Jeeyoung Lim & Cole Knutson

Jeeyoung Lim, singer, Republic of Korea, age 32

Bass-Baritone Jeeyoung Lim made himself known by winning numerous prizes such as: 1st place in the Concours International de Musique de Chambre de Lyon, 3rd place in International Helmut Deutsch Song Competition, Special prizes in Wigmore Hall International Song Competition and International Song Competition “Das Lied”. He has also been a scholarship recipient of various young artist programs such as: Lied Academy Heidelberg and Academy Orsay-Royaumont. Jeeyoung has performed in world-renowned venues such as: Berliner Philharmonie, Konzerthaus Berlin, Pierre-Boulez Saal Berlin.

Cole Knutson, pianist, Canada, age 29

Métis-Canadian pianist Cole Knutson completed his master’s at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, under Julius Drake and Eugene Asti, and at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin under Professor Wolfram Rieger. He has performed at venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Pierre Boulez Saal, and Wigmore Hall. A participant of the Académie Orsay-Royaumont, Heidelberger Frühling’s Liedakademie, and SongStudio at Carnegie Hall, he has received numerous awards, including 1st place in the Concours International de Musique de Chambre de Lyon, DAAD Preis and Sylva Gelber Music Foundation Awards.

Karin Blom & Akihiro Sano

Karin Blom, singer, Sweden, age 29

Karin Blom, soprano, is trained at Vadstena Voice and Piano Academy before moving to Vienna, where she’s completing her Master’s degree at MUK Wien under Prof. KS L. Watson. She has received the Gabriele Sima (2024) and Anders Walls Confidencen (2025) scholarships. Recent highlights include Berta in X. Montsalvatge’s Babel 46 and a performance at Vienna’s Musikverein 2025, featuring lieder by J. Marx. At Vadstena Opera Festival, she has performed Mrs. X (The Stronger, Hallin) and Apelle (Alessandro in Susa, Mancia) Other roles include Elisetta (Il matrimonio segreto) and 2nd Lady (Die Zauberflöte).

Akihiro Sano, pianist, Japan, age 30

Japanese pianist Akihiro Sano, born in Tokyo 1995, is currently studying a Master’s degree in vocal accompaniment with Prof. R. Heiber. He also studied with the world-renowned singers I. Bostridge, A. Eröd, B. Steinberger and L. Watson, and attended masterclasses by G. Johnson and C. Spencer. He is a semifinalist of the 12th International Chopin Piano Competition in Darmstadt, and has performed concerts worldwide with artists from Wiener Philharmoniker, Philharmonie La Scala, Opera Rome, and Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchester a.o. Since 2024 he is scholarship holder of Nomura Foundation (Tokyo).

Martina Neubauer & Alexander Koschka

Martina Neubauer, singer, Austria, age 27

Viennese soprano Martina Neubauer impresses with a repertoire from opera and operetta to concert and Lied. Her roles include Fiordiligi, Countess Zedlau, Queen Mother and Donna Elvira. In 2022, she won the LIONS Music Prize and Musica Juventutis. In 2024, she reached the finals of the Otto Edelmann Competition and Neue Stimmen and won 2nd Prize and Audience Award at the Hans Staud Prize. She has appeared as a soloist at the Wiener Konzerthaus and Musikverein. Together with pianist Alexander Koschka, she forms a Lied Duo that won the Audience Prize at the 2025 Sibelius Lied Duo Competition.

Alexander Koschk, pianist, Austria, age 27

Austrian pianist Alexander Koschka is known for his rich sound and stylistic versatility. He performs solo, chamber and contemporary music, and creates innovative concert formats. In 2023, he took part in the world premiere of Georg Friedrich Haas’ 11.000 Saiten at the Wiener Konzerthaus. In 2024, he won several prizes at the Munich Klavierpodium Competition. As a Lied accompanist, he forms a permanent duo with soprano Martina Neubauer, winning the Audience Prize at the 2025 Sibelius Singing Duo Competition in Finland.

George Clark & Pierre-Nicolas Colombat

George Clark, singer, United Kingdom, age 28

British baritone George Clark is currently an Artist in Residence at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel, studying with José van Dam, Sophie Koch and Stéphane Degout. He was a finalist at the 2025 Clermont-Ferrand International Lied-duo Competition and won 1st prize at the 2023 Sieghard Rometsch Wettbewerb. This year he made his operatic debut at the Tiroler Festspiele Erl in George Benjamin’s ‘Picture a Day Like This’, and earlier this season sang at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Abraham’s ‘Märchen im Grand Hotel’. He holds a Master’s degree from the RSH Düsseldorf under Prof. Konrad Jarnot.

Pierre-Nicolas Colombat, pianist: France/USA, age 33

A Lied-lover at heart, Pierre-Nicolas Colombat’s musical activities also include research, writing, and community organizing. With his duo partner Vinicius Costa he has received prizes from Wigmore and IVC song competitions. In 2024, he founded the Boston Text and Tone Festival with Elias Dagher. As an opera coach and rehearsal pianist, Colombat has worked on productions in the US and more recently at Theater Basel and Musik Akademie der Stadt Basel. He published his doctoral dissertation “Music and Modern Power: A performer’s tracing of Virtuosity and Musical Value” through Boston University.

