Elysabeth Muscat is the Founding Director of Music International Grand Prix. Ms. Muscat has devoted her entire career to the Arts, as a performer, teacher, administrator, and volunteer, and is thrilled to now be Directing Music International Grand Prix.
She has a Bachelor of Psychology from Tulane University and a Master of Music in Voice from the Mannes College of Music. She sang soprano roles with the Staatsoper Prague, Opernhaus Zürich, Theater der Stadt Koblenz, Wiener Kammeroper, Schönbrünner Schlosstheater, L'opéra Français, Mannes Camerata and Mannes Opera. Roles performed include Zerbinetta (Ariadne auf Naxos), Adele (Die Fledermaus), Papagena (Die Zauberflöte), Oscar (Un ballo in maschera), Anna (Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor), Clorinda (La Cenerentola), Gilda (Rigoletto) and many more. She has worked with world renowned conductors Nello Santi, Ralf Weikert, Dietfried Bernet, Benton Hess, and Yves Abel. She shared the stage with opera legends Montserrat Caballe, Edita Gruberova, and Dame Gwyneth Jones. She sang as a soloist with the Rheinische Philharmonie, the Südwestdeutsche Symphonie, the Neue Musik Orchester Basel, and the Northshore Symphony Orchestra. She was a winner of the Friday Music Club Young Artist Competition, Pittsburgh Concert Society Competition, and finalist and semifinalist in numerous international competitions including the Palm Beach Opera, International Belvedere, International Julian Gayarre, Jenny Lind, Stewart Awards, and Washington International Competition. She was a two time winner of an Individual Artist Award from the Maryland State Arts Council.
Ms. Muscat was on the Voice Faculty of the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University from 2001-2016, serving both as Chair of the Voice Department of the Preparatory Division for ten years, and as Adjunct Faculty of the Conservatory, teaching voice minors for three years. She has also been on the faculty of Point Park College, the Civic Light Opera Academy in Pittsburgh, and Towson University Preparatory Division. She has given Master Classes at the Washington Opera Summer Institute ("The Art of Auditioning") and at the Peabody Institute ("Vocal Health" in conjunction with the Johns Hopkins Voice Institute). She has been a judge for NATSAA (National Association of Teaching of Singing Artist Awards), NATS State and Regional Auditions, the NOVA IDOL competition, the Baltimore County Solo and Ensemble Festival, and at Towson University.
She was a board member of the MD/DC Chapter of NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) for seven years, where she also served three years as President and two years as Vice President. Her students have been accepted to Juilliard with Presidential Distinction, Manhattan School of Music with the Liberace Scholarship, Peabody Conservatory, Oberlin, New England Conservatory, Eastman School of Music, Mannes College of Music, Westminster Choir College, University of Maryland School of Music, and many more. Students have won top awards at NATS State and Regional auditions and at the Classical Singer National Music Competition. Former students are now singing professionally throughout the United States and Europe. Ms. Muscat also studied piano, allowing her to accompany all voice students on the piano and teach beginner to intermediate piano students.
Ms. Muscat has also been actively involved in the ballet world for over twenty years. She was Managing Director of Baltimore Ballet from 2000-2012 and has been the Managing Director of Virginia National Ballet since 2013. She is currently a Board Member of the Prince William Arts Council where she has been serving since 2014.
She has a Bachelor of Psychology from Tulane University and a Master of Music in Voice from the Mannes College of Music. She sang soprano roles with the Staatsoper Prague, Opernhaus Zürich, Theater der Stadt Koblenz, Wiener Kammeroper, Schönbrünner Schlosstheater, L'opéra Français, Mannes Camerata and Mannes Opera. Roles performed include Zerbinetta (Ariadne auf Naxos), Adele (Die Fledermaus), Papagena (Die Zauberflöte), Oscar (Un ballo in maschera), Anna (Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor), Clorinda (La Cenerentola), Gilda (Rigoletto) and many more. She has worked with world renowned conductors Nello Santi, Ralf Weikert, Dietfried Bernet, Benton Hess, and Yves Abel. She shared the stage with opera legends Montserrat Caballe, Edita Gruberova, and Dame Gwyneth Jones. She sang as a soloist with the Rheinische Philharmonie, the Südwestdeutsche Symphonie, the Neue Musik Orchester Basel, and the Northshore Symphony Orchestra. She was a winner of the Friday Music Club Young Artist Competition, Pittsburgh Concert Society Competition, and finalist and semifinalist in numerous international competitions including the Palm Beach Opera, International Belvedere, International Julian Gayarre, Jenny Lind, Stewart Awards, and Washington International Competition. She was a two time winner of an Individual Artist Award from the Maryland State Arts Council.
Ms. Muscat was on the Voice Faculty of the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University from 2001-2016, serving both as Chair of the Voice Department of the Preparatory Division for ten years, and as Adjunct Faculty of the Conservatory, teaching voice minors for three years. She has also been on the faculty of Point Park College, the Civic Light Opera Academy in Pittsburgh, and Towson University Preparatory Division. She has given Master Classes at the Washington Opera Summer Institute ("The Art of Auditioning") and at the Peabody Institute ("Vocal Health" in conjunction with the Johns Hopkins Voice Institute). She has been a judge for NATSAA (National Association of Teaching of Singing Artist Awards), NATS State and Regional Auditions, the NOVA IDOL competition, the Baltimore County Solo and Ensemble Festival, and at Towson University.
