S E R G U E I    M I L S T E I N,    piano
Born in Moscow to musician parents, Serguei Milstein began piano lessons at age of five and, one year later, entered the Moscow Central Music School. In 1977 he enrolled in the class of his father, Jacob Milstein, at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory. He won second prize in the "Prague Spring" International Competition (1988), as well as third prize in the International Vercelli Competition (1991), culminating in first prize at the International Musical Tournament (1997, Rome). His soloist career has brought him to Czech Republic, Italy, France, Germany, Austria, England, the United States, Japan and, of course, Russia. He has also performed at numerous festivals, including the Prague Spring Festival, Moravian Autumn, the Moscow International Music Festival, and the Roque d'Antheron Festival. From 2003 to 2006, S.M. has been a visiting professor of piano in the Departement of Music, Kobe College, Japan. Sviatoslav Richter saw in Milstein a serious and introspective musician, a profoundly erudite and talented pianist. The press has rounded out the accolade, describing him as "a pianist with an electrifying and visionary style, capable of providing rare moments of musical joy that music lovers long to encounter, if only a few times, in their lives."

N A T A L I A    T O L S T A I A,    viola
Born in Moscow, N.T. studied in Gnessins Moscow Special Music School and Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatoire with Mikhail Terian, Yuri Bashmet and Mikhail Kopelman. She plays in Tchaikovsky Conservatoire Chamber Orchestra and performs as soloist with this orchestra in Moscow, St-Petersbourg and other cities of ex-URSS. After graduating from Conservatoire N.T. becomes professor in Gnessins Special Music School and principal viola in "Vivaldi" Chamber Orchestra in Moscow. During this period she performs a lot as a soloist and a chamber musician. From 1991 N.T. is viola solo in Lyon's National Opera orchestra (France). The same year she wins the first prize of Nicanor Zabaleta International Competition in Spain. N.T. plays in France, Italy, Russia, United States, Japan. Among her partners we can name S.Milstein, A.Kniazev, P.Csaba, O.Yanovich...

A L E X A N D E R   D M I T R I E V,    cello
Alexander DMITRIEV was born in 1963 in Kiev, Ukraine and began studying cello at 6 years of age. In 1981, he completed his studies at the Kiev Special School of Music Academy for exceptionally gifted children. The same year, he entered the Gnessine National Conservatory of Higher Education in Moscow and began working under famous professors such as Lev Evgrafov and Valentine Berlinsky (quartet class). In 1985, A. DMITRIEV was awarded second prize in the National cello Contest of Russia. Upon completion of his studies in 1986, he joined the "Soloists of Moscow" under the direction of Yuri Bashmet and, in 1987, became its principle cellist. Following which, A. DMITRIEV tours considerably throughout Europe, the USA, Japan and Australia, appearing equally as soloist in the most prestigious chamber music festivals. Since 1991, A. DMITRIEV has settled in France and in 1996, became principle cellist of the National Orchestra of Montpellier. Internationally appreciated chamber musician, he performs equally as soloist with the National Orchestra of Montpellier, the National Orchestra of Ukraine, the Orchestra of Cannes, "the Soloists of Europe", the Chamber orchestra of Wallonia... A. DMITRIEV recorded works by Vivaldi, Faure, Chopin, Chausson, R. Strauss, Rachmaninov and Chostakovich. A. DMITRIEV plays a cello of J. B. Vuillaume

E L E N A   D M I T R I E V,    violin
Born Irkutsk, Russia, E. DMITRIEV learning violin at age 4, and gave her first concert with the Irkutsk Philarmonia at age 7. When she was 8, she was admitted to the Moscow Conservatory of Music Central School. After which, she pursued her studies at the "Gnessin's" National Superior Conservatory of the Moscow. At the end of her studies, in 1986, she became Solo-Violin at the Ivanovo Opera Theatre, and then in 1988, at the "Gnessin's" Opera Studio in Moscow. Now leaving in France, she plays with the Quartett "Les Solistes de Moscou" (1993-1997), with the "Florelle" Quintett (1996-1999) and participates in several international festivals: "Musique en Corse", "Ales-Concerts"… Presently, E. DMITRIEV is professor of violin at the National Conservatory of Montpellier, while playing as a soloist as well as in various formations of chamber music, especially in a duet with Alexander DMITRIEV (cello). E. DMITRIEV plays a violin of J. B. Vuillaume.

O L G A   Y A N O V I C H,    violin

Olga with her son Boris Olga Yanovich, violinist and music director, graduated from the Moscow Gnessin Music Institute having studied with Boris Goldstein and Vladimir Spivakov. After completing her post-graduate course at the Leningrad Conservatory, Ms. Yanovich toured the USSR and Europe extensively as a member of the award-winning string quartet and a soloist. Olga Yanovich has performed at the Gewandhaus Hall in Leipzig, Schauschpiel Hall in Berlin, Moscow Conservatory Grand and Chamber halls, Grand State Pillar Hall in Moscow, concert stages in Leningrad, Rome, Prague, Helsinki and other European cities. Her participation in music festivals included Germany, Finland, Lithuania, Italy, International Music Festival in Moscow, Kuhmo, Erevan, Rome, Music Seminars and masterclasses in Prague and Normandy (France). Ms. Yanovich made many recordings of chamber and solo works for the Moscow Radio. Having settled in the USA, Olga Yanovich performed wide range of music from Bach and Mozart to Schnittke concertos with orchestras. Her performance of Prokofiev concerto was broadcast on TV and received high acclaim from the press. The violinist’s solo appearances included such halls as DAR Constitution Hall, Kennedy Center Terrace Theater, Warner Theater, Smithsonian Museum, and the Nicholas Roerich Museum in New York. In 2000 Olga Yanovich had her CD with Mendelssohn’s double concerto released on a Newport Classics label. For six years she has been the Artistic Director of the Mount Vernon Music Festival, and starting year 2000 joined the faculty of the Soesterberg International Music Festival in the Netherlands. Festival teaching and performance schedule featured celebrated names like pianists Bella Davidovich, violinist Nikolaj Znaider.

G E O R G E S   A M B R O S,    invited stringed-instrument maker

Georges with his wife Ayako and son Antoni Kenji Georges Ambros worked as assistent of A.Snitkovsky. In 2000 he opens his own workshop in Lyon. In 2001, Georges Ambros won the First Prize of "Talents" Competition in the category Trades of Art awarded by Ville de Lyon. He works as restorer and makes new instruments, which he exhibits in Paris ("Musicora") and also in Cremona (Italy) and Tokyo (Japan).