Jo Angeloff & Benjamin Arnika Skydsgaard

Jo Angeloff, singer, Norway, age 25

Jo Angeloff is a Norwegian baritone, currently pursuing a master’s degree in classical singing at The Royal Danish Academy of Music. He holds a Bachelor from Barratt Due Institute of Music. While exploring different instruments in high school, he discovered his love for singing and hasn’t looked back. Passionate about opera, he still keeps a special place for Lied, which he is currently exploring in collaboration with pianist Benjamin Arnika Skydsgaard. In January 2025 he sang the role of Odysseus in the world premiere of Britta Byström’s opera The Play of the Night at The Royal Danish Academy of Music.

Benjamin Arnika Skydsgaard, singer, Denmark, age 26

Danish pianist Benjamin Arnika Skydsgaard has always been interested in understanding music on its own terms. For almost half of his life, he has worked on making emotions and thoughts play together in music. Through collaboration with many different instrumentalists and singers, he has sought inspiration to also make the piano sing.

Benjamin is the recipient of the Sonnings Talent Prize 2025 and winner of the Rued Langgaard Competition 2023. He is a student of Eugen Indjic and Jens Elvekjær.

Caroline Taylor & Sebastian Issler

Caroline Taylor, singer, United Kingdom, age 33

British soprano Caroline Taylor was a finalist and special prize winner at the 2025 International Haydn Competition and received the Armitage Audience Prize with duo partner Sebastian Issler at the 2025 Northern Aldeborough Festival’s New Voices Competition. Recent highlights include Suor Genovieffa/Suor Angelica (Dorset Opera Festival), Contessa/Le Nozze di Figaro (Cumbria Opera Group), her Royal Ballet and Opera recital debut with Fran Hills and a solo recital with Roger Vignoles at Goldsmiths’ Hall. She graduated from the RNCM (UK) with Distinction, winning the Joyce and Michael Kennedy Strauss Award.

Sebastian Issler, pianist, Switzerland, age 32

Swiss pianist Sebastian Issler won the Prize for Best Duo at the Wigmore Hall International Song Competition, the Paul Hamburger Prize awarded by Graham Johnson, the Audience Prize at the New Voices Singing Competition and several prizes at the Swiss Youth Music Competition. Trained at the Guildhall School with Julius Drake and Zurich University of the Arts, he completed his Artist Diploma and holds two master’s degrees with distinction. He is a member of the faculty of the Golandsky Institute in New York, a fellow at the Guildhall School and a lecturer at the Zurich University of the Arts.

Wilma Kvamme & Felix Otto

Wilma Kvamme, singer, Sweden, age 25

Swedish mezzo-soprano Wilma Kvamme is pursuing her master’s in Lied interpretation with Angelika Kirchschlager at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. She debuted as Hänsel (Humperdinck) in Vienna 2022 and performed excerpts of Rosina and Cenerentola (Rossini) at Bergen National Opera 2023. In June 2026, she appears at Theater an der Wien as Phyllis (Weinberg) and Philomène (Martinů). In 2024/25, she held scholarships at Heidelberger Frühling’s Lied Academy and Exzellenz Labor Lied, receiving the Anny Felbermayer Scholarship and a special Fürstin-Eugénie Prize.

Felix Otto, pianist, Germany, age 26

German pianist Felix Otto is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Lied interpretation with Markus Hadulla at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. He is a recipient of the Anny Felbermayer Foundation scholarship and was awarded the special prize of the Fürstin Eugénie Lied Prize 2024. In 2025, he is a scholarship holder of the renowned master class “Exzellenzlabor Lied.” He completed his bachelor’s degree in piano with Rudolf Ramming at the University of Music Würzburg and has received further artistic inspiration from Anne Le Bozec, Angelika Kirchschlager and Susan Manoff.

William Tarrach & Dina Draugsvoll

William Tarrach, singer, Sweden, age 27

William Tarrach is a baritone from Gothenburg, now based in Copenhagen. After studies at Vadstena Sång- och Pianoakademi, he began his studies at The Royal Danish Academy of Music. He finished his bachelor’s degree in 2024 and is now pursuing his master’s at the Royal Danish Opera Academy. William recently debuted the role of Antonio in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro on tour with Skånska Operan. Other performances include Marullo in in Opera Hedeland’s film version of Verdi’s Rigoletto. He is also often hired as a concert soloist. Performed works include Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem and Haydn’s Die Schöpfung.

Dina Draugsvoll, pianist, Denmark, age 24

Dina Elena Draugsvoll, is half Danish and half Norwegian and lives in Copenhagen. She has been playing piano since she was 3 years old and has been studying at DKDM with Marianna Shirinyan since 2021. She has won awards such as the PIANO Music Association’s Talent Prize, Berlingske’s Gold Medal, and first prizes at the Steinway Festival, Pianists in the North, and Malmö Yamaha Competition. Dina has performed as a soloist at venues including the Elbphilharmonie, with the Kaunas Symphony Orchestra, and has played for the Danish Queen Margrethe II. She frequently performs both as a soloist and chamber musician.

