Upon winning the prestigious Tchaikovsky Competition, Nikita Storojev, bass, became principal soloist in the Bolshoi Theater. He performs in the world's major opera houses, concert halls and international festivals in Vienna, Paris, London, Milan, New York, San Francisco, Florence, Munchen, Tokyo and Berlin. His repertoire consists of over 50 operatic roles and more than 300 classical songs. He has 25 commercial CDs and 5 DVDs recorded under the direction of conductors such as Mstislav Rostropovich, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Claudio Abbado, and with singers such as Placido Domingo, and Luciano Pavarotti.

Tenor, Michael Burgess is a versatile professional singer and performer, equally prominent in classical, musical theater, and popular/rock venues. Operatic roles include Tonio (La Fille du Régiment), Alfredo (La Traviata), Tamino (The Magic Flute), and the title role in Benjamin Britten's Albert Herring. He also played “Frankie” in the hit musical Forever Plaid for three sell-out seasons in West Michigan. His cross-over success has continued with roles as Frederick in Pirates of Penzance and Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar (a role in which he debuted in New Orleans). He received his Master of Music degree from Western Michigan University.

Tatiana Stepanova is a pianist, accompanist and vocal coach. For her work in opera, Ms. Stepanova was named an Honored Artist of Russia. She received the Best Accompanist award at the Mussorgsky Competition in Russia and the Belvedere, in Vienna. She has participated in many festivals in Germany, France, Belgium and Hungary, and served as coach, assisting Mstislav Rostropovich, in a production of Shostokovitch’s Lady Macbeth of Mtsinsk at the Teatro Real in Madrid, Spain. She served as rehearsal pianist and coach for Baltimore Opera’s production of the same opera in 2003.

Roberto Prestigiacomo a theater-maker whose creative work includes the development of community-based theatre through improvisation and storytelling techniques, and the creation of original physical theater pieces (TransPerformance). He has directed Julius Caesar, King Lear, Much Ado About Nothing, Romeo and Juliet, The Triumph of Love, A Moon for the Misbegotten, Marisol, How I Learned to Drive, One for the Road, Fat Pig, Guys and Dolls, Back of the Throat, and Dog Sees God. Roberto is Associate Professor and the Director of Theatre at Trinity University.

Sujata Venkateswar, an Indian classical vocalist, is a versatile artist, adept at performing classical, semi-classical and popular Indian music. Since 2002, Sujata Venkateswar has produced and stage managed the annual Diwali show sponsored by the India Association of San Antonio. In 2009, this show staged 29 items with 130 participants. Sujata regularly coordinates a monthly program at the Hindu Temple of San Antonio that promotes local, as well as international Indian musicians. She is the Program Coordinator for the San Antonio Sangeet Utsav, to be held on Saturday, November 19, 2011.

Greg Hinojosa is a graduate from Southeastern Oklahoma State University. He holds a B.A. in Theatre Arts and Speech Communication. He has worked professionally across the United States as a company member with Santa Fe Stages and The Springer Opera House, the State Theatre of Georgia and the Repertory Theatre of America. He has worked as an actor, scenic designer, costume designer, director and make-up artist throughout the country. Greg has been honored with Alamo Theatre Arts Awards for his work as actor and director in I Am My Own Wife, Little Shop of Horrors, Santos y Santos, Once Upon a Mattress, Of Mice and Men, Chicago, and Scrooge, the Musical.

Sita Jayanth comes from a family of music lovers. First her grandmother, and later her father played the violin before she got inducted into it at a very early age. Her initial training and guidance came from her own father Sri. B.R. Manickam. Later, Sita moved to Chennai to be under the able tutelage of Late Sri Kandadevi Alagiri Swami. Her guru Sri Alagiri Swami has widely accompanied the legendary Late Smt. M.S. Subbalakshmi in most of her concerts around the world. Learning is a continuing journey, as she also got the opportunity to polish her violin techniques from Vidwan Sri T.S. Krishnamurthy from Bangalore. Sita has performed in several dance arangetrams, vocal concerts, nadopasanas and other cultural events in the DFW area and around the USA.

Sreenivas Ponnappan commenced his Mridhangam career at the young age of seven, under his guru Vidwan Chandrasekharan. Sreenivas has now over two decades of skillful accompaniment for various senior vocal and instrumental artists and dance arangetrams on Mridhangam and a variety of other percussion instruments including Kanjira and Ghatam. Sreenivas is currently pursuing advanced training in Indian percussion under Vidwan V. Suresh in India, who is a direct disciple of Sri T.V.Gopalakrishnan, a multi-talented musical legend.

