ISKANDAR WIDJAJA

VIOLIN

With electrifying charisma and boundary-breaking artistry, Iskandar Widjaja has been called everything from "a true force of nature" (The Strad) to "rockstar violinist" (The Jakarta Post). Blending the elegance of classical music with the energy of pop culture, Iskandar has performed with leading orchestras on five continents, collaborated with icons like Zubin Mehta and Fazil Say, and captivated audiences from Berlin's Philharmonie to Hollywood in Vienna. His distinctive sound - described as urgent, lyrical, and mesmerizing - pushes classical boundaries with a voice that is uniquely his own. Of mixed Dutch and Chinese-Indonesian heritage, Iskandar is a genre-defying artist with mass appeal. Whether sharing the stage with David Foster or headlining UNICEF charity concerts, he moves seamlessly between classical mastery and cultural relevance. A fashion muse, composer, and advocate for music education, he is as at home on global stages as he is inspiring street children in Jakarta. With millions reached through his online concerts, Iskandar continues to redefine what it means to be a 21st-century virtuoso.

MANUEL BETANCOUNT

BASS-BARÍTONO

Born in San Felipe, Guanajuato, Mexico, Manuel Betancourt distinguished himself from an early age with his remarkable voice, winning numerous singing competitions. He pursued formal studies in Opera and Concert Singing at the Conservatorio de las Rosas and later at the National Conservatory of Music in Mexico, where he also became a member of the prestigious Ensamble Solistas de Bellas Artes. Recipient of the Plácido Domingo Scholarship from SIVAM and Maestro Domingo himself, Manuel made his international debut in Israel and Puerto Rico, followed by acclaimed performances at many of Mexico’s leading theatres and festivals. After a successful audition for the Zurich International Opera Studio, he moved to Switzerland to perform at the Opernhaus Zürich, sharing the stage with world-renowned artists such as Leo Nucci, Jonas Kaufmann, and Ramón Vargas. He was later invited to join the Opéra National du Rhin in Strasbourg, France, where he performed in a variety of productions over several seasons. Praised by Unter Emantaler Press for having “a voice comparable to José Carreras,” Manuel continues to impress audiences with his expressive artistry and vocal power. Now based in Budapest, Hungary, he performs internationally, embracing a versatile repertoire that spans opera, crossover, and popular music. His performances blend emotional depth, cultural richness, and charisma—creating memorable connections with audiences around the world.

NARIHITO MUKEDA

PIANO

Narihito Mukeda is a very versatile pianist, who masters an immense repertoire, as well as a creative artistic thinker, who is equipped with a distinct sense for the development of attractive programs. His programs in general and his personal performances on the piano in particular are highlights that generate extraordinary musical, intellectual and emotional moments, touching the mind and the soul of the audience. Narihito Mukeda easily performs large parts of the classical piano repertoire from Bach to Tchaikovsky with virtuosity and knowledge, while he is also in great demand as an ensemble musician and accompanist. His fellow musicians appreciate him for his ability to establish an intense musical relation on stage both with the other performers as well as with the audience. Born in 1987 in Japan, Narihito Mukeda won various piano competitions in his youth, but moved to Europe for his studies, graduating as a solo pianist from the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest in 2015. Since then he has performed regularly in Europe and Japan often together with renowned ensembles or artists, such as the principal clarinetist of the Berliner Philharmoniker, Wenzel Fuchs, the principal cellist of the Budapest Festival Orchestra Péter Szabó, the Hungarian violinist and Emmy Award winner Vilmos Oláh or with the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra.

JAKUB JÓZEF ORLIŃSKI

COUNTERTENOR

One of the most beloved and celebrated opera stars of this decade, Jakub Józef Orliński has established himself as one of the world’s leading artists, triumphing on stage, in concert, and in recording. His sold-out concerts and recitals throughout Europe, America and Asia have attracted new followers to the art form. His album #LetsBaRock was released in September 2024, following the success of Beyond, which was released in October 2023; both albums will continue to tour the world through the 2025/26 season. Orliński has been the recipient of many prestigious awards such as the Opus Klassik award for Male Singer of the Year (2023), the Gloria Artis Gold Medal for Merit to Culture in Poland (2024), the BBC Music Magazine Award for his performance in Beyond, Great Britain (2024), the International Classical Music Award for his album Anima Aeterna, France (2022), as well as two Grammy nominations for recordings of Agrippina and Eurydice. Jakub has a global fanbase with hundreds of thousands of social media followers and has worked as a model and influencer with international brands including Rolex, Netflix, Orange, Louis Vuitton, Levi’s, Nike, BMW, Lacoste, and MAC Cosmetics. He is also an accomplished breakdancer –prizes include fourth place at the Red Bull BC One Poland Cypher competition, and second place at both the Stylish Strike – Top Rock Contest and The Style Control competition. Few other opera singers can claim to have conquered the stages of the world’s greatest concert halls and the covers of Polish Vogue, Esquire, and Elle, but this is a testament to Jakub’s unique pop star appeal. His “ravishing” (The Guardian) live performances have sold out concert halls and opera houses all over the world.

