Rania Penelope Dereka
German cellist Rania Penelope Dereka (b. 2005) received her first cello lessons at age 8.In 2021, she received a scholarship to work with renowned British cellist Penny Driver in Wells Cathedral School's "Specialist Music Program. In 2022, she received generous scholarship from from from the United Kingdom Department of Education Music and Dance.
At the age of 11, Rania made her concert debut in the Aura-Media-Kulturforum Frankfurt. A cum laude laureate of the Hamburger Instrumentalwettbewerb, Rania performed at the "Konzert der Kinder" at the Laeiszhalle Hamburg, organized by the famous quartet "Salut Saison." Rania was also invited to perform at the "Spivakov meets Friends" festival 2019 (+2020,2021) at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow. In addition, she performed at the German Opera in Berlin, Schlosstheater Rheinsberg, Schloss Mosigkau, Musikmess Frankfurt, Goethe-Haus Frankfurt, Brahms-Society Wiesbaden, and as a special guest at the "Prélude" concert series at the Museum Pankow in Berlin.
In 2021, Rania was invited to perform at the Young Classic Dialogue Festival in Berlin. As a participant in the International Holland Music Sessions, Rania gave her first solo recital in Bergen (NH), summer 2022.
Rania received artistic inspiration at master classes by Leonid Gorokhov, Ulrich Voss, Xavier Gagnepain and Stefan Forck. She participated in Musicals International Music Academy, International Summer Academy for Young Artists Marktoberdorf, Pelion Festival Greece, Euro Music Academy Hall and chamber music courses with Michael Erxleben, Karine Gilanyan and Damien Ventura of Musikakademie Rheinsberg, among others.
Rania is laureate of many competitions, she received the 1st prize in her age group at International XXIXth Concours Flame in Paris and received honorable distinctions at several National competitions in Germany, such as Carl-Schroeder-Wettbewerb, MusikTalente, and the Hamburger Instrumentenwettbewerb, and Mendelsohn-Wettbewerb Rhein-Main.
Rania's second instrument is the piano; she studies with Joseph Tong. She is a member of a quartet and the Wells Cathedral Symphony Orchestra.
Before studying in England, she studied with Erik Richter at the Emanuel Feuermann Conservatory at Kronberg Academy, Daniel Geiss (University of Music Mainz), Katherina Deserto at the Pre College of Cologne University of Music and Dance and Sabine Krams (Solo Cellist Opera Orchestra Frankfurt).
From 2017 - 2022, Rania studied at the International Academy for Talented Young Musicians Berlin.
Information/details
- First name: Rania Penelope
- Last name: Dereka
- Nationality: German
- Type/level: Student
- Instruments: cello