Ganesh Devarajan received his Mridangam training from Thiruvananthapuram Shri Krishna Iyengar, Madurai Shri Venkatakrishnan and Bangalore Shri Keshavan - thus all his training has been from southern India. Ganesh moved to USA in 1991 and since then been teaching Mridangam, in the DFW metroplex. He has been accompanying several local and visiting professional artists from India. Ganesh is presently working as a manager in an electronics firm in Dallas, and lives in Plano with his wife Uma and daughter Sungita.

Sitarist Indrajit Banerjee is one of the leading exponents of the Maihar Gharana. He was born in a musical family. Some of these family members include his guru, Pandit Kartick Kumar (Sitar). He got inspiration from his sitarist mother, Manju Banerjee, and afterwards, Santosh Banerjee. Indrajit's training began with his maternal grandfather, Bankim Kumar Pal, who was the disciple of Inayat Khan, and Birendra Kishore Roy Chowdhuri (Kochi Babu). He then took training under Pandit Manilal Nag of Bishnupur Gharana. Later on, he took intensive training from his uncle, Pandit Kartick Kumar, who is a senior disciple of Pandit Ravi Shankar. All of this training developed a strong foundation for Indrajit's music, and creative individuality. Indrajit has a special touch on Sitar combined with technical virtuosity and sensitivity.

Elena Kunikova is a renowned choreographer, teacher and coach whose productions are performed all over the world to great acclaim by critics and audiences. She enjoys a reputation as one of the leading authorities on Russian classical style. Elena is a graduate of Vaganova Ballet Academy (the Kirov Ballet School),and was a ballerina with Maly Theater Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia, where she danced a diverse repertoire of classical and contemporary ballets. Most recently Elena’s choreography for Les Ballet Trockadero helped them to win a prestigious “Best Classical Repertoire” award from London Critics’ Circle. Interviews with Elena appear in many professional publications, documentaries, and TV programs. As a dance writer, she is contributing to Dance Magazine, Pointe and The Wall Street Journal Europe.

Emanuel Borok, former Concertmaster of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra since 1985, has had a distinguished career as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral leader. Before coming to Dallas, Mr. Borok served for 11 seasons as Associate Concertmaster of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Concertmaster of the Boston Pops Orchestra. Born and trained in the Soviet Union, Mr. Borok received his master degree from Gnessin Music Academy in Moscow. Among his chamber music partners are Itzhak Perlman, Pinchas Zukerman, Shlomo Mintz, Emanuel Ax, Yefim Bronfman, Joshua Bell, Sarah Chang and Paul Neubauer. Emanuel Borok was also featured in the Distinguished Artists Recital Series at the 92nd Street Y, in New York.

Elena Amirbekyan, pianist, holds master degree in piano performance from the prestigious Gnessin Russian Music Academy in Moscow. A world-renowned collaborative artist, Elena is a frequent guest at prestigious music festivals in Russia and Europe. She concertized all over the world with famous Russian folk ensemble under the direction of Dimitry Pakrovski. From 1987 to 2001, she took a full time position at the Russian Academy of Music a collaborative pianist at the conducting faculty. Currently she is Music Director and professor at the Russian Academy of Theater Arts in Moscow.

Alena Gorina, pianist, holds a doctoral degree in Piano Performance from the University of Texas at Austin. Native of Belorussia, Ms. Gorina taught at the College of Music, the Belarusian Academy of Music, and the National Music School. In 2001, the Bahrain Music Institute invited Alena Gorina to lead their piano department. Among American achievements, Ms. Gorina has been live broadcast as a soloist on WGTE FM 91 in Toledo, Ohio, and recorded a Naxos recording of Lucas Foss’s “Psalms” with the University of Texas Chamber Singers. Alena is currently a lecturer at Texas State University at San Marcos.

Baya Kakouberi, pianist, was born in Tbilisi, Georgia and received degrees from the Moscow Conservatory of Music. She has appeared as piano soloist with orchestras in Europe and the United States. Her career has brought her to China as well as Carnegie Hall. Ms. Kakouberi is founder and Artistic Director of the Blue Candlelight Chamber Music Series, and she on the faculty of the Elan International Music Festival. Ms. Kakouberi recently collaborated with violinist Gary Levinson for a four CD set recording of the complete Beethoven Sonatas for Piano and Violin for the Classical Music Recording Foundation.

