Gjilberta Gjelaj was born in Albania, where she began her cello studies at age six. After finishing her musical studies at the Prenk Jakova High School of Music in Shkoder, Albania, Gjilberta toured Italy as a cellist in the Albanian Symphony Orchestra. She was then accepted to the Music Conservatory at S.U.N.Y. Purchase College, where she received her Bachelor degree in Cello Performance in May, 2004. Gjilberta has made appearances in Carnegie Hall for the past two seasons as a member of the ‘Passionata’ Trio, and has given numerous solo, chamber music and orchestral performances throughout the New York City area. She has studied with eminent cellists, Peter Wiley and Julia Lichten, and has performed in various masterclasses. Gjilberta is a faculty member of the Risko School of Music in Ossining, New York, and has taught extensively in both her native country and the United States.
Dmitri Shteinberg appeared across North America, Germany, England, France, Switzerland, Sweden, Italy, Portugal, Russia, Bulgaria and Israel. His solo performances include the Jerusalem Symphony, The Italian Philarmonica Marchetiana, Israel Chamber Orchestra, Israel Camerata Orchestra and Porto National Symphony. Shteinberg has appeared at the Sarasota and Summit Music Festivals, the "Oleg Kagan" Festival in Germany and the Festival Aix-en-Provence in France. Recent performances include the Moscow Conservatory, Festival au Vert in Paris and International Musicians Seminar in Cornwall, England. Shteinberg recorded for the Israeli "Voice of Music" radio station, WQXR, WHMT, the Bavarian Radio and the Yamaha Disklavier; collaborated with New York Philharmonic members, Han-na Chang, Natalia Gutman and David Garrett.Dmitri Shteinberg is a prizewinner in 20 competitions worldwide, including the first prize in "Citta de Senigallia" International Competition in Italy. In the United States, he won the Naomi Foundation Competition, the Artists International Debut Award, the Manhattan School of Music Helen Cohn Award and received the Salon De Virtuosi Fellowship Grant. A native of Moscow, Dmitri Shteinberg studied at the Gnessin Special School of Music, under Anna Kantor. In Israel he continued his piano studies with Victor Derevianko as a student at the Tel–Aviv Academy of Music and later under Nina Svetlanova at the Manhattan School of Music, where he earned his Doctorate.
