A concertmaster and founder of the Kammerakademie Potsdam since 2000, Peter Rainer has developed an active career as a chamber musician, soloist, and teacher in his native Germany. He was the founder and leader of the popular Persius Ensemble, focusing mainly on a repertoire written for the classical nonet, and has released three CDs. The latest CD with nonets by Spohr, Clementi and Mozart was chosen by Berlin-Brandenburg Radio (RBB) as one of the best in 2007. In 2008 he founded the Merlino String Quartet, which is touring throughout Germany.
Since 2007 he has been on the faculty of the “Universitat der Kunste” in Berlin and of the “Stern Institute” for young talented students and is assistant to Prof. Uwe-Martin Haiberg.
Music-loving children know Peter Rainer through the many interactive concerts he developed for them in the past 10 years. His upcoming children project is a new concert-version of “Ferdinand the Bull” commissioned by the Kammerakademie Potsdam. This year he will appear at the “Musikfest Schloss Wonfurt” together with “iPalpiti” alumni Tibi Cziger, Caroline v. Bismarck and Eliah E. Sakakushev.
Peter studied violin in the U.S. with Professor Eduard Schmieder at the Meadows School of the Arts, where he received his Artist Certificate in 1994 and his Master of Violin Performance degree in 1995. Upon his return to Germany, he was concertmaster of the Brandenburgische Philharmonie in Potsdam from 1996 to 2000. He has been a faculty member at the University of Potsdam since 1997 and has worked as the assistant to Professor Schmieder at the Holland Music Sessions and at the Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
Peter has been a member and leader of iPalpiti since 1994. In 2005 he received a commendation from the City of Los Angeles for his leadership of iPalpiti and his contributions to culture. During recent seasons Peter led iPalpiti in a special concert at the Nestle Center in Vevey, Switzerland, on its US East coast tour at the Kimmel Center and Carnegie Hall, and to the Bay Area in Northern California.

Catharina Chen's Website Born in Oslo, Norway in 1985, Catharina began studying violin at the age of 5 with her father. Since the age of eight she has soloed with all major orchestras in Norway, including the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Norwegian Radio Orchestra, and Trondheim Symphony Orchestra. Well known to Norwegians through television and radio broadcast programs*, Catharina is the recipient of numerous awards, and the youngest musician in Norway ever to be awarded the highly respected and prestigious Oslo City Culture Prize.
A winner of numerous international competitions, Catharina holds a status as one of Norway’s most promising young classical musicians ( a 1st prize winner in consecutive national violin competitions in Norway in 1996-2002), earning major awards including The Norwegian Music Publishers’ Union “Prize of Honour” and the “Karoline Prize” for high achievement by in culture (2003). She has given solo and chamber concerts in Norway, Italy, China, Malaysia, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, France, and South Africa. Her solo appearances with orchestras include Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Beverly Hills Symphony Orchestra and Dallas Symphony orchestra in the USA, and in 2007, she toured as a soloist with Qingdao Symphony Orchestra.
A Graduate of Barratt Due Institute of Music in Oslo, a leading institution in Norway, where she studied with Arve Tellefsen and Henning Kraggerud, she continued her music education in the USA with the renowned Professor Eduard Schmieder, earning an Artist Diploma from Temple University in Philadelphia.
An iPalpiti artist since 2004, she has performed on the stages of Mozarteum Grosse Hall Salzburg, Carnegie Hall in New York, and was a featured soloist at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles in 2008. A popular artist in California, Catharina is invited as solo recitalist to numerous concert series, including THE PREVIEWS in Manhattan Beach, Sundays Live! Broadcast series in the Bing Theatre of the Los Angeles County Art Museum, and Music in the Mansion in Beverly Hills.
In her native Norway, Catharina continues to be an attraction for the important musical and government occasions: in May 2008, she was the only artist invited to perform at the opening of the prestigious Bergen International Arts Festival, with King and Queen of Norway in attendance.
In 2009, Catharina won the prestigious “Intro Classic” prize from State Concert Norway. During 2009-2010 seasons she gave solo recitals in New York, Washington, Milan, “Live Classical, Catharina with friends” in Tønsberg, and at Eurovision in Oslo. She has also toured with The Norwegian Chamber Orchestra” and Oslo Camerata in Spain and Brazil. Upcoming engagements include recital in Summit Music Festival (NY), three recitals in Holland Music Sessions, four weeks of touring across Norway, and world premiere of “the Moon” by Martin Romberg to be performed during Expo in Shanghai and a tour across China.