Critics have hailed Michael Schneider as “a pianist with exceptional insight,” at venues including Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall, the International Chopin Festival at the château of George Sand in France, the Music Festival in the Hamptons, and the 8th Annual Paderewski Festival in California. Michael recently performed at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, Mexico and in the famed Liszt Museum in Budapest. Michael was a featured guest artist at the Bicentennial Chopin Festival in Nohant, France in July 2010. In the fall of 2010, Michael was a visiting adjunct professor of piano at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, TX. He holds a doctorate degree from University of Texas in Austin.

Mexican pianist of Russian descent, Vlada Vassilieva, has performed in Mexico, United States, Czech Republic, Austria, Italy, France, The Netherlands, China and Canada. Winner of the Nadia Reisenberg Piano Award in New York; winner at the Claudio Herrera National Piano Competition in Mexico, Angelica Morales – Yamaha National Piano Competition in Mexico, Ludmila Knezkova-Hussey International Piano Competition in Canada; at the International Competition for Young Musicians (the Netherlands) and IBLA Grand Prize (Italy). Vlada studied in Mannes College for Music in New York City as a Fulbright Garcia–Robles grantee. She is a member of the Music Department of the University of Colima in Mexico.

Winner of international music competitions in Russia, Korea, Italy and Hungary, Anatoly Zatin, has been awarded the UNICEF Medal of Honor for his activities as pianist and conductor. He has toured Sweden, Norway, Deutschland, Finland, England, France, Italy, Russia, Ukraine, Japan, China, Korea, United States, and Mexico. He has recorded for Melodia in Russia, Azzura Music in Italy, and Aurora Records in Japan. He was awarded a prize for the best interpretation of J. S. Bach, for his live recording with the Japanese flutist Shigeyuki Takano. Graduated as Doctor of Musical Arts at the St. Petersburg’s Conservatory of Music, at the present time he is Chairman of the Music Department of the Fine Arts Institute of the University of Colima, Mexico.

Brittany Franklin was born in Grapevine, TX, and began her dance training at the age of five with Madame Solange Binda-MacLean, in northern Virginia. In the fall of 2007 Ms. Franklin re-located to New York City where she was a scholarship student at Steps on Broadway until 2009. She advanced her training under dance masters such as Elena Kunikova, Deborah Wingert, Daniel Ulbricht and Wilhelm Burmann. In 2009 she was a featured guest artist with Albano Ballet for The Nutcracker as well as ballet soloist for New York Fashion Week, closing Malan Breton’s 2010 Spring line runway show. As the Fall of 2010 was approaching, Ms. Franklin was invited to dance for Fashion Week along with New York City Ballet dancer Zachary Catazaro. Featured for a third time at Fashion Week, Ms. Franklin danced the role of Dying Swan, re-staged for the runway in a critically acclaimed opening for Malan Breton’s Spring 2012 line, hosted at Lincoln Center.

“Valeri Grohovski is that rarest of musician-always playing with perfect taste.”-Tatiana Petrovna, President of the Gnessin Music College, Moscow. A virtuoso classical pianist equally known for his jazz improvisational talent, Valeri Grohovski is in a class of his own. In addition to his busy concert and recording schedule he composes, arranges and performs music in a wide range of styles for theatre and cinema. Born and raised in the former USSR, Valeri Grohovski received his doctorate in music in Moscow, before traveling to compete abroad, where he won numerous competitions in both Europe and the United States. Although he lived for a decade in the United States, he now divides his time between homes in Russia, France and Costa Rica.

