Allison Kugel (born 1974) is an American journalist, editor, and entrepreneur. In 2001 Kugel founded two online enterprises which led to her being featured in Entrepreneur Magazine in 2004. She manages her own public relations firm, and serves as a freelance writer. As Senior Editor of PR.com, she frequently conducts celebrity interviews.

Early life and education[link]

Allison Kugel was born in 1974^[1] on Long Island, New York, where she spent her childhood. She attended Long Island University C.W. Post Campus in New York City and majored in criminal justice. She became an auxiliary police officer during her senior year, interning at a Long Island county courthouse where she worked interviewed arrestees to determine if they were eligible for free legal council. She has stated, "After some less than pleasant experiences in both of these positions I came to the conclusion that at 5'3" and 110 pounds, perhaps this wasn't the right career path for me."^[2]

Career[link]

Entrepreneurship[link]

While in college Kugel began modeling, continuing to do so after graduating and moving to Los Angeles, California. After a few years, Kugel returned to New York City to accept a job at a public relations firm, only to be laid off after 9/11.^[2] She was inspired to become an entrepreneur after reading an Internet start-up book owned by her 15-year old brother, Jared. The two pooled their savings to start the website LongIslandLefty.com, an e-commerce site for left-handed specialty products, operating out of their parents' home.^[1]

Kugel launched a second website, TireSignal.com, after her father showed her a clever but then-unpopular tire cap with a pressure indicator he'd received as a sample. TireSignal.com sold a similar product that Kugel's cousin had developed. The website started with online orders and bulk overseas sales, and eventually landed an account with AAA.^[1] The business expanded to sell a variety of niche auto products,^[2] and Kugel established offices in Plainview, New York, and New York City, and warehouses on Long Island.^[1] In 2004, Entrepreneur Magazine estimated the combined projected sales for the two start-ups in 2004 as $1.1 million.^[1]

After a February 2004 profile in Entrepreneur,^[1] Kugel began to receive emails asking for advice on business start-ups. A friend urged her to open a consulting firm. As her firm began to incorporate public relations and marketing consulting, she branded it Allison Dawn Public Relations.^[2] As of 2011, the company is based in Long Island, New York, and has a satellite office in^[3] South Florida.^[4]

Around the time, a friend acquired the domain PR.com, and approached Kugel to oversee public relations for the site and build Internet traffic. At Kugel's suggestion, the site began incorporating editorial content, including celebrity interviews, and Kugel became senior editor.^[4]

Writing[link]

Kugel serves as a freelance writer for publications including US Weekly, the campus magazine for UCLA, and Jewish Living Magazine. Kugel has the status of expert author on Ezine. Her topics often include women's interests, business, and finance. She has also appeared as a guest American news correspondent for 96.7 Ocean FM in South England, where she delivered a 30 minute monthly news report on American politics and entertainment.^[4][5]

Interviews[link]

Kugel has conducted dozens of interviews with individuals in politics and the entertainment industry. Her first interview to become prevalent in the media was a May 2007 interview of porn star Jenna Jameson, during which Jameson revealed she was endorsing Hillary Clinton for president, and that Bill Clinton's presidency had been positive for the porn industry.^[6] The story was covered by Jay Leno, Tucker Carlson of MSNBC, Saturday Night Live, Conan O'Brien, the Drudge Report,^[7] and the National Ledger.^[8]

Personal life[link]

Kugel regularly donates to both ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).^[2]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Allison Dawn Public Relations
• "Allison's Word" Blog

Michael Kugel (Russian: Михаил Бенедиктович Кугель; born December 5, 1946) is a Russian viola player and composer.

Biography[link]

Born in Kharkov, USSR, he studied at the Beethoven School of Music, at the Music College in Kharkov and later at the Leningrad (Saint Petersburg) Conservatory.

In 1975 he won First Prize (joint with Zoltan Toth) at the International Viola Competition in Budapest.^[1]

During years 1975-1990 Michael Kugel was the soloist of the Moscow Philharmonic Organisation, violist of the Beethoven Quartet and professor at the Moscow Conservatory. From 1990 till 1996 Michael Kugel was a professor at the Jerusalem Rubin Academy of Music and Dance.

In 1996 he settled in Belgium and now he is a professor at the Ghent Conservatory (Belgium) and at the Conservatorium Maastricht in the Netherlands.