Born in Ukraine, Irina began her violin studies at the age of six. Between 1996 and 2009 she became First and top-prizes winner in eleven international and national competitions, including Grand-prix at the International violin competition “Forte-Maestro.” In 2007 her name was chronicled in the State book of Ukraine “The Pride of Nation.”  She entered the Music College of the famed Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory in 1998, and in 2007 she graduated from the Conservatory cum laude, where she currently is a postgraduate student, working with Professors Ivanov (violin) and Bonduryansky (chamber music)). As a member of chamber music ensemble  in duo with pianist Elena Kuznetzova, she won First prizes at the 16^th International Chamber Music Competition in Thesaloniki, Greece, International Competition of Slavonic Music in Moscow, Russia (2006), and The 2^nd International Chamber Music Competition named after T. Gaydamovich in Magnitogorsk (2009). Irina participates and performs in Russian and international music festivals. In 2006 she worked with composer Giya Kancheli and premiered his “Twilight” composition at the international music festival “Russian premieres” (Rostov-on-Don, Russia).  As a member of "Young Russian  Talents" program she is engaged in touring Russia as a recitalist and giving  master-classes to gifted children. Irina performs as a soloist, duo and chamber music ensemblist in major halls throughout Russia including the Big and Small Halls of the Moscow Conservatory, Rachmaninov Hall, Glinka Hall, St. Petersburg Philharmony, Organ Hall in Perm, the Sagatov Hall in Kazan, and others. She has appeared as soloist with such renown orchestras as Russian National Orchestra and Moscow Chamber Orchestra (under Maestros Pletnev and Nikolaev), and in October 2010 will debut with Moscow Philharmonic. Irina has received full scholarships and participated in summer festivals such as Holland Music Sessions, “Zeist music days”, in International Master-classes in Weimar, with Jerusalem and Ysaye Quartets, and eminent violin professors. She is a grant- recipient of the  “Russian Performing Art” Foundation  and the music foundation by Elina Bistrizkaya.

Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, violinist Conrad Chow is establishing himself as an exciting young artist. A review in the Halifax Chronicle-Herald praised “the full, sweet, seductive intensity of Chow’s sound”, and his performance alongside Ani Kavafian with the Columbia Festival Orchestra was hailed as “ornate and satisfying” by the Albany Times Union. He is a prize-winner of the 2006 International Stepping Stone Competition in Quebec, was a featured performer at the New Brunswick Summer Music Festival, the Guest Artist for the American Suzuki Institute at the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, and the David G. Whitcomb Foundation’s Young Artist for 2003. An active chamber musician, he studied with the Grammy Award-winning Emerson String Quartet and is appearing in chamber music performances with Paul Biss, Christina Dahl, David Finckel, and Miriam Fried. In 2001, his string quartet was winner of the Indiana University Kuttner String Quartet Competition, granting the group the honor of performing as the quartet-inresidence for the 2001-2002 seasons.  His recent appearances as soloist have included performances with the Brampton Symphony, Columbia Festival Orchestra, and the CAST Philomusica Orchestra. He has performed in such venues as the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Qingdao Music Hall in China, New York's Carnegie Zankel Hall and Staller Center for the Arts; Disney Hall in LA, Philadelphia's Kimmel Center, and Toronto's Glenn Gould Studio and George Weston Recital Hall. Recent recitals have included performances in the St. Cecilia Concert Series, and the University of Toronto’s Hart House Sunday Concert Series, broadcast on CBC Radio. In 2010, he made his Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall debut. He has also appeared as a member of the prestigious iPalpiti Chamber Orchestra since 2008. In August of 2010, he will be a performer and member of the faculty at the Summit Summer Music Festival in New York.  Dr. Chow began his violin studies at the age of three at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. His Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees are from Indiana University’s School of Music, studying with Miriam Fried. Conrad completed his DMA from the State University of New York, Stony Brook, under noted violinists Pamela Frank, Ani Kavafian, and Philip Setzer, and later pursued further post-doctoral work with Eduard Schmieder at Temple University in Philadelphia. He was a Visiting Assistant Professor of Violin at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia for the 2006-2007 seasons.  Dr. Chow has served as jury member and adjudicator of various Canadian competitions and is a frequent presenter of master classes in Canada, the United States, and Asia. As the teacher of one of the leading precollege private violin studiosin Canada, his students have won many important national and provincial competitions, and are sought out as performers in recitals and galas throughout Ontario. Students of his current class include members of the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra and National Youth Orchestra of Canada, and have made solo debuts with Canadian orchestras.

