Welcome
The Beverly Hills International Music Festival was founded in 2004 by the Ukrainian conductor Gregory Cherninsky. A graduate of the Odessa Conservatory, Gregory immigrated to the US in the mid-1990s and continued doing what he loved most—creating music. Over the years, under his leadership, the festival has helped countless students advance their skills, expand their musical horizons, and make friends for life. Many of the participants returned to the festival for several years and later pursued professional careers.
After serving as a Festival Director for over 20 years, Mr. Cherninsky retired in 2024, naming the Board Member Veronica Bell as his successor.
Board of Directors
Welcome to the Beverly Hills International Music Festival Board of Directors page, where you can learn more about the visionary leaders who fuel our mission of promoting extraordinary musical talent and enriching cultural experiences.
Meet Our Leadership
Our board comprises dedicated individuals from diverse backgrounds, each bringing unique expertise and passion for the arts. Together, they guide the festival's vision, ensuring that we continue to celebrate and nurture music's vibrant heritage. Explore their bios to discover the stories and inspirations that drive their commitment to elevating the performing arts in our community and beyond.
Veronica Bell
Veronica Bell has gained international acclaim as a singer for her beautiful tone and distinct style of performing well-known music in a uniquely charismatic and personal way. She received her master’s degree in vocal performance from the Gnesin Institute of Music in Moscow, Russia, where she also studied choral conducting and vocal pedagogy. After immigrating to the US, she started her career as a concert soloist. Veronica has toured throughout the United States as well as Germany, Poland, Italy, France, Spain, Russia, Austria, Guatemala, and Thailand, where she was personally invited by HM Queen Sirikit to perform concerts at the Royal Palace in Bangkok on the occasion of Her Majesty’s birthday. Veronica is a frequent collaborator with contemporary classical composers and a recipient of multiple international music awards. In addition, Ms. Bell maintains a private voice studio. In 2024, she replaced Gregory Cherninsky as the director of the Beverly Hills International Music Festival.
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More information at www.veronicabellsoprano.com
Randy Holliday
Mr. Holliday brings to the table a wealth of corporate legal and business experience based on over 30 years of in-house public company legal service. He held positions as Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary for several public companies during the last 20 years of his career, retiring in 2014. He is a veteran, having served 4 years as a Judge Advocate with the U.S. Air Force after graduating from the Florida State University College of Law. He has been a member of the Florida, Wisconsin, and California State Bar Associations.
Sylviane Herzog
Sylviane Herzog, a native of France, received a Ph.D. in psychobiology from UCLA. After being deeply involved in scientific research and teaching at her alma mater for several years, she founded a telecommunications company, Concorde Communications (currently Answering365), that provides dispatch services to hospitals and medical facilities nationwide. Sylviane is a recipient of countless industry awards, and her company is on the list of 100 Best Female-Owned businesses in the US. Fun fact: singer Kelly Clarkson once visited Concorde Communications and spent a few hours working as a phone agent.
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For more information, please visit www.answering365.com
Dimitry Olevsky
Violinist Dr. Dimitry Olevsky is a violin and chamber music faculty at the Colburn School of Music. He earned his Doctorate from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a Master’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music in New York. Dimitry’s primary pedagogues include Linda Rose, Grigory Kalinovsky, and Yuval Yaron. His students have earned principal and title positions in the Colburn School, the Los Angeles Youth and Philharmonic Orchestras, and ensembles at the Idyllwild and Interlochen Music Festivals, as well as at Crossroads and Santa Monica High Schools. They have also received top honors, including Grand Prizes at international music competitions for young artists and awards in the Concerto Competitions of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Committee and the Idyllwild Arts Academy.
In addition to maintaining an active teaching studio and a robust schedule of solo and chamber performances, Dr. Olevsky collaborates with symphonic and operatic orchestras across the United States, Russia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Poland, Italy, England, Scotland, Austria, the Czech Republic, and France.
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More at www.dimitryolevsky.com
Donald Irvine Brown
Of Scottish heritage, Donald Irvine Brown grew up in the Chicago area. After receiving his BM at a small private university in Illinois, he attended graduate school in Dallas on a full scholarship, receiving two master’s degrees in performance and music history.
After moving to Los Angeles, he earned a Ph.D. in Musicology from USC. His love of libraries and research led him to pursue a graduate program, from which he later earned his Ph.D. in Librarianship. Donald worked at UCLA's Research Library for 12 years before accepting the full-time position as Professor of Music Librarianship at El Camino College in Torrance.
As an organist, he served throughout the Los Angeles area for decades, including 12 years at St. Matthias Episcopal Church in Whittier. Currently retired, Mr. Brown is known locally and nationally within the Music Library Association as "The Organist Librarian."
