first place and the special jury prize

"For the Best Performance of the Competition" and was the only participant from Belarus in the laureates' concert of "Amadeus-2014". Viktor Stefanenko became a laureate of the competition and received a special prize from the foundation for the support of talented musicians.

Nine-year-old Eva and her seven-year-old sister Nicole had participated and won competitions before: the girls became laureates at the international competition

"World and Music" (Russia-Poland) and the international festival-competition "Chords of Khortytsia" (Ukraine).

Viktor Stefanenko is a 5th-grade student at the Children's Art School. He has performed on the stage of the Vitebsk Regional Philharmonic multiple times. Vitebsk audiences who have ever heard this child play serious adult music have been amazed by his technique and his mature understanding of the pieces. At the age of 11, the boy has already received a special prize from the fund for supporting talented musicians, is a laureate of the International Piano Competition

"World and Music" (Russia-Poland), and a laureate of the award from the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee's Department of Culture as a gifted performer.

All three students study at the Children's Art School in the class of the same teacher – Elena Nikolaevna YESHCHENKO. According to the teacher, the Rogatnikova sisters, in addition to music, professionally engage in rhythmic gymnastics, and Vitya plays hockey, while all of them study at the gymnasium with excellent grades. "Working with these children is a pleasure," says the teacher.

Tatyana Solovyova. Photo by the author