Faculty & Workshops 2026
By Povilas Jarmala
GINTARAS JANUŠEVIČIUS
PIANIST & PEDAGOGUE
Individual Piano Lessons
"Mental Practice 101"
"Portfolio in C Major: Clear, Confident, Compelling"
"Classical, Not Boring: Interpreting the Viennese Masters"
"Concert in the Dark"
Gintaras Januševičius has built an exemplary multifaceted career as a piano performer, pedagogue, narrator, radio host, and event producer. His conceptual recitals have taken him on tours all around Europe as well as the USA, PR China, Japan, and Brazil. His festival appearances include the Chopin Festival in Duszniki-Zdroj, Mozartfest Würzburg, Festival Besançon, and Dresdner Musikfestspiele to name just a few.
Leading a private piano studio since 2012, in 2020 he joined the staff of his alma mater, the HMTM Hannover. In addition to his stage and pedagogical careers, Januševičius founded and directed several music competitions, international piano academies, and numerous concert series. More information available here.
- What is your personal approach to teaching?
In my opinion, a great teacher must be capable of recognizing each student's individual potential and ideas, and must also be willing to share their knowledge and tools to help the student develop an outstanding stage act. My goal is to nurture a diverse range of artists with unique stories and voices, empowering them to reach as many audiences as they desire. In my view, no piece of music has just one definitive interpretation - every new interpretation has a right to exist, provided it is executed with exceptional quality.
- Alongside your piano lessons, you offer several group workshops. What would be their subjects this year?
This year’s program is worthy of our 10th anniversary as an organization. For the past decade, we have promoted versatility in music, and the 2026 program showcases this better than ever. In my personal lectures, I have chosen to dedicate time to helping students who struggle with mental practice, providing them with a solid foundation they can build on. Recognizing the many misconceptions - and even the occasional demonization - of composers such as Mozart and Haydn among young musicians, I would like to demonstrate that this music can be a fresh and sparkling breath of air that audiences will not soon forget. After reading through numerous applications each year, I also want to help our young performers create a strong and professional impression through their portfolios. Last but not least, the students’ favorite event, “Concert in the Dark,” will return for its seventh installment, sending us once again to piano paradise.
BENNET EICKE-KĻAVA
CONDUCTOR
"Leonard Bernstein: A Blueprint for the 21st-Century Musician"
- In today's musical world, how important is it to be a versatile all-rounder?
Looking at history, versatile performers were always at the heart of the arts - an interest in the holistic view of arts and music shapes and shaped all performers who stood out for their artistry and ambition to make music meaningful. In today’s society additionally, skills in all professions are merging increasingly together - to be versatile means being adaptable and finding the right way to communicate your message to the world: In art, in life, in society.
- What can modern artists learn from Bernstein about balancing artistic depth with accessibility?
Leonard Bernstein was a multi-facetted artist, whose different perspectives on music as a conductor, pianist, composer and educator all played into each other – that made him stand out in each discipline he pursued. The most important part of his professionality to me is that he had a clear understanding that music only speaks if it speaks to people, moves them. Keeping that in mind helps modern artists to both understand the meaning of their profession better, connect with audiences and further the role and importance of arts in society.
Bennet Eicke-Kļava is a German conductor whose comprehensive training as a musicologist, pianist, and répétiteur distinguishes him through versatility. An alumnus of Georg August University Göttingen in the fields of musicology and philosophy, he completed his studies with distinction in the conducting class of Prof. Matthias Foremny at the University of Music and Theatre “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy” Leipzig.
A KPM alumnus (2017-2019), he worked as a solo répétiteur and musical assistant at Oper Leipzig, Theater Hof, and Staatstheater Kassel. He is the first prize winner of the 16th Conducting Competition of Central German Universities of Music and MDR (2024) and served as assistant to the chief conductor of the MDR Symphony Orchestra, Dennis Russell Davies, during the 2023/24 season. He currently serves as the First Kapellmeister at the Mittelsächsisches Theater Freiberg.
By Detlev Müller
DANA ASNATE EICKE-KĻAVA
CHORAL CONDUCTOR & PIANIST
KPM Choir
Dana Asnate Eicke-Kļava is a Latvian choral conductor and pianist. She received her early musical training at the Riga Cathedral Choir School, studying choral conducting, voice, piano, and music theory. As a member of the internationally acclaimed youth choir "Kamēr…", she performed at international competitions, festivals, and concert tours.
She currently serves as Choral Director at the Mittelsächsisches Theater in Freiberg, Germany. She has also worked with the Nederlands Kamerkoor, the Bavarian Radio Choir, and the State Choir Latvija, to name but a few. Alongside her conducting work, Dana is active as a pianist, working closely with singers, choirs, and young musicians in different settings. Dana Asnate is also a KPM alumna (2017-2019).