Violinist Mark Cheikhet earned his master and doctorate degrees in violin performance from Moscow Conservatory. His influential teachers included Maya Glezarova, Eduard Grach, and Sergei Girshenko. He is touring widely as a soloist and in chamber ensembles throughout Russia, Germany, Italy, France, Mexico, and the U.S. His recent performances incluye Brescia-Festa Internazionale Della Musica, a festival of Russian Art in Marseille, France, along with The Promenade festival in Oldenburger, Germany and RAMA in Boston, MA. Among his collaborative partners are: Valeri Grokhovski, Matthew Hinsley, Daniel Alberti, Michael Bourdoncle, Elena Nogaeva and Boris Adrianov

Boris Andrianov is one of the most gifted Russian musicians of his generation. He won third prize in the 11th International Tchaikovsky Competition (Moscow, 1998) and first prize in the International Cello Antonio Janigro Competition (Zagreb, Croatia). In 1997, Boris was the first Russian cellist to become a laureate at the Sixth International Rostropovich competition in Paris. In 2002, DELOS Record Label released his CD with music for cello and guitar. This recording was at the preliminary list for a Grammy Award nomination. His recent appearances include concerts in Holland (Concertgebouw), Japan (Tokyo Opera City), Germany (Berliner Philharmonie), Austria (Wiener Konzerthaus), Switzerland, USA, Slovakia, Slovenia, Italy, France, South Africa and others. Since 2005, Boris has played a Montagnana cello from the Russian State Collection.

Bassist Greg Norris is a much sought-after performer and studio musician proficient in acoustic, electric and fretless bass. He studied composition and big band arrangement at the University of North Texas College of Music. His career spans 30 years of studio sessions, television appearances, and jazz festivals, and he has performed and played internationally. His collaborations include appearances on Grammy nominated recordings with guitar duo Lara & Reyes, and he has shared the stage with legends such as Stanley Clarke, Larry Carlton, Julio Iglesias, Strunz & Farah, Dr. John, and R&B giant Ray Charles.

Darren Kuper, drums, has been playing music for over 20 years. Together with pianist Barry Brake, he spearheaded a new jazz group in 1990, naming it the Jazz Protagonists. In 2003 Modern Drummer magazine singled out his performances on "Bar Codes," an album by Mike Brannon's progressive-jazz group Synergy. Here's what they said: "The listener is greeted with a seductive laid-back slink with the song 'Prowl.' This is the work of Darren Kuper, whose tasteful skills command keen attention on Synergy Quartet's lite jazz/fusion…It's a joy to hear a talented drummer lay it down." He and pianist Barry Brake also co-host a weekly one-hour jazz radio show "The Protagonists Jazz Party" on Trinity University's KRTU 91.7FM.

Geri Allen is an internationally known composer and pianist. Her recordings include: The Nurturer, Eyes in the Back of Your Head, Maroon and Timeless Portraits and Dreams. She was the first artist to receive the Lady Of Soul Award in Jazz, and the first woman to receive the Danish Jazzpar Prize. Her compositions have won her commissions from Jazz at Lincoln Center, Music Theatre Group, American Music Theatre Festival, Stanford University, The Walt Whitman Arts Center and Meet the Composer who commissioned For the Healing of the Nations, a Sacred Jazz Work, composed in tribute to the victims and survivors of the 9/11 tragedy. Currently she is working on an Opera for Trilogy: An Opera Company. Geri Allen continues to concertize all over the world.

Kenny Davis, acoustic bass, is a native of Chicago, Illinois. He studied at Northeastern Illinois University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education. Upon entering Northeastern University, he discovered jazz music and he quickly became part of the Chicago jazz scene, playing with Von Freedman, Ari Brown and Fred Anderson. He moved to New York in 1986, where he played with Out of the Blue (OTB). Throughout the 90's, Davis toured with such notable jazz artists as Herbie Hancock, Dianne Reeves and Art Farmer. Davis was the bassist of The Tonight Show Band from September 1999 thru March 2002. He received his Masters in Music (MA) from Rutgers University. In May 2006 Kenny received his Master of Music from Rutgers University.

Kassa Overall, percussionist, composer, producer, and educator, is a rising star on today's music scene. Encompassing all styles and traditions of music, he works with artists ranging from jazz to hip-hop, indie-pop to avant-garde. As a drummer, Overall has been an integral part of Geri Allen's Timeline band which has toured extensively throughout the U.S. and Europe for the past two years. He has toured extensively with his own band, fusing his jazz and instrumental training with his contemporary electronic passion. Overall received his Bachelor's of Music from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Overall has performed or recorded with Vijay Iyer, Ravi Coltrane, Gary Bartz and many more. With a passion for growth, development and persistence, Kassa Overall is definitely one to watch as the music evolves.

