Renowned Soprano Yelena Dudochkin Joins the Prestigious Virtuosos Jury, Complementing Domingo and Carreras
Internationally acclaimed soprano Yelena Dudochkin was appointed as a jury member for the 10th anniversary season of the Virtuosos Competition, a renowned international classical music competition and television program based in Budapest, Hungary, focused on identifying and supporting the top musicians under the age of 20. The competition was held recently, inviting the best and the brightest of the next generation of musicians from across Europe. This event marks Yelena’s inaugural participation as a judge in the competition, joining a distinguished panel of world-class musicians and educators including Plácido Domingo, José Carreras, cellist HAUSER, and singer and hit-writer Dimash.
[INSERT IMAGE: The jury members of the Virtuosos Talent Show, Budapest, Hungary, February 2025. Left to right: Maestro Plácido Domingo, soprano Yelena Dudochkin, and singer and hit-writer Dimash Qudaibergen. Courtesy photograph.]
Now in its 10th season, the Virtuosos Talent Show is a prestigious international platform showcasing exceptional young classical musicians. The competition takes place over a series of stages. After participants are selected into the semi-finalists, they can work closely with jurists, getting mentorship both for the competition and for their careers. The competition has brought some of the brightest stars of the classical music stage to its jury to create the best opportunities for participants. “It’s an honor to join the Virtuoso jury in its 10th season,” said Dudochkin. “The talent in this competition is stunning and gives me confidence in the potential of a bright future for classical music everywhere.”
Yelena is best known as a Boston-based opera, contemporary, and jazz soprano. Her extensive repertoire spans iconic operatic roles, including Iolanta (Iolanta), Violetta (La Traviata), Gilda (Rigoletto), Norina (Don Pasquale), Manon (Manon), Marfa (Tsar’s Bride), and Podtochina’s Daughter (The Nose). She has performed around the world from the Mariinsky Theater to Carnegie Hall. Yelena more recently became the Artistic Director for the Chamber Music Foundation of New England, and after 20 years of the organization’s classic large-scale concerts, added a salon-style music series, bringing the best musicians and singers globally to an intimate artistic setting in Boston. She has also been a strong advocate for the arts, including speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, among others.
Interview with Yelena Dudochkin: A Journey to the Virtuosos Jury
Q: How did you become a jury member for the Virtuosos competition?
Yelena: Over the past five years, I’ve been giving performance talks at global conferences, including the World Economic Forum and Milken Institute. Last summer, at the Family Office Alliance conference in Stockholm, I was introduced to Mariann Peller, the founder of the Virtuosos Talent Show. We had an inspiring conversation about our shared passion for music, its future, and the need for us to advocate for a bigger role of music in society, not just because of its known health and education benefits, but also because of the role it can play in bettering society. Mariann and I hit it off with our aligned view on the future of classical music and what we could do together toward our shared vision of a reality, and by the end of the conference, I was invited to join the jury for the upcoming competition in January, an incredible opportunity that I was honored to accept.
Q: What first led you to start speaking at conferences?
Yelena: My journey into speaking on saving music and culture began in 2018 at the World Economic Forum in Davos. I had seen the CEO of a major investment bank, who announced that they were reallocating philanthropic funds away from music and the arts, deeming them “elitist pursuits.” The role of music and culture is core to humanity. Creative expression is essential to humanity. And listening to a major potential supporter walk away, it stung me that we could be at risk of losing cultural institutions that enrich our lives.
I expressed my thoughts to a forum panel organizer, who invited me to speak the next morning. Without the preparation one would do for such a talk, given the nature of the invite, I shared my thoughts on the matter and concluded with an a cappella demonstration of the power of the human voice.
The audience responded with a standing ovation. That moment made me realize how vital it is to advocate for music’s role in society. Since then, I’ve been invited to speak and perform at major global conferences, using my platform to champion the arts.
Q: What was the Virtuosos competition like?
Yelena: The Virtuosos competition is an amazing display of talent. Each year, extensive auditions are conducted leading up to semifinals, and then two finalists from different European countries are selected for the finale. They perform a piece of their choice with the Virtuosos Orchestra. The competition is filmed in a state-of-the-art studio, with immersive digital backdrops drawing the audience into the world of the music being performed. In many ways, it resembles The Voice, but instead of pop singers, these are exceptionally talented young classical musicians, aged 10 to 20.
The conductor and judges work closely with contestants to refine their performances. Everyone was so driven and so talented. The jury includes legendary musicians such as maestro Plácido Domingo, maestro José Carreras, violinist Maxim Vengerov, crossover cello superstar HAUSER, and crossover singer superstar Dimash. I loved watching the next generation pour their soul into their pieces. I really enjoyed getting to know them. Despite the high stakes, the atmosphere was collegial and inspiring. The jury sessions and gatherings were filled with lively debates, shared wisdom, and even moments of humor, sparkling friendly competition. The finals were filmed over 16 consecutive hours, but everyone brought their best.
One performer was younger than most, and we were all nervous for him. How could he possibly compete after twenty-year-olds who are ready to become the next hit? We gave him extra encouragement, which he barely needed. After performing his piece by an unknown composer in the competition, probably the best performance of that piece anyone has heard, he proceeded to answer our questions about his other interests with amazing demonstrations without hesitating for a second. It was like seeing a live reincarnation of Mozart!
The show is broadcast on 11 television channels across seven countries, with streaming available in multiple languages, reaching up to 70 million viewers annually. But beyond the impressive scale, what stood out most was the extraordinary level of talent. Many of these young contestants already perform at a professional level. It was truly inspiring to witness the future of classical music unfolding before us.
Q: What were your most memorable moments?
Yelena: Spending time with my operatic heroes was unforgettable. Maestros Plácido Domingo and José Carreras are not only legendary artists but also incredibly warm, humble, and dedicated. They were fully engaged in discussions, debates, and late-night work sessions, and I appreciated partnering with them with our shared view of developing the future of music.
Of course, I can’t reveal the winners yet, but there was an unexpected twist at the very last moment! All I’ll say is that the final debate was intense, making for a thrilling conclusion.
I also cherished the camaraderie with crossover stars like HAUSER and Dimash. Their ability to bridge classical and popular music makes classical artistry more accessible to wider audiences. We shared nonstop laughter, clever banter, and, of course, many last-minute hairspray fixes between performances! Those 16 hours of filming flew by.
Q: What’s next for you with Virtuosos?
Yelena: I’m honored to be a featured performer at the Virtuosos Spring Concert on April 16, 2025, at the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, accompanied by the Budapest Symphony Orchestra.
Beyond that, I’m excited to join Virtuosos as a cultural ambassador and look forward to serving on the jury again next year. It’s an inspiring initiative, and I can’t wait to see where it leads!
The interview was conducted by Vladimir V. Riabov.
Download the Original Article in Russian
About the author: Dr. Vladimir V. Riabov is a Professor of Computer Science in the Department of Computer Science at Rivier University. From 2010 to 2022, Vladimir served as the Department Coordinator and Director of Computer Science programs. He received a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics and Physics from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, and an M.S. in Computer Information Systems from Southern New Hampshire University. Vladimir has published about 130 articles in encyclopedias, handbooks, journals, and international and national conference proceedings. He is a senior member of ACM and AIAA, and a member of IEEE and MAA. Since April 2005, Vladimir has served as the Editor-in-Chief of InSight: Rivier Academic Journal.