- How does singing help pianists understand phrasing and musical line more deeply?
Singing connects us directly to the roots of classical music. Much of this tradition grew out of chants: piano lines often imitate the natural flow of the human voice. When we sing and speak, vowels and consonants naturally create a legato line, shaping phrases in a clear and organic way. By singing passages while practicing, it can help pianists to better feel where the music naturally breathes, where it moves forward, how the timing works and how phrases unfold. It also strengthens the inner ear, helping to anticipate sound more intentionally, which improves tone, phrasing, and even musical memory.
- How do you create a safe environment for pianists who may feel vulnerable about singing?
A safe environment starts with making the purpose clear: the goal is not to become a singer, but to use the voice as a tool to improve piano playing. For many instrumentalists, singing can feel uncomfortable or even bring back negative schooltime experiences, so it’s important to approach it gently and without pressure. I focus on exploration rather than performance. There is no judgment about the quality of the voice - only curiosity about how singing can shape phrasing, breathing, and musical intention. Once we start to think of singing as a natural, helpful part of making music, it becomes much easier to relax and use our voices with confidence.
By Vygantas Skaraitis
GERŪTA GRINIŪTĖ
TV & RADIO PRESENTER
"Stage Presence and Presentation"
- What’s the most common mistake musicians make when addressing an audience?
One of the most common - and unfortunately one of the most persistent - mistakes is delivering a formal “lecture” full of details and dates to the audience. At a concert, in my opinion, the audience should be guided into listening to the piece through just a few of the most important and vivid facts. Ideally, this should be done in a personal way when addressing listeners. A more radio-like style of speaking works well here - the more visual and evocative the storytelling, the easier it is for the listener to be transported, through the narrator, into what they are about to hear in the musician’s prepared program.
- Can authenticity be trained, or only revealed?
Each of us is authentic; we simply tend to forget it. In trying to fit in or resemble someone we consider a successful example, we often forget what makes us interesting and what we can offer to the world. Perhaps we search for authenticity throughout our entire lives, and I believe it is worth striving for, because originality is always the most compelling and engaging.
Gerūta Griniūtė is well known to audiences as the presenter and juror of the Lithuanian national pre-selection of the Eurovision Song Contest, as well from her work on numerous shows on the Lithuanian National Radio and Television ("Dainų Dainelė", "Nacionalinė Ekspedicija") and LRT KLASIKA ("Mūza ant Peties", "Bazinis Akordas").
She graduated from the National M. K. Čiurlionis School of Arts as a pianist and received her Bachelor of Piano Performance at the Lithuanian Academy for Music and Theater. She went on to obtain a masters degree in analytic journalism at the Vilnius University. In addition to her TV and radio credits she is also an acclaimed presenter at most important Lithuanian festivals and competitions.
By Line Fisheye
DR. LINA NAVICKAITĖ
MUSICOLOGIST & CRITIC
"Musicians' Personality vs Stage Persona: Trends, Strategies, and Opportunities"
The short interview with Dr. Navickaitė will be posted here soon
Dr. Lina Navickaitė holds a PhD in musicology from the University of Helsinki. She is a well known music critic and scholar, editor of several journals and academic collections in Lithuanian, English, and Italian. Her own books have been named the best Lithuanian musicological works in the years 2010 and 2014 for innovative research of music performance.
Dr. Navickaitė is full professor at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theater, as well as the founder of its’ Hub of Artistic Research and Performance Studies (HARPS). She organizes and hosts artistic, cultural, and scientific events, as well as various educational projects.
By Chris Day
MACDARA Ó SEIREADÁIN
CLARINETIST & PERFORMANCE COACH
"Psychology as a Backbone to a Stage Career"
Personal Coaching Sessions
- How do you define “mental preparation” for performance?
In order to perform well, we should aim to have true confidence in our performing abilities, and also a suite of mental tools designed to help get us into our ideal performance state of quiet focus, but also techniques to help us shut out distractions, quieten the self-sabotaging inner monologue, and also recover from mistakes. When all these factors are in place, a performer can say they are truly mentally prepared for a performance, ready to fully perform to their abilities and deal with anything on the stage.
- Is performance anxiety always something to overcome - or sometimes something to use?
Performance anxiety is an unfortunately common phrase, and one can instantly make a musician fear going onto the stage. Much of the physical and mental emotions we go through before performing are driven by adrenaline, which is a natural reaction to being in a stressful performance situation. However, we have a choice as to how we react to this heightened state - in a negative, fear-based way, or in a positive, embracing, excited way. Dr Don Greene argues that by reframing this anxiety as "performance energy' and excitement, we get ourselves into a far healthier state of mind, and can use this extra energy to deepen our concentration, and improve our performance. It's something I use myself and encourage other musicians to try.
