Ghent Conservatory | Ictus Ensemble | Spectra Ensemble
Elisa Medinilla : bio
Jona Elisa Medinilla started her musical career as a pianist at the Conservatory of Ghent under the guidance of Claude Coppens and Daan Van De Walle. She graduated magna cum laude from the class of Boyan Vodenitcharov at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels. In addition she has been coached intensively by the pianists Luk Vaes and Ian Pace, and has taken masterclasses from a.o. Claire Chevallier, Menahem Pressler, Daniel Pollack, Evelyne Brancart and Andreas Staier. Particulary focusing on contemporary music she is currently following the advanced master programme “soloist in contemporary music” in cooperation with the Ictus and Spectra Ensembles.
As a soloist, Elisa performed in concert halls such as STUK (Leuven), the Handelsbeurs (Ghent), Concertgebouw Bruges, and La Monnaie (Brussels). In 2009 she recorded solo works by the Belgian composer Frank Nuyts, with whom she has developed a close collaboration in recent years. While working freelance for the Flanders Opera House and La Monnaie, Elisa continues to perform as the pianist of the Nadar Ensemble, with whom she aims to present concerts defending and creating works by composers of the youngest generation. With Nadar she has been invited to play at several concert halls and festivals such as Ars Musica (B), TRANSIT festival (B), Harvest Festival (DK), the Internationale Ferienkurse für Neue Musik Darmstadt (D), Festival Musica Strasbourg (FR) and Tzil Meudcan Festival (IL).
During the 2012 - 2013 season, solo- and ensembleprojects are scheduled at venues including the Bijloke (Ghent), Provinciehuis (Ghent), Bozar (Brussels), and festivals such as the Internationale Ferienkurse für Neue Musik Darmstadt 2012 (D) and the Donaueschinger Musiktage 2012 (D).
When not on stage, Elisa teaches piano at the Academy of Music, Dance and Drama in Ghent.