She was a board member of the MD/DC Chapter of NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) for seven years, where she also served three years as President and two years as Vice President. Her students have been accepted to Juilliard with Presidential Distinction, Manhattan School of Music with the Liberace Scholarship, Peabody Conservatory, Oberlin, New England Conservatory, Eastman School of Music, Mannes College of Music, Westminster Choir College, University of Maryland School of Music, and many more. Students have won top awards at NATS State and Regional auditions and at the Classical Singer National Music Competition. Former students are now singing professionally throughout the United States and Europe. Ms. Muscat also studied piano, allowing her to accompany all voice students on the piano and teach beginner to intermediate piano students.
Ms. Muscat has also been actively involved in the ballet world for over twenty years. She was Managing Director of Baltimore Ballet from 2000-2012 and has been the Managing Director of Virginia National Ballet since 2013. She is currently a Board Member of the Prince William Arts Council where she has been serving since 2014.
Rafik Hegab is the co-founder of Music International Grand Prix. Mr. Hegab is also the Artistic Director and Choreographer for Virginia National Ballet, where he has been leading the company since 2013. He is a prolific choreographer who creates at least one to two original World Premieres each season. Mr. Hegab has choreographed the world premieres of Aida, Aladdin, Bohemian Rhapsody, Bolero, Carmina Burana, Carmen, Cinderella, Collection, La Boheme, Life in the Fast Lane, Snow White, and more, and restaged The Nutcracker and acts from Swan Lake, Le Corsaire, and Giselle for Virginia National Ballet. He was also a guest choreographer for the Regional Emmy Award Winning production of "The Circle of Life: The Music of Time Rice" at the Music Center at Strathmore by Young Artists of America, which was televised on PBS.
His work has been performed at the International Ballet Festival in Managua, Nicaragua, and he is in demand as a choreographer for students needing original choreography for YAGP, etc. His former students have gone on to work at Milwaukee Ballet, San Antonio Ballet, Gelsey Kirkland Ballet, and the Stara Opera Zagora in Bulgaria. He won the 2019 Seefeldt Award for Outstanding Individual Artist, and his work has received great reviews on Broadwayworld.com, DCMetroTheaterArts.com Inside NOVA, Bull Run Observer, and more.
Originally from Egypt, he received his Diploma from the Higher Institute of Ballet in 2000, and his Bachelor Degree in Dance Pedagogy (Vaganova Syllabus) and Choreography from the Academy of Arts in Cairo in 2009. He joined the Cairo Opera Ballet Company in 1999, won 1st place in the Egyptian National Ballet Competition in 2000, became Soloist in 2002, and was promoted to Principal Dancer in 2004. As a Principal Dancer, Mr. Hegab toured with the company in China, Lebanon, the Czech Republic, Jordan, Turkey, Germany, Italy, Austria, Spain, Mexico, India, Greece, and Russia. He danced the Matador in Don Quixote with Julio Bocca, John in Zorba the Greek, Ali in Le Corsaire, Siegfried in Swan Lake, the principal dancer in Carmina Burana, the Cavalier in The Nutcracker, and more. He coached award winning ballet dancers who won first place in the Egyptian National Ballet competition. He is fluent in Arabic, Russian, and English.
His work has been performed at the International Ballet Festival in Managua, Nicaragua, and he is in demand as a choreographer for students needing original choreography for YAGP, etc. His former students have gone on to work at Milwaukee Ballet, San Antonio Ballet, Gelsey Kirkland Ballet, and the Stara Opera Zagora in Bulgaria. He won the 2019 Seefeldt Award for Outstanding Individual Artist, and his work has received great reviews on Broadwayworld.com, DCMetroTheaterArts.com Inside NOVA, Bull Run Observer, and more.
Originally from Egypt, he received his Diploma from the Higher Institute of Ballet in 2000, and his Bachelor Degree in Dance Pedagogy (Vaganova Syllabus) and Choreography from the Academy of Arts in Cairo in 2009. He joined the Cairo Opera Ballet Company in 1999, won 1st place in the Egyptian National Ballet Competition in 2000, became Soloist in 2002, and was promoted to Principal Dancer in 2004. As a Principal Dancer, Mr. Hegab toured with the company in China, Lebanon, the Czech Republic, Jordan, Turkey, Germany, Italy, Austria, Spain, Mexico, India, Greece, and Russia. He danced the Matador in Don Quixote with Julio Bocca, John in Zorba the Greek, Ali in Le Corsaire, Siegfried in Swan Lake, the principal dancer in Carmina Burana, the Cavalier in The Nutcracker, and more. He coached award winning ballet dancers who won first place in the Egyptian National Ballet competition. He is fluent in Arabic, Russian, and English.