Macdara Ó Seireadáin is a native of Dublin and a First Class Honours graduate of both the HMTM Hannover and the Royal Irish Academy of Music. In 2019, after holding orchestral positions in Austria and Germany, he joined the RTÉ Concert Orchestra as principal clarinet. In addition to this he is a member of the Dublin-based Ficino Ensemble with whom he has recorded several acclaimed CDs.
A multiple prizewinner, in 2010 Ó Seireadáin won the inaugural Irish Freemasons Young Musician of the Year competition and has performed throughout Europe, the USA, Canada, China, Chile, and India. Alongside a busy performing career, he lectures on performance psychology and has coached musicians worldwide to orchestral audition and competition successes.
SPECIAL GUESTS
RACHEL BREEN
MIRABELLE KAJENJERI
FINNUR THORGEIRSSON
KPM Young Pianist's Podcast: "Beyond the Prize: Inside Piano Competitions"
KPM Young Pianist's Podcast returns for its second year. This time, our aim is to produce three short episodes fully moderated by our students. Our guests will present different realities and experiences from the world of piano competitions. While two of the interviewees are successful performers and multiple prize winners, the third is a father and manager of his daughter, an accomplished and popular performer. Through these conversations, our students hope to develop their critical thinking and conversational skills and greatly benefit from the guests’ experiences.
American pianist Rachel Breen’s performances have been described as “truly show-stopping” (Gramophone UK), having “a beautiful piano sound and original detail.” Breen was self-taught until age 10, when she began lessons with Dr. Sharon Mann at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. A laureate of the 2025 Queen Elisabeth Competition, Breen has also been awarded top prizes at Premi Iturbi (2023), the Hans von Bülow International Competition (2023), the Bösendorfer International Competition (2023), the Honens International Piano Competition (2022), the Beethoven International Competition in Vienna (2021), and the Georges Cziffra International Competition (2019), among others.
Born in 1998 to Burundian and Ukrainian parents, Mirabelle Kajenjeri draws deep inspiration from her multicultural heritage. In 2025, she was named a laureate of the Queen Elisabeth International Competition and made her debut at the Berlin Philharmonie. She has been recognized in numerous international competitions, including First Prize at the Santa Cecilia International Piano Competition (2021), Second Prize at the Kissinger KlavierOlymp (2023), and semi-finalist placements at both the Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition (2023) and the Cleveland International Piano Competition (2024). A multifaceted musician, she is also a passionate violinist, having studied both instruments from an early age.
Finnur Thorgeirsson has dedicated a significant portion of his life to guiding and managing the first steps of Ásta Dóra Finnsdóttir, a successful young pianist with more than 20 competition wins, including first prizes at the Young Pianist of the North in Newcastle, the Malmö Piano Competition, and the Grand Prix at the Volodymyr Krainev Piano Competition in Kharkiv. By the age of 18, she had performed across Europe and was selected to perform at the prestigious Cliburn Junior Festival in 2023. We invited Finnur to share his side of the story, reflecting the meticulous work and passion that many parents of talented performers share, but rarely have the opportunity to express. His experience will be valuable not only for students, but also for their parents and teachers.
DAIVA PALUBINSKAITĖ
FITNESS TRAINER
Pilates for Pianists
- How can Pilates exercises help pianists?
The unique exercise system practiced during Pilates sessions was developed by the legendary physiotherapist Joseph H. Pilates. His method is notable for strengthening the deep muscles of the body. Moreover, the calm nature of Pilates sessions makes them suitable and beneficial for people of all ages and fitness levels, including athletes and musicians. Pilates is considered one of the safest forms of training. It helps alleviate various pains in the lower back, shoulders, and neck. It gradually strengthens the core muscles, with special attention to the muscles that support the spine. It also teaches proper breathing techniques.
- What can our students expect during the session?
Pilates is an ideal workout for those trying exercise for the first time as well as for athletes looking to improve their performance. Since all movements are performed slowly and with controlled precision, Pilates delivers long-lasting results. For these reasons, it is especially recommended for people whose professions involve prolonged sitting. During the session, we will focus on proper posture and perform fundamental deep muscle strengthening exercises, incorporating specialized equipment as needed.
Daiva Palubinskaitė is a highly experienced group fitness trainer with 25 years of professional practice. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Choreography and a Master’s degree in Physical Education Pedagogy from Klaipėda University. Certified by Stott Pilates in London, she specializes in Pilates for various groups. Additionally, she is an experienced yoga teacher certified at the TTC500 level by Shivananda Vedanta Yoga.
Palubinskaitė is the founder and trainer at the wellness studio Ginsvė and serves as a lecturer at Klaipėda State University of Applied Sciences and the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre. Her teaching subjects include anatomy and injury prevention, physical activity organization, healthy living, and creative movement for preschool children. She has authored publications on various health-related topics.