As a young man, J.D. Allen, tenor saxophonist, was influenced by the great musicians who stayed in Detroit, but upon his arrival in New York City his real apprenticeship began, as he worked with such notables as George Cables, Betty Carter, and Ron Carter. His contemporary collaborators include Winard Harper, Eric Revis, Duane Eubanks, and the Red Records All-Stars. Allen's debut recording, In Search Of... for the Criss Cross label, won him an award for Best New Artist in Italy in 1999. That same year he began touring and recording with drummer Cindy Blackman’s ensemble. His second Criss Cross date, Pharoah’s Children, was a Jazziz magazine critics pick as a Top Ten Album of the Year in 2002. Allen was subsequently signed to the Sunnyside label, offering the CDs I Am I Am in 2008 and Shine! in 2009.

Eric M. González, Executive Director, was born in San Juan. He has choreographed over 20 traditional dances representing the traditional and cultural life of Puerto Rico. His scripts have been presented at Lincoln Center in New York, Theater Run in Cleveland, Connecticut and Teatro Madrid in Spain. His works have won various awards for best director, choreographer and costumes. He holds a BA in Biology, an Associate Degree in Drama, a Masters in Public Health from the University of Puerto Rico, and the degree of Doctor of Medicine, Universidad Central del Caribe.

Born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, Carlos Morales Cebollero has a BA in Communications from Sacred Heart University of Puerto Rico, and an Associate Degree in Accounting from the Puerto Rico Junior College. At the University of Puerto Rico, he attended dance and theater classes, and pantomime workshops. Since September 1979, he has been a member of the national company of dance and theater, Gibaro of Puerto Rico. Today, he is the principal dancer and Assistant Director of the company.

Raúl de la Paz, Choreographer and Dance Instructor, was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico. Raul has spent his career at the constant creation of folk choreography and promotion of musical theater. He has 23 years of experience as a dancer and choreographer, with 16 years as part of Gibaro of Puerto Rico. Some of his most outstanding works are: Fusion, Target Country and Quarter Up, Quarter Down. In the field of Puerto Rican musical theater, works that stand out are: Puerto Rico Fua, Noah's Ark, The Flare, The Wizard of Oz and the Zarzuela Cecilia Valdés. As Artistic Director of Gibaro of Puerto Rico, he contributed to the preservation of Puerto Rican culture and folklore.

Aida Encarnación is a musician, actress, singer and music director of the company. She received her Master Degree from American University. Her experience of over 20 years in music, and 10 years in musical theater as an actress and singer, vocal coach for shows such as Hairspray, Grease, Rent, Fame, Footloose, Jonah and the Whale, The Ugly Duckling, Puerto Rico Fua, and Noah's Ark. 2011 has a highly charged schedule, including productions such as For Love in the Village, and the musical Barrio Barrio Arriba Abajo.

At age 5, Eugene Kaler, violinist, began to study piano, and in two years - violin, first at the Peabody Conservatory then at the Levine School of Music. He participated in several competitions and festivals, such as the Concerto Competition at J. Madison University (1st place) and String Solo Festival (1st place). Receiving a full scholarship to continue his education, Eugene moved to Chicago, and graduated with honors, receiving his BM in Violin Performance from DePaul University in 2009. In addition to performing in and around Chicago, Baltimore, New York and Washington, DC, Eugene has enjoyed performing in Spain, Italy, and France. Eugene Kaler currently is a Masters student at the Boston Conservatory.

Originally from Saint Petersburg, Russia, Violetta Todorova started playing violin at the age of 5. Her intense study led her to the stage at a very young age, and she made her debut at the age of 11, performing Vivaldi's Four Seasons with the chamber orchestra. Among her awards are diplomas at the International Competition for Young Violinists in Tallin, Estonia and All-Russian Competition for Young Violinists in Nijni-Novgorod, Russia. After completing her middle school at the St. Petersburg conservatory prep, she attended Interlaken Arts Academy in Michigan, which she graduated from in 2007. She is currently studying violin at DePaul University, in the studio of Ilya Kaler.

Alena Gorina, pianist, holds a doctoral degree in Piano Performance from the University of Texas at Austin. Native of Belorussia, Ms. Gorina taught at the College of Music, the Belarusian Academy of Music, and the National Music School. In 2001, the Bahrain Music Institute invited Alena Gorina to lead their piano department. Among American achievements, Ms. Gorina has been live broadcast as a soloist on WGTE FM 91 in Toledo, Ohio, and recorded a Naxos recording of Lucas Foss’s “Psalms” with the University of Texas Chamber Singers. Alena is currently a lecturer at Texas State University at San Marcos.