Azer Damirov began his musical studies at the age of eight. At 14, he was accepted in the Musical College of the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory in the class of Professor Maria Keselman from which he graduated in 2007 at the age of 20 with an equivalent of a Bachelor Degree Diploma. Azer participated in master classes and festivals in Dortmund in Germany, Britten-Pearce Orchestra in Great Britain, and Volga Regional Young Symphony festival. Recipient of the Ministry of Culture Russian Federation’s Stipend, Azer is a Laureate of numerous national competitions. In 2007 Azer received a Diploma at the 14th Andrea Postacchini International Violin Competition in Fermo, Italy, and a special iPalpiti prize for participation in the iPalpiti Festival of International Laureates in Los Angeles. In the fall 2008, Azer was accepted into the Artist Diploma Program at Boyer College at Temple University in the class of Professor Schmieder. He was a member of iPalpiti in its winter East Coast residency and concerts at the Kimmel Center and Carnegie Hall, and its Northern California tour.

Aisha Dossumova was born in 1980 in Almaty, Kazakhstan. She started studying violin in 1987 at K. Baiseitova under Professor Alma Abatova, and from 1998 to 2002 she continued at the Kazakh National Academy of Music from which she graduated under Professor Aiman Mussakhodjayeva. In the USA, Aisha continues her studies in the class of Professor Eduard Schmieder; in 2006 she received an Artist Diploma from the Meadows School of the Arts in Dallas, and currently is in the Master Degree Program at Temple University in Philadelphia. In 2002 Aisha won second prize in the Michelangelo Abbado International Violin Competition in Italy, first prize in the Shabyt International Competition in Kazakhstan, and a diploma in the W. A. Mozart International Competition (Austria). From 1998 until 1999 she was a Concertmaster of the Kazakh National Symphony Orchestra and the Kazakh Chamber Orchestra Academy of Soloists from 2000 to 2002. She soloed with the Kazakh National Symphony Orchestra, and with the Academy of Soloists, conducted by Robert Canetti (Israel). Aisha is an avid chamber musician and has also participated in summer festivals at the Mozarteum Summer Academy Salzburg, the Ost-West Musikfest (Austria), Musica in Laguna (Italy), and the International Laureates Festival in Taos, New Mexico and Los Angeles. A member of iPalpiti since 2004, she has performed in Disney Hall in Los Angeles and Carnegie Hall in New York. As a soloist with orchestras and as a recitalist she has performed in Austria, Italy, France, England, Russia and Kazakhstan.

Vladimir Dyo has won awards in numerous competitions, including First Prize in the Michelangelo Abbado International Competition in Milan, Grand Prize in the International Violin Competition in Astana, Kazakhstan, and Second Prize in the International Yampolsky Competition in Russia.

Born in Almaty, Kazakhstan, he began studying violin at the age of 7 at the State’s Special Music School for gifted children. At 12, he had his first solo appearance with the Kazakh State Orchestra and since, has performed regularly with major orchestras of Kazakhstan, frequently touring the countries of the former Soviet Union. Vladimir won first prize in the National Competition of Kazakhstan (being the youngest participant at 14), and was a recipient of a President’s stipend awarded by the State Secretary of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Other awards include the New Names International Program (Moscow, Russia) and Dubna’s Foundation of Arts for “sincere and artistic” performance, the International Charitable Foundation “Meerim”, and the Tuesday Musical Club in San Antonio, Texas. He has participated in various international music festivals as a soloist and, chamber musician, including the Graduates of the Moscow Conservatory, the Ost-West Musikfest, Prague-Wienna-Budapest, the Mozarteum, the Cliburn Institute, the iPalpiti International Laureates Festival in Los Angeles, and has been invited to give master classes and perform in the International Music Festival in Seoul, Korea.

As a soloist and the concertmaster of the Kazakh State Chamber Orchestra “Academy of Soloists” Vladimir has toured and performed in many countries including Austria, Italy, France, England, Japan, South Korea, Poland, Russia and the U.S.A. After graduation from Kazakh National Academy of Music in Astana, Kazakhstan, Vladimir continued his education in the US in the class of Professor Eduard Schmieder, receiving an Artist Certificate Diploma in 2004 and a Masters degree in 2006 from the Meadows School of the Arts in Dallas. Currently Vladimir pursues a Doctoral degree at Temple University in Philadelphia, where he is also a faculty member in the string department.

