MARK ZEMLYANSKIY (UKR)

Born in Cherkasy, Ukraine, he began playing the guitar at the age of seven. From 2016 to 2022, he studied under Professor Olena Drozdova at the R. Glier Music Academy in Kyiv, specializing in guitar performance, and started his bachelor's studies in 2020. Due to the war, he interrupted his studies, and in March 2022, he was accepted as an intern at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. In the academic year 2022-2023, he continued his bachelor's studies under MgA. Ozren Mutak, Ph.D., MgA. Anna Hronová, Ph.D., and MgA. Petr Saidl. From September 2025, he has been teaching guitar at the State Conservatory in Plzeň.

He has won prizes at numerous national and international competitions, including: I prize at the International Guitar Festival in Luxembourg, May 2025, ІІ. prize at international guitar competition festival internacional de gitarra de Mula 2025, III prize, audience prize and the best interpretation of the Spanish composer at the guitar festival in Madrid 2025, I prize at the International Guitar Competition at the International Guitar Festival in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina in April 2025, II prize in Italy at the Mantovani International Guitar Competition (MIGC), March 2025, Finalist of one of the largest and most challenging guitar competitions, XIX Silesian Guitar Autumn, Tychy, Poland, November 2024, III prize and audience prize at the International Biennial Guitar Performance Competition, Kutná Hora 2024, I prize at the International Guitar Competition in Brno, July 2023, where he won a Kohno Professional J guitar and advanced directly to the finals at the Bach Competition Tokyo, I prize at the 12th World Open Music Competition, 2021, I prize at the International Guitar Competition Sigitas Slinskas, Vilnius, Lithuania, 2019, Grand Prix at the International Guitar Competition in Katowice, Poland.

Another significant achievement is the International Guitar Art Competition "GitAs" in Kyiv, which he won three times in different age categories. In his third participation, although he officially belonged to a younger category, he entered the older category and managed to win there as well.

It is also worth mentioning that in February 2025, he performed at the Guitar Festival in Katowice, playing the first half of the concert before the renowned guitarist Otto Tolonen.

Thanks to these victories, he has performed as a soloist with an orchestra, allowing him to showcase his artistry on prestigious musical stages. In addition to classical music, he also explores contemporary pop music, expanding his artistic reach and engaging a wider audience.