About us
The Berkovsky-Solomon Academy of Music was born in 2017 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
In our music studio, we believe in motivating and challenging students to reach their highest potential. We strive to create a friendly and encouraging environment where students are given all the tools and attention that is needed to get the best out of their studies.
Founders
"Young Canadian pianist Coral Solomon demonstrated a remarkable maturity of interpretation, musicality and sensibility which proved a great talent and an intelligent and original approach” -Libertatea, Bucharest Romania
Israeli born pianist, Coral Solomon has been praised for her “distinct sensibility” and “original view” (Radio Romania Musical) and has performed numerous solo recitals throughout Canada, USA, Italy, France, Spain, Romania, and Israel. She has appeared as soloist with over a dozen orchestras across Canada, Italy, and Romania- where she performed with the state philharmonic orchestras of Sibiu, Timisoara, Brasov, Bacau, Arad, Tergu Mures, Ploiesti, Ramnicu Valcea, among others. She returned to collaborate with the Bacau Philharmonic Orchestra for the 3rd time, as she debuted a piano concerto transcription of Rachmaninoff’s Variations on a Theme by Corelli. The work was written and dedicated to her by conductor emeritus of New Jersey Plainfield Symphony, Sabin Pautza, who also conducted the premier.
Actively engaged in creative projects in her hometown, this season highlights include serving as artistic director for the first Canadian edition of the George Enescu International Festival (originating in Romania, it is one of the largest classical music festivals in the world) and performing in the Festival’s opening concert with the concertmaster of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Jonathan Crow; working with Academy Award winning actress Cate Blanchett, as her piano coach for the upcoming TV series: “Mrs. America” (shot in Toronto and set to be released in 2020); and appearing as the piano soloist in Toronto’s internationally acclaimed Fall for Dance North Festival that took place in the Meridian Hall (formally known as the Sony Centre).
Devoted to her community’s musical education scene, Coral currently maintains a full-time private music studio at her home in North York. She is also the director of the Berkovsky-Solomon Academy of Music founded by her and her husband, Michael Berkovsky, which offers additional instructors for piano, theory, and violin lessons in her home studio and online. Coral regularly adjudicates festivals such as the Pickering Rotary Music Festival, Unionville Music Academy Competition, Durham Showcase Music Festival, Ann Southerland Award (part of the Canadian Contemporary Showcase), as well as the ORMTA Central Toronto, Scarborough, Newmarket, Barrie, and Oshawa branches.
After moving with her family to Toronto in 2004, Coral was a student at the Young Artist Performance Academy of the Royal Conservatory of Music. Prizewinner of several competitions, Coral was interviewed by numerous North American and European television channels and has participated in intensive international summer festivals such as the Pianofest in the Hamptons (Long Island, NY), the Morningside Music Bridge Institute (Calgary), and the Toronto Summer Music Institute.
She has completed her undergraduate degree at the Cleveland Institute of Music and her Master’s degree at Boston University, under the tutelage of Antonio Pompa-Baldi and Pavel Nersessian respectively. During her studies in the United States, she was a recipient of the generous Canada Council for the Arts’ Musician Grant. Coral is currently pursuing her Doctoral of Music degree in piano performance at the University of Toronto with Enrico Elisi, on full scholarship.
Coral Solomon | founder and director
Canadian-Israeli pianist, Dr. Michael Berkovsky, made his New York debut at the David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center and has toured as soloist in Ireland, Japan, Italy, Israel, Canada, the United States and Costa Rica; as well as performed under the baton of Vladimir Feltsman, Stefan Sanderling, Leon Fleisher and William Noll. Michael won numerous international awards and regularly collaborates with chamber groups and award winning musicians. He was a guest artist at many international festivals, including Arts Naples where he collaborated with Russian pianist Pavel Narcessian, and Music Niagara Festival. He frequents the cultural scene of his community in Toronto and has performed with Kindred Spirit Orchestra, York Symphony Orchestra and many others.
A passionate and dedicated music educator as well as a highly sought after piano teacher, Dr. Berkovsky is on the faculty of the Glenn Gould School and the Phil and Eli Taylor Performance Academy for Young Artists, at the Canadian Royal Conservatory of Music. He also maintains a private studio in which a number of his students have placed highly in provincial, national and international competitions. Additionally, Michael is a board member of the Canadian Music Competition as well as an advisor on the Artistic Committee of the Chinese Cultural Center Music Festival.
He was a recipient of the America Israel Cultural Foundation Scholarships from 1994-2001. On the recommendation from Maestro Valery Gergiev, Michael was awarded the White Nights Foundation Scholarships while studying at The Juilliard School.
Born in the former Soviet Union and immigrated to Israel in 1990, Michael has studied with Nataly Litvinova and was mentored by Alexander Slobodyanik. In 2001, his family moved to Toronto, Canada. He received his Bachelor and Master’s degrees from The Juilliard School where he studied with Yoheved Kaplinsky and Julian Martin. In 2011, he completed his Doctoral degree at the Peabody Conservatory of the John Hopkins University under the tutelage of Professor Yong Hi Moon.
“Mr. Berkovsky is quiet and unassuming in demeanor and simply settled down at the piano to play several of the great masterworks of the repertoire. He was in all ways a servant of the music and gave us a performance that was nothing less than astonishing” – Southampton Times
“It’s not surprising to encounter talented pianists, but it sure is fun to hear one who has something distinctive to say” – Baltimore Sun