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It is rare to find an artist who has achieved the impeccable credentials and uncompromising artistry of Dmitri Berlinsky. As a soloist and chamber musician, Mr. Berlinsky's intention is to bring music's spirit to his audience, reaching levels above mere entertainment.

Mr. Berlinsky arrived on the International scene as the youngest winner in the history of the Paganini International Violin Competition in Genoa, Italy. This victory led to his performance on Nicolo Paganini's own Guarneri del Gesú instrument, a privilege shared by only a handful of artists in history. Subsequent triumphs at the Montreal International Violin Competition (Grand Prize), the International Tchaikovsky Competition and the Queen Elizabeth Competition in Brussels, led to appearances with major orchestras in Europe, Russia, the Far East, North and South America.

Mr. Berlinsky has performed in such major venues as Carnegie and Avery Fisher Halls in New York, The Kennedy Center in Washington DC, Tokyo's Suntory Hall, the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, the Leipzig Gewandhaus, the Berlin Philharmonic Hall, the Munich Herkulessaal, the Palais des Beaux Arts in Brussels, the Bonn Beethoven Hall, Le Place des Arts in Montreal, and the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires among others.

Since coming to the United States in 1990 as the winner of the renowned Young Concert Artists International Auditions, Mr. Berlinsky has performed hundreds of concerts and given recitals in more than forty states throughout the USA. He has also performed in Australia, Canada, Germany, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Italy, Israel, Russia, Czech Republic, Sweden, Finland, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Uruguay, Colombia and Peru.

His extensive performance schedule has taken him to the Mostly Mozart Festival, the Prague Spring Festival, the Aspen Music Festival, the Newport Music Festival, the Settimane Musicale in Stresa, Italy, Bratislava Festival, as well as appearances at the Ambassador Foundation in Pasadena, the Fiddle Fest at Alice Tully Hall, the 92nd Street Y.

This season he performs with Russian National Orchestra at the Arts Square Festival in St.Petersburg, Prague Radio Symphony at the Budapest Spring Festival, Orchestra de Chambre Français in New York, Russian Chamber Philharmonic on European Tour, Directs and performs with "International Chambers Soloists" at the Fontana Arts Festival and San Francisco Conservatory. He gives recital in US, Korea, Italy, Mexico, and Russia.

Recent highlights include performances with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Sinfonia Toronto, Montreal Symphony, New York Chamber Symphony, Leipzig Radio Orchestra, Belgian National Orchestra, Quebec, Utah, Virginia, Kalamazoo, Miami, San Antonio, and West Virginia Symphonies, Seoul Philharmonic, New Jersey Philharmonic, Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz, Weimar Staatskapelle, Berlin Staatskapelle, Gent Opera Orchestra, Orchestra Sinfonia Siciliana, UNAM Symphony in Mexico City, I Musici de Montreal in Canada and the United States, South American tour with the Prague Chamber Orchestra,as well as appearances at the Casals Festival in Puerto Rico and festivals in Italy, Belgium, Germany, Scandinavia, Taiwan and Costa Rica.

Born in Petersburg into a family of musicians, Mr. Berlinsky began studying the violin with his father. At a very early age he appeared as soloist with the St. Petersburg Symphony and the Moscow Philharmonic. His most important teacher in Russia was Mikhail Bezverkhny. He studied at the Music School for Gifted Children with Lev Ivaschenko, Boris Sergeev and Boris Gutnikov. Later he attended the Moscow Conservatory where he received his Bachelors and Masters degrees studying under Victor Tretiakov, Evgeniya Chugaeva and Naum Latinsky. After graduation he was invited to work with Dorothy DeLay and Masao Kawasaki at the Juilliard School.

Mr. Berlinsky's Pavane CD recital "Live at Waterloo" recorded in Belgium and his latest recording "Souvenir D'un Lieu Cher" on Helicon Records have won critical acclaim.