City-wide Beethoven Festival

Gary Levinson joined the Dallas Symphony as the Senior Principal Associate Concertmaster in 2002. Chosen by Zubin Mehta to join the New York Philharmonic in 1987 at age 21, Mr. Levinson made his New York Philharmonic solo debut in 1991, the same year he earned his Master of Music degree at the Juilliard School. Mr. Levinson is currently involved in three major recording projects: Classical Music Recording Foundation recorded the 10 sonatas for piano and violin; Koch Records chamber music of George Tsontakis’ and a retrospective of the women composers from 19th century with Albany Records. Mr. Levinson has collaborated with renowned artists such as Yo-Yo Ma and Christopher O’Reilly. His performances have been featured on NPR’s Performance Today.

Baya Kakouberi was born in Tbilisi, Georgia and received degrees from the Moscow Conservatory of Music. She has appeared as piano soloist with orchestras in Europe and the United States, but is best known as a recitalist, chamber musician, teacher and recording artist residing in the Dallas area. Her career has brought her to China as well as Carnegie Hall. Ms. Kakouberi is founder and Artistic Director of the Blue Candlelight Chamber Music Series, and she on the faculty of the Elan International Music Festival. Ms. Kakouberi recently collaborated with violinist Gary Levinson for a 4 CD set recording of the complete Beethoven Sonatas for Piano and Violin, for the Classical Music Recording Foundation.

Emanuel Borok, former Concertmaster of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra since 1985, has had a distinguished career as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral leader. Before coming to Dallas, Mr. Borok served for 11 seasons as Associate Concertmaster of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and Concertmaster of the Boston Pops Orchestra. Born and trained in the Soviet Union, Mr. Borok received his master degree from Gnessin Music Academy in Moscow. Among his chamber music partners are Itzhak Perlman, Pinchas Zukerman, Shlomo Mintz, Emanuel Ax, Yefim Bronfman, Joshua Bell, Sarah Chang and Paul Neubauer. Emanuel Borok was also featured in the Distinguished Artists Recital Series at the 92nd Street Y in New York.

Pianist Elena Portnaya is an alumna of the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, and laureate of numerous international piano competitions. Elena has performed solo and in chamber ensembles in Russia, Poland, England, Portugal, Argentina, Italy, Switzerland and the United States. She became a Doctor of Musical Arts in 2009, when she completed her doctorate at the University of Texas at Austin. She loves to work with singers and has therefore worked as a rehearsal pianist for four seasons at the Butler Opera Center at UT Austin. During 2010 and 2011, she was one of the Houston Grand Opera Studio artists, working on the preparation of Madame Butterfly, Dead Man Walking and Ariadne auf Naxos, under the baton of the maestro Patrick Summers. Elena is a permanent collaborator with her husband, violinist Mark Cheikhet, and they are raising two little daughters together.

Violinist Mark Cheikhet earned his master and doctorate degrees in violin performance from Moscow Conservatory. His influential teachers included Maya Glezarova, Eduard Grach, and Sergei Girshenko. He is touring widely as a soloist and in chamber ensembles throughout Russia, Germany, Italy, France, Mexico, and the U.S. His recent performances incluye Brescia-Festa Internazionale Della Musica, a festival of Russian Art in Marseille, France, along with The Promenade festival in Oldenburger, Germany and RAMA in Boston, MA. Among his collaborative partners are: Valeri Grokhovski, Matthew Hinsley, Daniel Alberti, Michael Bourdoncle, Elena Nogaeva and Boris Adrianov.

Helena Basilova, pianist, received her bachelor degree at the Conservatory of Amsterdam, in 2010 moved to New York City to study at NYU. Helena was finalist of several Dutch competitions and had been awarded her Debut series in March 2008. This series are specially reserved for the most talented young musicians and provided a concert-tour in the most important music halls of the country such as the Concertgebouw and Vredenburg. Besides Netherlands, Helena played concerts in Spain, Russia, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Iceland, Aruba and New York. As a chamber musician she plays together with the talented Dutch violinist Lisa Jacobs and is she a member of ‘Trio Lurra,’ together with flute and bass-clarinet, which performs contemporary repertoire.