Laura Helene Hansen & Tony Nguyen

Laura Helene Hansen, singer, Denmark, age 30

Danish soprano Laura Helene Hansen is currently pursuing an advanced postgraduate degree in voice at The Royal Danish Academy of Music studyiing with David Kempster. She obtained her Master’s degree at the Opera Academy of the Royal Danish Opera in 2024. Laura is the recipient of Leonie Sonnings Talent Prize for 2025. The national broadcast network (Danmarks Radio) documented Laura’s last year at the opera academy. This resulted in a documentary called “Den næste Diva”, currently streaming on www.drtv.dk.

She is her committed to showcasing underperformed and marginalized composer, with a special care for Danish women composers.

Tony Nguyen, pianist, Denmark, age 33

Danish pianist Tony Nguyen is an active soloist, chamber musician and lied accompanist. He is a prizem winner at international and national competitions and recipient of the Léonie Sonnings Talent Prize in 2022. He studied at The Royal Danish Academy of Music, Lithuanian Academy of Music, Ingesund College of Music and made his debut from the Soloist Class at the Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus in 2023. He is the Founder and Festival Director of Aarhus Kammermusikfestival since 2019, Artistic Director of the concert series HyggeConcerts and board member of EPTA Denmark.

Michelle Baum & Alexander Breitenbach

Michelle Baum, singer, Germany, age 30

Mezzo-soprano Michelle Baum is pursuing her Master’s degree in Classical Singing at the Hannover University of Music, Drama and Media, studying with Henryk Böhm and in the Lied class of Jan Philip Schulze. As part of her studies, she participated in opera productions and Lied projects. Following the academy with the RIAS Kammerchor Berlin, she will begin her probationary period as a member of the choir starting in the 2025/26 season. She has received further artistic impulse in masterclasses with Ulrich Eisenlohr, Wolfram Rieger, and Brigitte Fassbaender.

Alexander Breitenbach, pianist, Germany, 28

Pianist Alexander Breitenbach studies Song Interpretation (Master) with Prof. Jan Philip Schulze in Hanover, following piano degrees from HfMT Cologne with Prof. Dr. Florence Millet and Prof. Claudio Martinez-Mehner. He combines a deep appreciation for the core Lied repertoire with a passion for expanding the canon through diverse languages and rediscovered works. This is exemplified by his recording of the complete songs and piano works of Ernst Bachrich.

Marie Borup & Ștefan Macovei

Marie Borup, singer, Denmark, age 25

Danish mezzo-soprano Marie Borup has studied at MGK-Ø with Susanne Vinther and since 2023 at the Royal Danish Academy of Music with Tuva Semmingsen. She was part of TalentU at the Jutland Opera and has sung in several productions as a chorister and soloist. She has been a soloist with the Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, Concerto Copenhagen, performed at the Aarhus Chamber Music Festival and had roles at RDAM and Herning Opera Festival. She has won several competitions, including the Langgaard Competition 2024 with Duo Spiro. She has attended several masterclasses with renowned singers and will release the Lied album “Echoes of Her” in 2025.

Ștefan Macovei, pianist, Romania, age 26

Romanian pianist Ștefan Macovei is currently based in Copenhagen, studying at the Royal Danish Academy of Music with Prof. Marianna Shirinyan. A winner of the 2024 Yamaha Scandinavian Music Competition, he recently released his Debussy album Images Oubliées with KNS Classical. As part of Duo Spiro with mezzo soprano Marie Borup, he will debut a lieder album in the summer of 2025. Macovei has performed across Europe and is recognized for his poetic interpretations and versatile artistry.

Annika Sandberg & Juliane Sophie Ritzmann

Annika Sandberg, singer, Sweden, age 25

The Swedish soprano Annika Sandberg studied at University College of Opera in Stockholm and at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg. In 2024 she won the Mozart Prize of the Wilhelm Stenhammar International Music Competition. And in 2023, with the duo Sandberg/Ritzmann, she won First Prize in the Grosser Liedpreis von HIDALGO in Munich. She has appeared in the title role of Flotow’s Martha at Kammeroper Schloss Rheinsberg and at Salzburger Landestheater and taken on roles such as Zerlina and Gluck’s Euridice. In the fall of 2025, she will release the album “Summer of the Sea” at Footprint Records.

Juliane Sophie Ritzmann, pianist, Germany, age 31

Juliane Ritzmann performs regularly as a soloist and is a sought-after chamber musician, Lied accompanist and continuo player e.g. at the Bachfest Leipzig, the London International Festival of Early Music or the Mozartwoche Salzburg, lately with Mahler Chamber Orchestra amongst others. She has been honoured at numerous competitions such as Grotrian-Steinweg Competition and Hans von Bülow Competition. Her Bachelor degrees in recorder and piano she completed with distinction in Weimar and Leipzig. Currently she studies for her Master´s degrees with J. Rouvier and F. Birsak at Mozarteum Salzburg.

Deltagere/contestants 2025

Pianist: Benjamin Arnika Skydsgaard

Pianist: Dina Draugsvoll

Pianist: Juliane Sophie Ritzmann

Programme 2025