Michael Kugel appeared as a soloist with many major symphony orchestras in the world and also appeared as a conductor with many orchestras.

He has taken part in Festivals in Schleswig-Holstein, Lockenhause, Lille, Rolandseck, Passau, Jerusalem, Rizor, Orebro, Krems, Divonn, Menton, Mürzzuschlag, Venezia, Festival van Vlaanderen, Dubrovnik, Cincinnati, etc.

Michael Kugel was a member of jury for International competitions in England, Austria, Israel, USA, Croatia, Belgium, Germany and CIS:

• V Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition, Workshop and World Viola Congress, 1994
• First International Viola Competition in Vienna,1998 ^[2]
• Primrose Memorial Viola Competition, 1999 ^[3]
• IX Lionel Tertis International Viola competition and Workshop, 2006 ^[4]
• etc.

Michael Kugel has given masterclass in Germany, England, Italy, Sweden, Austria, Finland, Mexico, Israel, France, Belgium, Croatia, CIS, Holland, Canada etc.

Michael Kugel has enriched the viola repertoire with many transcriptions and with his own compositions : Sonata-Poem for viola solo, Concerto for viola and orchestra, Suite in memoriam Shostakovich for viola and piano, sonatas etc. His compositions also include a piano sonata, chamber symphony and chamber music among others.

He has recorded about 20 discs and also made numerous records as a viola d'amore player as well.

He is the author of two books :

• Viola sonata by Shostakovich and The viola Concerto by Bartók - The history of an era and the Masterpieces of the instrumental music.
• Masterpieces of the Instrumental Music

Michael Kugel is the founder and the President of the Belgian Viola Society.

Selected compositions[link]

Michael Kugel's compositions are published by Alain Van Kerckhoven Editeur.

• Il Carnevale di Venezia for Viola and Piano (2001)
• Classical Preludes for Viola and Piano (1999)
• Sonata-Poem for Viola Solo (1987)
• Suite in Memoriam Shostakovich for Viola and Piano (1988)

Discography[link]

He has recorded about 20 discs and also made numerous records as a viola d'amore player as well. He made them in the former Soviet Union but unfortunately most of those records are unavailable.

His recent recordings include:

• In Memoriam Shostakivich. Michael Kugel (viola), Vesna Podrug (piano), 1998, ISBN 3-221-15253-3
• The recorded viola. Volume IV. Pearl GEMS 0039, PhonCD R2448 reva v.4, 1998
• Mark Kopytman, Beyond all this... The Israel Camerata, Avner Biron (conductor), Michael Kugel (viola), 1999, IMI-CD-1929-03
• Glinka, Paganini, Bizet Waxman. Michael Kugel (viola) Asir Rozenberg (piano), 1999

Audio recordings[link]

• Michael Kugel plays Carmen Fantasie (Georges Bizet — Franz Waxman, viola arrangement by Michael Kugel)

Video[link]

Some videos can be found here: Michael Kugel on YouTube

Bibliography[link]

• Michael Kugel, History of an era. An interpretation of two works for viola, 2002, ISBN 28730400107
• Masterpieces of the Instrumental Music, unpublished

References[link]

• [1] Budapest Philharmonic, Hall of fame
• [2] First International Viola Competition in Vienna
• [3] New Consonant Music, Composers
• [4] A & E Vienna Limited, Michael Kugel bio
• [5] University of Cincinnaty, Bios
• [6] Orford Arts Centre, Biographies, teachers/interpreters

Notes[link]

1. ^ "Playing the Soviet carrier", Tully Potter, The Strad, June 1995
2. ^ First International viola competition in Vienna, 1998
3. ^ Primrose Memorial Viola Competition, 1999
4. ^ IX Lionel Tertis International Viola competition and Workshop, 2006

External links[link]

• Michael Kugel at New Constant Music

This article is an orphan, as few or no other articles link to it. Please introduce links to this page from related articles; suggestions may be available. (August 2010)

Luigi Rocca (born June 18, 1963 in Coli, Province of Piacenza) is a retired Italian professional football player and a football manager and the current manager of USD Marsaglia, an amateur team.

External links[link]

• Career summary by playerhistory.com

This biographical article related to an Italian association football defender born in the 1960s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e