Piano Competition 2025

Described as “thoughtful artist with a firm technique, a gorgeous tone, and a sensitive touch” (Fanfare Magazine) Vitaly Serebriakov is a critically-acclaimed pianist, teaching artist, and recording engineer based in Phoenix, Arizona. Steinway Artist Robert Hamilton recognizes Mr. Serebriakov as “an outstanding, professional pianist whose comprehensive performances blend intelligent stylistic understanding with emotional depth and strong technical prowess”. He has been heard in concerts and recitals around the world in such venues as Carnegie Hall and Steinway Hall in New York City, Virginia G. Piper Theater in Scottsdale Arizona, and Clara Schumann Hall at Dr. Hoch’s Konservatorium in Germany, among many others.

His recent CD “Infinitude”, a collection of piano music by Scriabin, Medtner, and Prokofiev has been highly praised by music critics. James Harrington from Fanfare Magazine writes: “…Serebriakov plays this set as well or better than the many recordings I have of them. He lets the music speak for itself, paying very close attention to the details, but never losing sight of the overall flow of each piece…” Peter J. Rabinowitz adds: “His sympathy for the music’s shadows and subtler harmonic nuances is impressive, too.”

Mr. Serebriakov is an Artist-In-Residence for the Scottsdale Philharmonic and performs with the orchestra on a regular basis. Highlights of 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 seasons include performances of Tchaikovsky First Piano Concerto, Grieg Piano Concerto, and Cezar Franck’s Symphonic Poem “Les Djinns”. Mr. Serebriakov is a prize winner in numerous international competitions, including the All-Russia Open Contest of Pianists, the 28th International Piano Competition “Citta di Senigallia” in Italy, “The Art of XXI Century” Competition in Greece, the 6th International Competition “Music Without Limits” in Lithuania, the 2nd International Rachmaninov-Gesellschaft e.V. Competition in Germany. He is also a recipient of the prestigious Recognition Award given by the Russian Ministry of Science and Education. Mr. Serebriakov has performed and collaborated with such conductors as Alexander Skulsky, Vladimir Plaksin, Igor Zhukov, James Johnston, David Wilson, and Dmitry Polyakov. He has appeared on Arizona PBS, WBGUTV and WGTE in Ohio, NNTV and “Prestige” Radio 102.4 FM of Nizhny Novgorod.

Together with his wife Svetlana Mr. Serebriakov co-founded Ostinato Conservatory of Music in Verrado Arizona, a premiere destination for young artists to start their musical journey. The couple also serve as Artistic Directors for Desert Hills Community School of Music in Scottsdale Arizona. Mr. Serebriakov frequently participates in and gives masterclasses at local MTNA conferences, serves as jury member for piano competitions, including Dean & Carolyn Elder Piano Competition and PMTA Fall Festival & Competition, and is an active adjudicator for the Arizona Study Program. His students have successfully passed ABRSM, ASP, and Royal Conservatory of Music examinations, and have won local and international piano competitions. Robert Hamilton noted: “Vitaly has proven to be an uncommonly successful teacher whom I regularly recommend to the very finest young talents and parents who seek my advice. He knows what is required to bring gifted pianists to the point of producing a first-rate piano sound, through the proper use of finger, hand and arm weight. Much of this comes from his thorough understanding and mastery of what is perhaps the best technical approach in the piano world, commonly known as the Russian school of piano playing.”

Mr. Serebriakov is a Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance Candidate at ASU. He graduated with highest honors from the acclaimed Balakirev Musical College in Russia under the guidance of Professor Natalia Fish, and holds Master of Music degree from the Bowling Green State University, where he studied with Dr. Robert Satterlee. In addition, he has studied privately for several years with world-renowned pianists Vladimir Feltsman and Paul Ostrovsky at SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Purchase, and Mannes School of Music in New York City. He has performed in masterclasses for Phillip Kawin, Alexander Korsantia, Libby Larsen, Anthony Newman, Haesun Paik, and Robert Shannon. In the past, Mr. Serebriakov was a Faculty Associate at ASU School of Music, taught at Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan, and served as Piano Instructor at ASU Community Music School.

Along with being an accomplished soloist, Mr. Serebriakov is a recording engineer and has produced and engineered a number of CDs for the Blue Griffin label. One of the projects by Capitol Quartet in which Mr. Serebriakov is featured was named as finalist for the 2016 Pulitzer Prize in music. His engineering work has been reviewed in major periodicals including American Record Guide, Fanfare Magazine, Gramophone, and BBC Music Magazine.

João Paulo Casarotti is a Brazilian pianist and pedagogue. He received a Doctoral in Musical Arts in Piano Performance from Louisiana State University, M.M in Piano Performance and Piano Pedagogy from Temple University, M. M. in Piano Pedagogy from the University of North Dakota, a B. M. in Music Performance from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, a Performance Diploma from the “Maestro Ernst Mahle” Music School of Piracicaba-Brazil, and a Performance Certificate from the National Academy of Music in Sofia–Bulgaria.

Dr. Casarotti maintains an active schedule as a performer, clinician and researcher. He has performed as a solo and chamber pianist in Brazil, the US, UK, Portugal,Ukraine, Bulgaria, Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand, Argentina, Chile, Uruguai, and Paraguai. He has also performed with orchestras in Brazil, Ukraine and the United States.

Dr. Casarotti specializes in the Taubman Approach and studied under the tutelage of Maria Del Pico Taylor and Dorothy Taubman. He became the editor for the Booklet of Musical Examples of the Taubman Seminar at Temple University and served as the Taubman Seminar Assistant for 3 years. Casarotti was recently named faculty in training of the Keyboard Wellness Seminar at University of North Texas and he is currently studying with Sheila Paige.

In 2009, Dr. Casarotti began developing research to create an online piano studio. Since then, he has taught students at a distance from several locations including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Louisiana, Brazil and Europe. Mr. Casarotti created the Southern University Online piano studio in 2013. This initiative has been a major asset for the music program at Southern University. He has become a consultant for private studios and universities in Brazil and the US and has been presenting at the MTNA National Conference as well as the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy (NCKP).

Dr. Casarotti has a prolific career as teacher in both Brazil and the United States. Previous teaching appointments include St. Norbert College, Southern University, University of North Dakota, Temple University, Temple Preparatory School, Darlington Arts Center and Escola de Música de Piracicaba “Maestro Ernst Mahle” (Brazil). Currently, Mr. Casarotti is the Assistant Professor of Piano and Piano Pedagogy at Glendale Community College in Glendale, Arizona.