His playing was featured in Emmy-Award documentary "Life on Jupiter" and "New York Canvas".

Dmitri has been Artist Teacher and Professor at the College of Music at the Michigan State University. His students have won important international competitions such as the Tchaikovsky, Menuhin, Tibor Varga, William Byrd and have assumed positions in orchestras including the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

In high demand as a teacher Mr.Berlinsky has taught and given Master Classes in Europe, Asia, Canada and in US at the Chautaqua Festival, Summit Music Festival in New York, International Academy of Music in Italy, Music in the Mountains Colorado, Schlern Festival, Instrumenta Verano in Mexico, University of South California in Los Angeles, Temple University in Philadelphia, Roosevelt University in Chicago, Western Michigan University, Weber University in Utah.

Mr.Berlinsky is the founder of the chamber orchestra "International Chamber Soloists". They perform regularly and recently performed in Mexico,and also participated in the Costa Rica International Festival with the opening concert at the National Theatre in San Jose.

Mr.Berlinsky has been recipient of many awards including SONY, Juilliard, YCA and Bagby Fondation. For several years he played on famous "Yusupov" Stradivarious-same instrument David Oistrakh and Leonid Kogan played.

Throughout his career Mr.Berlinsky was fortunate to play exceptional violins by Stradivarius, Guarnery del Gesu, J.B. Guadagnini from Moscow Conservatory , Herbert Axelrod and Colburn Collections.

He is thankful to Rene Morel and Adam Crane for taking amazing care of his instruments. Presently he owns 1759 Carlos Ferdinand Landolfi violin with the generous help from Helene and Jerome Dreskin Fondation.

Jeffrey Noel Lastrapes is a cellist, chamber musician, recitalist, and teacher. He has appeared throughout the United States, Europe, and South America, with concerts and recitals at The Curtis Institute of Music, The Juilliard School, Steinway Hall in New York, and numerous others. He has been soloist with the Monroe Symphony Orchestra, the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra, the Midland-Odessa Symphony, the Lower Marion Symphony of Philadelphia, and the Festival Orchestra in Vina del Mar, Chile. Appearances at festivals include the Evian Festival in France, the Bellingham Festival, Sevenars Festival, Mozart on the Square in Philadelphia, The National Cello Congress in Phoenix, Mid-Atlantic Chamber Music Society, Interlochen Center for the Arts, and twice at the Gregor Piatigorsky Seminar at the University of Southern California.

After earning his Bachelor of Music degree from The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia where he studied under the renowned pedagogue Orlando Cole, he was awarded the Robert Brereton full scholarship to the Juilliard School where he received his Master of Music degree with Harvey Shapiro. He has had master classes with such cellists as Rostropovich, Paul Tortelier, Joel Krosnik, Yo Yo Ma, and Lynn Harrell. In 1991, Mr. Lastrapes represented the United States in the International Competition for Violoncello in Chile and won two of the four major prizes. Other honors and awards include the Lighthouse Award for Outstanding Achievement, which included a recital in New York, and first prize at the Birmingham American Society of Arts and Letters Competition.

Positions held include principal cello with the Curtis, Juilliard and Temple University orchestras, the Haddonfield Symphony, New Jersey, and the Midland-Odessa Symphony in Texas. He was also the cellist of the Lindsayan String Quartet for three seasons. Mr. Lastrapes has performed frequently on radio and television including broadcasts over Radio France, Northwave Radio of Japan, National Public Radio, National Television and Radio of Chile, and three live recitals on WFLN of Philadelphia. He has recorded for New World Records and West Virginia University Press. He has served on the Cello and Chamber music faculty of the Interlochen Center for the Arts for ten seasons. Mr. Lastrapes is also Assistant Professor of Cello at Oklahoma State University and the cellist and founding member of Quartet-a-tete Piano Quartet.

Mr. Lastrapes performs on a Ruggieri cello dated 1684.