Jorge Caballero, the youngest musician and the only guitarist to win the prestigious Naumburg International Competition, is known for his dazzling virtuosity, his intense musicality and his spellbinding performances. He is widely regarded as one of the finest guitarists of his generation. Allan Kozinn of the New York Times called him a "superb young guitarist" and praised his rare combination of "a deft, powerful technique and a soft-spoken interpretive persona."

A native of Lima, Peru, Mr. Caballero comes from a musical family. His mother is a well-known singer in Peru and he learned to play the guitar from his father. Growing up at a time when terrorists in Peru bombed electrical stations, he became an expert at practicing in the dark.

He began his professional training at the National Conservatory in Lima, studying with Oscar Zamora. He later came to the United States, where he attended the Manhattan School of Music. He is the recipient of top prizes at the Tokyo International Competition, the Luis Sigall Competition, and the First Latin American Guitar Competition, in addition to the Naumburg, which he won in 1996 at age 19.

Critics have praised Mr. Caballero's daring in performing the most difficult pieces in the guitar's repertoire, often together in the same program. He recently recorded Dvorak's New World symphony, transcribed for solo guitar, a piece that he is one of only two guitarists in the world to perform. His 2000 Musical Heritage recording of the Bach cello suites, which he transcribed, was highly praised by critics. He has also recorded a CD with soprano Theresa Santiago. A recording of Bach's keyboard works is in the planning stages.

With a repertoire spanning from J.S. Bach to Jimi Hendrix, Michael Nicolella is recognized as one of America's most innovative classical guitar virtuosos. He has received wide critical acclaim for his performances, recordings and compositions. As a concert artist, Michael has performed throughout North America and Europe as solo recitalist, chamber musician and soloist with orchestra.

Known for his creative programming, Michael has introduced electric guitar into his "classical" programs and extended the repertoire and audience of his instrument not only with his own compositions and transcriptions, but also by premiering and commissioning works by some of today's most exciting emerging composers.

In April 2009 his latest major work La Vals Eterna for classical guitar ensemble was premiered at the Schwob School of Music, Columbus State University, as part of a composer in residency with the Carson McCullers Center for Writers and Musicians. In November, 2008 Guitar Trio was premiered by the Seattle Guitar Trio. In 2006-2007, Michael was composer in residence with the Northwest Symphony Orchestra, which culminated in the 2007 premiere of Ten Years Passed for electric guitar and orchestra. Other recent premiers include: Toccata and Fugue for solo classical guitar - premiered by Michael Partington and Guitar Concerto for classical guitar and orchestra - premiered by the Seattle Creative Orchestra with Nicolella as soloist, both at Benaroya Hall in Seattle. His newest CD, Shard, features his composition for classical guitar and orchestra, Guitar Concerto performed with the Northwest Symphony Orchestra led by conductor Anthony Spain, along with music of Reich, Carter, ter Veldhuis, DeLaurenti, Mesler and Kohl. The album was described in Frets magazine as "an exciting textbook on how to honor classical tradition and kick it in the a#@ at the same time."

Michael's education ranges from undergraduate studies at Berklee College of Music, where he studied improvisation with jazz greats Gary Burton and Billy Pierce, to Yale University where he received his Master of Music degree, to post-graduate studies at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, Italy, as a scholarship student of Oscar Ghiglia. Michael currently resides in Seattle where he is on the faculty of Cornish College of the Arts.

Susana Prieto (Spain) and Alexis Muzurakis (Greece) made their debut as the Guitar Duo Melis in 1999 at the International Guitar Festival of Volos in Greece. Since then they have performed in such prestigious halls as the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Megaron in Athens and the Merkin Concert Hall in New York. They have been invited to play concerts and give master classes in international guitar festivals in Europe and America. Since 2006 they have taught at the Conservatoire de Strasbourg in France.

Susana and Alexis have won numerous prizes, both individually and together. In 1999 they won the first prize at the International Guitar Duo Competition of Frechen (Germany). The next year they won the prestigious Guitar Duo Competition of Montelimar (France) as well as the XXI International Guitar Duo Competition "Mauro Giuliani" (Italy). In 2001 the Duo/Ensemble prize at the Chamber Music Competition of Leipzig (Germany) and the same year they were the winners at the International Guitar Duo Competition of Paris (France). In 2003 they recorded their first CD after winning the recording prize "Citta di Verona" at the International Chamber Music Competition "Gaetano Zinetti" (Italy). In 2005 they successfully auditioned for the Yehudi Menuhin Society Live Music Now.

The Guitar Duo Melis has collaborated with international orchestras like the Berliner Symphoniker, the Neubrandenburger Philharmonie, the Bayerische Kammerphilharmonie, the Radio Orchestra of Bucharest and the National Orchestra of Thessaloniki conducted by Leo Brouwer.

Their wide repertory spans from baroque music to the music of A. Piazzolla and A. Ginastera. As well as their modern concert guitars they use period instruments to perform the XIX century repertory and they devote themselves to historical researches on the performing praxis of that period. Their programmes also include concertos for two guitars and orchestra by J. Rodrigo and A. Vivaldi.

Marcin Dylla is considered by many music critics to be one of the most outstanding classical guitar players today. He owes this position, among others, to the unparalleled number of awards he has won at various music competitions. From 1996-2007 he was awarded first prize an astounding 19 times at the most prestigious international guitar competitions in Europe and in the USA.

Marcin Dylla's fame in the artistic life of Europe, is confirmed by his participation in many musical festivals, conducting master classes, cooperation with outstanding musicians and orchestras, as well as giving many recitals in prestigious, world concert halls.

Marcin Dylla was born on June 6, 1976 in Chorzow. He started to learn to play the guitar at the age of 8, in State School of Music in Ruda Slaska. Between 1995-2000 he was studying at the State Academy of Music in Katowice in the guitar class of Ms. Wanda Palacz. He continued his musical education in schools abroad: Musical Academy in Basel with professor Oscar Ghiglia, Musical Academy in Freiburg with professor Sonja Prunnbauer, and Musical Conservatory in Maastricht with Carlo Marchione.