NB! The application deadline has been extended until 20 July – for the Chamber Music Course (10–15 August) only
Rogosi International Music Camp 2026 offers masterclasses in solo piano and ensemble playing, as well as a program called “From Youth to Youth” for beginner-level piano students.
19–24 July: Hui-Ying Liu-Tawaststjerna & Erik T. Tawaststjerna (piano, Finland)
22–24 July: “From Youth to Youth”. Beginner-level piano students (selected professors` students will have possibility to teach beginner-level children and receive a discount on the cost of their course)
10–15 August: Marje Lohuaru, Marrit Gerretz-Traksmann & Harry Traksmann (chamber music for all levels, Estonia)
23–28 August: Dina Yoffe (piano, Latvia) & Age Juurikas (piano, Estonia)
26–28 August: “From Youth to Youth”. Beginner-level piano students (selected professors` students will have possibility to teach beginner-level children and receive a discount on the cost of their course)
The camp is organized into three six-day periods. Participants of each six-day period receive four masterclasses, attend student concerts, and selected pianists can perform a piano concerto with a string quartet at the final concert of the period. Beginner-level pianists can join the last three days of each piano period for lessons with selected professors` students who have possibility to teach beginner-level children and receive a discount on the cost of their course.
For young professionals, the camp provides supreme conditions for intensive work, almost unlimited practice opportunities, and relaxation within beautiful nature.
For amateurs, young children, and beginner-level students, the atmosphere is more relaxed, making it a perfect place to attend with a parent or even the whole family (up to two family members per participant – accommodation is free). Daily nature tours and visits to local tourist attractions (free for participants) take place during the last three days of each period.
The camp fosters artistic growth, international exchange, and inspiration for musicians of all levels.
Applicants may apply for one to three course periods with a single application fee 30€.
-
Pianist HUI-YING LIU-TAWASTSTJERNA was born in Taiwan. She became a permanent resident of Finland in1982, after having lived in several other countries. She holds a Doctor of Music degree from the Sibelius Academy, and a Master’s degree from the Peabody Conservatory of Music. Her principal teachers included Emane Wu, Martin Canin and Konrad Wolff. She also received coaching from Leon Fleisher, Pierre Sancan, Karl Ülrich Schnabel, and Rosa Sabater.
Hui-Ying won her first piano competition in Taipei at age 13. Her ensuing competition success preceded her recital debut in Buenos Aires at age 15, and her orchestral debut in New York at age 17. Ever since she made her Carnegie Recital Hall debut as a winner of Artists International Management’s auditions, she has concertized as recitalist, soloist with orchestra, chamber pianist and collaborating pianist on five continents. She has shared podium with conductors such as Esa-Pekka Salonen, Okko Kamu, Eri Klas, and with instrumentalists such as Steven Isserlis, Paul Tortelier, Patrick Gallois, Jean-Jacque Kantorow, among others. She also performs regularly as a piano duo with her husband Erik T. Tawaststjerna. She has made recordings for the Finlandia Records, and the Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE. Her repertoire ranges from Bach to Magnus Lindberg, including a large selection of piano works and chamber music by Sibelius, Beethoven, Chopin, and Debussy.