Svetlana Berezhnaya, organ, was awarded the Diploma of the International Northern Palmira Festival in 1992. In 1996 she was awarded the First Prize for The International Organ Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia and in 2000 she received recognition as a Distinguished Artist of the Russian Federation. Svetlana performs regularly with orchestras and choirs throughout Russia and Europe. She earned degrees in Piano and Organ Performance from Gnessin’s Music Institute in Moscow, and Brabant Conservatory in Holland. Currently she is the General Director and organist of the State Philharmonic in the City of Mineral Waters, Caucuses, Russia. This season, her performing engagements include concerts in Holland, Germany, Belgium, France, Switzerland and the U.S.

Performers in Musica Viva

Anuradha Naimpally, artistic director of Austin Dance India, has been dancing worldwide for over 35 years. Amongst her many honors, she is the only Indian dancer to win the prestigious Jacqueline LeMieux Prize from the Canada Council in 1989. In India, she was bestowed the title of “Sringara Mani” at the Kal-ke-Kalakar Festival in 1990. In Austin she was named Best Dancer by the Austin Area Critics’ Circle in 2001, and nominated numerous times, including 2011. Her recent production, Parampara, was awarded the coveted Best Dance Concert award for 2011 and was named by the Austin Chronicle as one of the top five performances of 2011. Anuradha is funded by the City of Austin Cultural Contract Division and is a selected artist on the Texas Commission on the Arts Touring Roster, Mid-America Arts Alliance. Anuradha is also passionate about arts in education. She conducts assembly performances on Indian dance and culture in Central Texas schools and libraries as well as ongoing movement classes based on academic curriculum. Through her organization, Austin Dance India, she also trains students from beginner to professional level.

Amie Maciszewski is an American sitarist who has devoted her adult life to studying, performing, teaching, and promoting North Indian classical music.  Amie's training in North Indian music includes both formal academic training in India (Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in sitar performance from Santiniketan) and the U.S. (Ph.D. in ethnomusicology) and ongoing traditional study with two leading gurus: Grammy-nominated sarode Maestro Aashish Khan and Hindustani vocal diva Padmabhushan Girija Devi. She has performed in several countries across the globe, to critical acclaim. Director of the Sangeet Millennium Ensemble, one of Austin’s Top Ten world music bands, she is a City of Austin Cultural Contractor and a selected artist on the Texas Commission on the Arts Touring Roster, Mid-America Arts Alliance, and India World Cultural Forum. In addition to having released four noted CDs, she has co-produced and directed four documentary films, the latest of which bagged the Best Documentary-Malvern award at the Toronto COMMFFEST, 2010.

Shiv Naimpally is a disciple of his uncle, Pandit Nikhil Ghosh.  Shiv has accompanied many of India's leading artists, such as Pandit Jasraj, Shrimati Lakshmi Shankar, and Ustad Shujat Khan.  Playing tabla is a hobby for Shiv, who by day is a patent attorney.

Soumya Ashok has studied Karnatic music for many years under the tutelage of Vidushi Smt. Padmavathy Ananthagopalan and Vidushi Dr. Jayanthi Kumaresh. She began her training Bharatanatyam in 2007 under the able guidance of Guru Smt. Anuradha Naimpally in Austin. She is currently pursuing advanced training in both music and dance under the same Gurus. A designer and developer by profession, Soumya works for a web services company based in Austin, besides taking on freelance design projects. She is actively involved in the artistic community of Austin and has been a part of many music, dance and theater productions.

Ratan Kumar initially learnt to sing Carnatic music from his mother, Smt. Karpagam Rangachari, a well-known vocalist of Carnatic music in India.  Ratan started playing Carnatic Music on the instrument Veena when he was 8 years old. His guru, Sri V.S. Ananth Rao belongs to the Dwaaram School of music, and was a Veena artist of All India Radio, Hyderabad. Ratan has performed in numerous Carnatic music events in India, Hong Kong and the Austin-Central Texas area.

Sriram Vaideeswaran, started learning to play the mridangam at the age of 9 and has been trained in both the Palghat and Pudukottai Bhani or style. He is a recipient of the Best Student Percussionist Award for the year 1995 in Madras. He continued his advanced tutelage under Padma Bhushan TV Gopalakrishnan (fondly called TVG) and has performed for instrumentalists and carnatic vocalists. He likes to create mridangam designs with its strings made out of synthetics and not leather. The instrument he would use to perform in this concert is one of his new designs.