Nora Hapca has won awards in 20 national and international competitions, including second Grand Prize at the "Remember Enescu" International Competition in 2003 and the Special Artist Prize from Young Artists International in 2004 and 2005. As a soloist, Nora has soloed with numerous Romanian orchestras, and has given concerts and recitals in Belgium, Bulgaria, Italy, and Romania, and in France. In May 2006, she was invited to represent her country in the "National Music Students Festival" in Kyoto, Japan. Born in Romania in 1986, she began playing violin at the age of 6, at the Music High School in Baia Mare, under Prof. Ludovic Gebe. From 2000 to 2004 she continued at the "George Enescu" Music High School in Bucharest, with Prof. Mihaela Tomescu. Currently in the last year of her studies at the National Music University in Bucharest, Nora was "Erasmus" award recipient for the academic year of 2006 – 2007 at the Musikhochschule Koeln with Prof. Mihaela Martin. Nora took part in master classes of Liviu Ghitea, Sherban Lupu, Semion Yaroshevich and Alexandru Tomescu. As an iPalpiti member with iPalpiti Artists International since 2004, Nora toured the USA, Slovenia, Austria and Israel, performing in prestigious concert halls of Mozarteum in Salzburg, YMCA in Jerusalem, Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, and Carnegie Hall in New York.

Ellen Jung's Website Ellen is a member of the Jung Trio — sisters Jennie, Ellen, and Julie — "a spectacular group with wonderful musicality at their fingertips," one of the notable rising young ensembles of today. The trio has appeared in concerts all across North America as well as around the world. Winners of the Grand Prize at the 2002 Yellow Springs Chamber Music Competition and the Bronze Medal at the 2002 Fischoff Competition, the Jung Trio has been featured in The Strad, Strings, and Auditorium (Korea) magazines, in broadcasts and on television. Born and raised in Toronto, they received their early music training at the Royal Conservatory of Music. Highlights from the past seasons include performances of the Beethoven Triple Concerto with the State Symphony Orchestra of Tatarstan in Kazan, Russia, in Los Angeles with the Korean Symphony Orchestra, and in Toronto with the Korean-Canadian Symphony Orchestra, engagements in Korea, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, and Toronto. The Jung Trio has appeared at numerous festivals and was a Trio-in-Residence at the Banff Centre for the Arts in 1998. In the summer of 2007, the Jung Trio was selected and featured as iPalpiti Debut Artists in its annual Festival of International Laureates in Los Angeles. As a soloist, Ellen has been featured with the Korean-Canadian Symphony, North York Symphony, and University of Toronto Symphony and Chamber Orchestras, to name a few. A frequent performer of new music, Ellen premiered a work of Canadian composer Lusiana Lukman "A" for Solo Violin, which was written for her in 1998; and the world premiere of the Trio for Horn, Piano, and Violin by Norwegian composer Trygve Madsen at the International Horn Summit in Banff. Ellen received Bachelor of Music at University of Toronto (under Lorand Fenyves and David Zafer) and Master of Music and Artist Diploma from Yale School of Music. In 2000, she was the recipient of a Chalmers Award from the Ontario Arts Council. She has taught at the Classical Conservatory of Music in Toronto, Yale School of Music, and currently teaches both privately and at Opus 119 – The School of Music in Irvine, CA.

Kaija Lukas was born in Estonia and began her violin studies at the Rapla Music School in 1993, and continued at the Tallinn Music High School with Prof. Tiiu Peaske. Since 2006 she has been studying at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London with Prof. Jacqueline Ross. Kaija has taken part in national and international competitions, including the “Remember Enescu” 2004 in Romania where she received 3rd Prize, and First Prize winner in the National Competitions of Estonia 2005 and 2007.  Kaija has given solo recitals and concerts with orchestras throughout Estonia, and has also been a member of the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra and the Tallinn Youth Orchestra, which she led in 2005. She has also taken part in City of London Chamber Orchestra projects and for this season she has been accepted to the London Philharmonic Orchestra Foyle Future Firsts student program. In 2005-2006 she was a member of the European Union Youth Orchestra.  Kaija has taken part in master courses in the USA (Bowdoin International Music Festival), France (Recontres Musicales de Figeac), Salzburg and Weimar with professors E. Schmieder, I. Ozim, J. Ross, P. Munteanu and A. Fischer. As a chamber musician she has had coaching with the Belcea Quartet and the Takacs Quartet. In 2008-09 Kaija took part in the Erasmus exchange program and studied at Mozarteum University, Salzburg, with Prof. P. Roczek; and during 2009-10 with Professor Eduard Schmieder in Philadelphia. Kaija has received scholarships from different foundations in Estonia and will complete her education at the Guildhall School with the kind support of the City of London Corporation and the Music Students’ Hostel Trust. She was selected to join iPalpiti in 2009.