Hui-Ying has been a tenured faculty member of the Sibelius Academy since 1984. She has taught a number of outstanding pianists and competition winners such as Antti Siirala, Juho Pohjonen, and Irina Zahharenkova, to mention but a few. She has also given master classes, workshops and lectures in Germany, England, Spain, Ireland, the U.S, Taiwan, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, among others. She was head of the Piano Department in 2004–2008. In addition, she has co-authored a piano method, Piano Key. Presently as the president of the Chopin Society of Finland, Hui-Ying engages herself actively in the promotion of young musicians, classical music and performing arts in general. She is one of the main architects of such musical events as the Baltic-Nordic Crossing Keyboards; the Young Chopin Festival, and the MusicPlus concerts. She received a decoration, Cross of Merit of the Order of the White Rose, from the President of Finland in 2006.ERIK T. TAWASTSTJERNA is Professor Emeritus at the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki. He began his musical education in Helsinki, took private lessons in Moscow from Genrietta Mirvis, graduated from the Vienna Music Academy, where he studied with Dieter Weber, and earned a Master of Music degree from New York’s Juilliard School, where his teacher was Sascha Gorodnitzki. He also holds a doctorate from New York University where he studied under the guidance of Eugene List. He has participated in master classes given by Wilhelm Kempff and Dmitri Bashkirov. He won the second prize at the Helsinki Maj Lind National Piano Competition in 1968 and has since given concerts around the world. He has appeared as a soloist with major orchestras in Finland, performing such works as Rachmaninoff’s Concerto no. 3 and Leonard Bernstein’s Age of Anxiety. In 1990 he was invited to give a performance for Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at the Akasaka Palace in Tokyo. Mr. Tawaststjerna has made numerous recordings, among them the four Ballades of Chopin and a series of 8 recordings of the complete piano music of Jean Sibelius. He has been teaching since 1982 at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, where he was appointed full professor of piano in 1986. Many of his students have received top prizes in international piano competitions, and some of them have advanced to the position of university professor: Henri Sigfridsson in Essen, Germany, Victor Chestopal in Brussels, and Julia Mustonen-Dahlkvist in Arvika, Sweden. Mr. Tawaststjerna’s expertise has been called upon in the juries of several competitions, such as the Van Cliburn Competition in Fort Worth, the Maria Canals Competition in Barcelona, the Dublin Piano Competition, the International Beethoven Competition in Vienna, the London International Piano Competition, the Hilton Head Piano Competition, the New York International Piano Competition, the Weimar Liszt Competition, the José Iturbi Competition in Valencia, the Isang Yun Competition in South Korea, the Prokofiev Competition in St Petersburg, the Ciurlionis and Vainiunas Competitions in Vilnius, the Aarhus International Competition in Denmark, and the Mozart Competition in Zhuhai, China. He has given master classes, among other places, at the Guildhall School of Music in London, the University of the Arts in Berlin, the Tokyo College of Music, the YST Conservatory in Singapore, and the Vienna University of Music and the Performing Arts. In 2006 he was named ‘Professor of the Year’ by the Finnish Professors’ League.
-
MARJE LOHUARU is an Estonian pianist, chamber musician, pedagogue, and cultural figure. She graduated from the Tallinn Music Secondary School in 1968 and from the Tallinn State Conservatory (now the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre) in 1973, studying piano with Professor Heljo Sepp. She later continued her studies in chamber ensemble at the Leningrad Conservatory under Professor Maria Karandashova, completing her assistantship in 1981.
Lohuaru has been closely connected with the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (EMTA) throughout her career. She worked there as an accompanist from 1973 to 1978 and has taught chamber music since 1981. She served as Head of the Chamber Ensemble Department from 1991 to 1997 and became a professor in 1998. From 1993 to 2012 she was Vice Rector for International Relations, helping to establish numerous cooperation agreements and international projects with music institutions across Europe. Today she serves at EMTA as Professor of Instrumental Chamber Music, Head of Instrumental Chamber Music Studies, Deputy Chair of the Doctoral Council, and Curriculum Coordinator.
Highly regarded as a chamber musician, Lohuaru has performed with many distinguished Estonian and international artists, including Urve Tauts, Pille Lill, Riina Airenne, Ulrika Kristian, Urmas Vulp, and Peeter Paemurru. She has appeared at festivals in Finland, Sweden, Germany, Russia, Canada, Hungary, and other countries, and has recorded several CDs.
Lohuaru is active in many cultural organizations and has served on international competition juries and given masterclasses in several countries. She is a member of the Estonian Performers’ Union and the board of the European Chamber Music Teachers Association (ECMTA). Since 2009 she has been the Chair of the Estonian Music Development Centre.
For her contributions to Estonian musical culture, Marje Lohuaru was awarded the Order of the White Star, 5th Class in 2005 and the Estonian Cultural Endowment Annual Prize for Music in 2009. In 2025, Marje Lohuaru was awarded the Estonian National Culture Foundation’s Traditional Special Scholarship.MARRIT GERRETZ-TRAKSMANN is one of Estonia’s most respected chamber music pianists. She studied piano at the Tallinn Music High School with Merike Bürger and Bruno Lukk, and later at the Estonian Academy of Music under Bruno Lukk, Anna Klas, and Peep Lassmann. In 2002 she received her master’s degree in chamber music from the same academy, studying with Marje Lohuaru. She also continued her studies at the Sibelius Academy with Professor Liisa Pohjola. In 1982 she won first prize at the International Young Pianists’ Competition in Ústí nad Labem.