BEIBEI WANG

PERCUSSION

Beibei Wang is a uniquely vibrant percussion artist. With a background in both Classical and traditional Chinese percussion, she brings characteristic flair and dynamism to her performances and is known for presenting repertoire as diverse as contemporary classical to free improvisation with equal parts power and elegance. Beibei has performed as a soloist with orchestras such as BBC Symphony Orchestra, China Philharmonic, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra dell’ Academia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and the Boston Modern Orchestra Project. She led the BBC Concert Orchestra as a soloist on their 2018 China tour and has appeared as soloist on some of the world’s most prestigious stages. Over her long working relationship with Tan Dun, Beibei has premiered several of the composer’s ‘Organic Music’ percussion concertos. Always looking to push boundaries, recent highlights for Beibei feature a diverse range of projects. These include performing programmes of contemporary classics and new commissions with Manchester Collective at Southbank Centre and across the UK and Europe, premieres of her original compositions and arrangements at venues such as LSO St Luke’s, and featuring in dance productions performing at Edinburgh International Festival, Sadler’s Wells, and international tours. Further to performance, Beibei leads a traditional Chinese percussion programme at SOAS, University of London plus regular workshop sessions.

LUCAS & ARTHUR JUSSEN

PIANO

The two Dutchmen are formidable storytellers, who captivate listeners with their spellbinding craft for light-and-shadow effects. Der Tagesspiegel Lucas and Arthur Jussen are among the most sought-after piano duos of our time. Given their illustrious international careers, it is fair to say the Jussen brothers (born 1993 and 1996) are the Netherland’s pre-eminent ambassadors for classical music. With their energetic, almost symbiotic playing, their great refinement of sound, and gripping interpretations, they are praised vigorously by press and audiences alike. “It is like driving a pair of BMWs”, exclaimed conductor Michael Schønwandt about the two pianists after directing them in concert. The Jussen brothers have performed with orchestras internationally, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Concertgebouworkest, Budapest Festival Orchestra, NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester, and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields among many others. They collaborate with the renowned conductors such as Christoph Eschenbach, Iván Fischer, Sir Neville Marriner, Andris Nelsons, Yannick Nezét-Séguin, Jukka-Pekka Saraste und Jaap van Zweden. In the 2025/2026 season, the Jussen brothers will make their debut with the Berliner Philharmoniker, serve as Artists in Residence with the Frankfurt Radio Symphony, tour Europe with the Münchner Philharmoniker and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, tour Asia with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, and perform with orchestras such as the Gewandhausorchester, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Dresdner Philharmonie, among others. In recital, they will appear in Leipzig, La Jolla, Hamburg, Amsterdam, Milan, Oslo, Stuttgart, Barcelona, and more. Since 2010, they have recorded exclusively for Deutsche Grammophon. Their debut album, featuring works by Beethoven, received a platinum record and the Edison Klassiek Audience Award. Following an album of Schubert and “Jeux” (French piano music), in 2015 they released a recording of Mozart’s piano concertos KV 365 and KV 242 with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and Sir Neville Marriner, which went gold. They also recorded Poulenc’s Concerto for Two Pianos and Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals with the Concertgebouworkest and Stéphane Denève. In 2019 they released an album of Bach concertos and chorales with the Amsterdam Sinfonietta. In “The Russian Album” (2021), they perform works for two pianos by Rachmaninoff, Stravinsky and Arensky. “Dutch Masters” (2022) is dedicated to Dutch composers and features collaborations with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, among others. This album was awarded an Edison Klassiek and the Audience Award. In 2025 they released “Cantus”, an album devoted to chorales by Bach, Brahms, Fabel, and Arvo Pärt. Lucas and Arthur received their first piano lessons in their native town of Hilversum. As children, they were invited to perform for the Dutch Queen Beatrix; and distinctions and awards in competitions followed. In 2005, the brothers met the Portuguese pianist Maria João Pires. During the following years they took lessons from both Pires and renowned Dutch teachers. Lucas completed his studies with Menahem Pressler in the US and with Dmitri Bashkirov in Madrid. Arthur graduated from the Amsterdam Conservatory, where he studied with Jan Wijn

KAMAL MUSALLAM

GUITAR

Originally from Jordan and born in Kuwait in 1970, Kamal’s parents encouraged him to learn both arts and music. He started out playing the piano and the accordion and then picked up the guitar when he was nine years old. He finished his studies in architecture in 1994 to pursue a Master in management, and after three years of working as architect and project manager, he decided to quit it all and followed his heart as a musician. Musallam developed his skills playing the guitar and the oud and began to fuse the influences that inspired him, mainly Jazz, Rock, Arabic music, Latin and Asian music. The release of his first album in 2003 ‘On a Jordan River's Side’ under his label K&G, was highly acclaimed and appreciated on an international scale. Since then, he released 5 more albums: ‘Out Of My City’ in 2008, ‘Lulu’ in 2009 (Grammy selection), ‘Songs For Seung-eun’ in 2011 (Grammy selection), ‘The Best Of Kamal Musallam 1999-2011’ in 2012, ‘Homemade in Rome’ in 2014, and last but not least ‘World Peace Trio’ in 2017 with Gilad Atzmon.Kamal has recorded and played along with a long list of world-class musicians such as STING, Hans Zimmer, George Benson, Bobby Mc Ferrin, Billy Cobham, Randy Brecker, Mike Stern, Gary Husband, Kai Eckhardt, Ada Rovatti, Stanley Jordan, Anne Ducros, David Reinhardt, Jorge Pardo (Paco De Lucia Septet), Gilad Atzmon and Francisco Molina, among others.

 In 2001 Kamal registered his record label K&G, and in 2006, he established his music production company in UAE.