Jerome Rose, hailed as "the Last Romantic of our own age" and one of America's most distinguished pianists, has been heard in major concert halls across five continents. A Gold Medalist from the International Busoni Competition, Mr. Rose began his international career while still in his early twenties. His catalogue of critically acclaimed recordings are released on Medici Classics.

Mr. Rose's recordings of Franz Liszt for Vox were awarded the Grand Prix du Disque from the Liszt Society of Budapest, and the Ministry of Culture of Hungary conferred on him the Franz Liszt Medal for organizing the comprehensive Liszt Centennial Celebration in Washington D.C. in 1986.

Jerome Rose has appeared with such orchestras as the Berlin Philharmonic, Munich Philharmonic, London Philharmonic and Royal Philharmonic. In addition he has been soloist with most major U. S. orchestras. Mr. Rose tours worldwide in recital and masterclass appearances and is in demand as a juror at international competitions.

A graduate of the Mannes College of Music and the Juilliard School of Music, Jerome Rose studied with Leonard Shure and Rudolf Serkin at Marlboro. He is on the Faculty of the Mannes School of Music, and is Founder/Director of the International Keyboard Institute & Festival held every summer in New York City. Mr. Rose was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Music from the State University of New York for his lifetime achievement in music.

Jerry Straus is one of the three founding partners of JMW - a management consultancy with over 30 years' experience helping the world’s most successful business leaders create and realize high-impact outcomes and dramatic shifts in performance. Under Jerry’s leadership, JMW has partnered with clients around the world as they make extraordinary advances in their business performances, building the JMW brand and a client roster that ranges from Fortune 100 corporations to entrepreneurial firms in industries as diverse as mining, pharmaceuticals, and financial services. Jerry has been a master musician for most of his life and remains very active in the world of music.

He has participated as a Director on the Boards of various non-profit organizations, such as the Boston Theater Redevelopment Fund and Pro Musicis and is currently a Director of the International Keyboard Institute in New York, New York. Jerry is also an avid supporter of Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Julie Kedersha has been the Festival Director of the International Keyboard Institute and Festival since 2000. Prior to that she was a co-director of her own firm, Curzon & Kedersha Artists Management, managing the careers of instrumentalists, singers, and chamber groups, for almost 20 years. Earlier she had worked at the management firms of ICM Artists and Columbia Artists. She is also currently Director of Medici Classics Productions. Julie Kedersha holds an A.B. from Cornell University.

Magdalena Baczewska is a Polish-born pianist and harpsichordist, educator, recording artist, producer, and administrator. She has performed internationally as soloist, and in collaboration with maestro Tan Dun, and violinist Joshua Bell. Baczewska is Director of the Music Performance Program and Lecturer in Music at Columbia University. She is Artistic Director of the Kosciuszko Foundation Chopin Piano Competition in New York City, as well as the Artistic and Music Director at BlueSleep®. Baczewska is a Yamaha Artist. Having served on IKIF faculty for the past ten years, she joins the Board on the festival's twentieth anniversary.