She has performed widely in chamber ensembles in Estonia and internationally. For many years she was a member of the New Tallinn Trio with violinist Harry Traksmann and cellist Kaido Kelder. The trio won second prize at the Johannes Brahms International Competition in Gdańsk in 2000 and performed across Europe and in the United States.
As a soloist, Gerretz-Traksmann has appeared with orchestras such as the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, the NDR Radiophilharmonie, the Białystok Symphony Orchestra, and the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra. She has also made many recordings for Estonian National Broadcasting and can be heard on recordings of Estonian music released by ECM and Harmonia Mundi. A highlight of her solo career was performing Arvo Pärt’s Lamentate at the Arvo Pärt Festival in Białystok in 2003 and later at the Arvo Pärt Music Days in Hradec Králové in 2011.
Since 1997 she has been a chamber music lecturer at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre. Many prominent young Estonian musicians have studied with her, including pianist Tähe-Lee Liiv, winner of the 2019 Estonian Pianists’ Competition and the TV competition Klassikatähed 2020.HARRY TRAKSMANN is a versatile violinist whose work is closely connected with contemporary music. None of the ensembles with which he is most closely associated - the NYYD Ensemble, the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, and the New Tallinn Trio - can be imagined without a strong focus on modern repertoire. Traksmann is highly valued as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral performer.
Harry Traksmann began his violin studies at the Tallinn Music High School with Tiiu Peäske in 1981. After graduating in 1992, he continued his studies at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre with Professor Jüri Gerretz. He is currently also affiliated with the academy as a guest lecturer in violin.
In 1996, Traksmann received a diploma at the Heino Eller International Violin Competition in Tallinn. In 1998, he participated in the Kuhmo International Duo Competition in Finland together with pianist Marrit Gerretz-Traksmann.
Harry Traksmann has been active as a chamber musician in several ensembles. The New Tallinn Trio - together with cellist Kaido Kelder and pianist Marrit Gerretz-Traksmann - has won several prizes at international competitions.
Since its founding in 1993, Traksmann has been a member of the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra. Since 1997 he has served as the orchestra’s concertmaster and has also appeared as a soloist with it.
Since 1997 he has also been a member of the NYYD Ensemble and performs in the NYYD Ensemble String Quartet together with violinist Juta Õunapuu, violist Torsten Tiebout, and cellist Leho Karin.
Harry Traksmann has recorded a number of albums for the ECM Records, including music by Arvo Pärt, Erkki-Sven Tüür, and Heino Eller. -
Born in Riga, Latvia, DINA YOFFE graduated from the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory under the guidance of Professor Vera Gornostayeva, one of the most prominent representatives of the legendary Heinrich Neuhaus piano school.
A Grand Prize laureate of the International Piano Competitions named after Robert Schumann and Frédéric Chopin, she enjoys a successful solo and orchestral career. Her appearances include concerts with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra under Zubin Mehta, the NHK Symphony Orchestra under Neville Marriner, the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra with Dmitri Kitayenko, the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra with James DePreist, Kremerata Baltica under Gidon Kremer, and the Sinfonia Varsovia under Jacek Kaspszyk.
Dina Yoffe has performed in some of the world’s most prestigious venues, including the Barbican Centre, Suntory Hall, Sala Verdi, the Musikverein, the Konzerthaus Vienna, the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, and the Salle Pleyel, among others. She has also performed for Her Majesty Beatrix of the Netherlands at the Royal Palace in The Hague.
She actively participates in international music festivals, performing alongside internationally acclaimed musicians such as Michael Vaiman and Mario Brunello, among many others.
Dina Yoffe is regularly invited to serve on the juries of major international piano competitions, including the Cleveland International Piano Competition (USA), the International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw, the Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition in Tel Aviv, the Liszt Competition in Weimar, the Maria Canals Competition in Barcelona, and the Hamamatsu International Piano Competition in Japan. She also gives masterclasses throughout Europe, Japan, and the United States.
From 1989 to 1996, she was Professor at the Rubin Academy of Music at Tel Aviv University; from 1995 to 2000, Visiting Professor at Aichi University of the Arts; from 2012 to 2014, Visiting Professor at the Hamburg University of Music and Theatre; from 2014 to 2015, Visiting Professor at the Academy of Music in Kraków; and she has also served as Visiting Professor at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing.
Dina Yoffe is the Artistic Director of the “Musical Summer” Festival and Masterclasses in Málaga, Spain, and an honorary member of the Japan Piano Teachers Association. Her students are winners of numerous international piano competitions, and many of them teach at leading music academies in America, Europe, and Japan.
She has made numerous radio and television recordings and released many CDs with works by Chopin, Schubert, Schumann, Prokofiev, and others.
In addition, she recorded live DVD performances of works by Scriabin and Rachmaninoff with the NHK Symphony Orchestra (Japan).
Her recordings also include chamber music by Schubert, Prokofiev, Szymanowski, Stravinsky, Franck, and others. https://www.dinayoffe.com/AGE JUURIKAS is a solo pianist and chamber musician known for her powerful and expressive performance style, combining European and Russian piano traditions. She is also a dedicated pedagogue, teaching at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre and MUBA (Tallinn School of Music and Ballet).
She has performed as a soloist and chamber musician across Europe and North America and has appeared with orchestras such as the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra (ERSO), the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, and the National Academic Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine. She has collaborated with conductors including Neeme Järvi, Kaspars Putniņš, Arvo Volmer, and Risto Joost. Among her recognitions are the Neeme Järvi Prize (2003) and the Estonian Cultural Endowment Annual Prize for Music (2014).
Juurikas studied at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre with Peep Lassmann, and as an exchange student at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki with Matti Raekallio and Liisa Pohjola, as well as at the Karlsruhe University of Music with Kalle Randalu. She later completed postgraduate studies at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory under Vera Gornostayeva.
Her repertoire focuses on early 20th-century music and contemporary works. She has participated in major contemporary music projects such as Gérard Grisey’s Vortex Temporum and Karlheinz Stockhausen’s Mantra, and premiered Toivo Tulev’s piano concerto Nada. Her debut album The Soul of Fire (2018) received the Estonian Chamber Music Album of the Year award.
Content of the courses
Participants of each selected six-day period receive four masterclasses from the professors teaching during that period. If desired, students may indicate their preferred professor in the application form. Several student concerts will take place throughout all course periods.
Piano masterclasses:
Selected participants of the piano courses will also have the opportunity to perform a piano concerto accompanied by a string quartet at the final concert on the last day of each period. Those interested should apply within the registration. Those selected will have to pay an additional fee, max 90€ per movement to cover the costs. Depending on the funding the final cost may be less than 90€.
List of available concertos with string quartet arrangement:
Johann Sebastian Bach — Harpsichord Concertos BWV 1052–1059
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart — Piano Concertos Nos. 5–27; K.382 (Rondo in D major)
Joseph Haydn — Keyboard Concerto in D major Hob. XVIII:11; Divertimenti Hob. XIV:3 (beginner-level-friendly), 4, 11, 13
Ludwig van Beethoven — Piano Concertos Nos. 1–5
Felix Mendelssohn — Piano Concertos Nos. 1–2
Frédéric Chopin — Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11; Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21; Andante spianato et Grande Polonaise, Op. 22; Krakowiak, Op. 14
Edvard Grieg — Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16
Robert Schumann — Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky — Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23
Sergei Rachmaninov — Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18
Béla Bartók — Piano Concerto No. 3 in E major, Sz. 119
George Gershwin — Rhapsody in Blue
Ester Mägi — Piano Concerto
It is possible to propose other concertos if you provide scores with a string quartet arrangement.
String quartet members: Olga Voronova (violin), Yana Mägila (violin), Toomas Nestor (viola), Levi-Danel Mägila (cello).
Chamber music master classes:
In the chamber music course for all instruments and levels, participants may apply either with their own ensemble or individually. Participants who apply with their own chamber group are free to choose their repertoire for the course. Individual applicants will be assigned to a suitable chamber group. Suggested repertoire for those applying individually will be provided at least one month prior to the start of the course.
“From Youth to Youth”:
beginner-level piano students may participate during the last three days of the piano course periods. During this time they receive lessons from selected advanced students of the six-day international course. This offers a relaxed way to join the camp while still taking part in the international atmosphere: attending masterclasses, receiving guidance from young professionals, and sharing inspiration and passion for music.
Venue: Rogosi Manor
Rogosi Manor is set in the peaceful village of Ruusmäe in Võrumaa, Estonia, surrounded by gently rolling fields and forested landscapes. The manor features a distinctive castle-like courtyard measuring 60×80 meters, giving it a fortified and historic appearance. The estate includes a Baroque main house later rebuilt in an early Classicist style, with a two-story manor building, wing structures, and a gate tower. The spacious courtyard and landscaped surroundings create a serene and picturesque setting, reflecting both its medieval origins and later architectural elegance.
Facilities
All activities—including lessons, concerts, accommodations, meals, and practice sessions- take place within the Rogosi Manor complex. Participants can enjoy a relaxing sauna and a beautiful lake located next to the manor house.
The manor offers 14 pianos available 24/7 for practice, including 10 grand pianos and 4 upright pianos.
There are 18 rooms available for student accommodation. If more than 18 students are accepted, some rooms will need to be shared.
Leisure / Local Attractions
Participants will have the opportunity to sign up (for free) for various leisure activities during the camp organised by SP Elamustee OÜ On the last three days of each period tours and excursions to local attractions (e.g., Suur Munamägi, Nopri Farm, etc.) will be organised.
Travel Information
There is a possibility to sign up for organised transportation to Rogosi Manor from Tallinn, Tartu, and Riga. Please indicate during registration if you would like to use this option.
Nearby airports:
Tallinn Airport – 270 km
Tartu Airport – 90 km
Riga Airport – 212 km
Application Information and Fees
Application deadline: 20 May 2026
Notification of acceptance: By 1 June 2026
Registration fee: 30€
(Required to apply for up to three courses. Non-refundable.)
Optional additional fee
Participants who are selected to perform with piano concerto will receive a fee of up to €90 per concerto movement, which may be reduced depending on the amount of funding secured to support the participation of the quartet (to be paid after acceptance to the course).
Recent video recording is required to apply for the performance scholarship or piano concerto performance. Video requirements: one virtuoso piece or etude, and one movement from a Classical sonata or a Romantic work. The total duration of both pieces should be approximately 10 minutes. Videos can be recorded in different times. You can insert two different video links or one video link that consists both. Video link(s) must indicate the performer and the performed work(s).
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at +372 5591 3910 or info@kammermuusikud.ee
Course Fee – Piano, advanced level (19-24.07; 23-28.08)
650€
Includes:
4 masterclasses with internationally recognized faculty
Accommodation for 6 days
Three meals per day
Almost unlimited opportunities to practice
Optional performances at student concerts
Optional participation in excursions and tours to local attractions
(To be paid after acceptance to the course.)
Course Fee – Chamber music for all instruments and levels (10-15.08)
450€
Includes:
4 masterclasses with chamber group with internationally recognized faculty
Based on need: additional supportive lesson(s) for learning the parts
Accommodation for 6 days
Three meals per day
Almost unlimited opportunities to practice
Optional performances at student concerts
Optional participation (up to three times) in excursions and tours to local attractions
(To be paid after acceptance to the course.)
Course Fee – “From Youth to Youth”. Piano, beginner level (22-24.07; 26-28.08)
210€
Includes:
3 lessons with students of professors
Accommodation for 3 days
Three meals per day
Opportunity to practice
Opportunity to listen to your instructors at concerts and in masterclasses given by internationally recognized faculty
Optional performances at student concerts
Optional participation (up to three times) in excursions and tours to local attractions
(To be paid after acceptance to the course.)
Scholarships and discounts
A limited number of discounts and performance scholarships are available based on participants’ financial need and artistic level.
Advanced piano participants may apply for the position of teacher for beginner-level students. This role involves giving three lessons during the course and includes a 10% discount on the course fee.
Advanced participants may also apply for a performance scholarship. This requires performing a 35–40 minute recital at at least one concert in Estonia on one of the following dates: 4–5 July, 18–19 July, or 8 August.
