Volodja Balzalorsky violin, Tatjana Ognjanovic piano and Damir Hamidulin cello who come from Slovenia, are international soloists who formed their group eight years ago. They played to great acclaim at Carnegie Hall in 2006, at the Bled and Spectrum Festivals, at the Hvar Croatia Festival and are probably the most illustrious chamber ensemble in Slovenia Besides a vast classical and modern repertoire they also dedicate several concerts to the exploration and performance of Slovenian compositions old and new. Their recent recording of Glinka's Elegie has been internationally acclaimed. The Amael Trio has achieved the status of being among the most sought after chamber groups in Slovenia. In addition to performing known traditional trio literature from various style epochs, the trio is also dedicated to performing contemporary works, and to the promotion, internationally, of Slovenian composers of piano trio literature. In the immediate future, they plan to schedule concerts and perform in many different countries, make several CDs, and expand their repertoire, exploring the works of lesser-known composers and performing new works created for piano trio. They also plan to commission and record new works; some renowned Slovenian composers have already decided to write especially for their trio. TATJANA OGNJANOVIC - piano Tatjana Ognjanovic, one of Slovenia's leading pianists, has performed at International Music Festivals and given highly acclaimed recitals in 16 countries throughout Europe, as well as in Malaysia and Singapore. She has appeared as soloist with many orchestras, interpreting piano concertos by Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Rachmaninov, Scriabin, and Prokofiev. She has made many CD, LP, radio and TV recordings, embracing a wide repertory of music from the baroque era to the contemporary. Her growing interest in chamber music has resulted in her collaboration with pianist Bojan Gorisek, and more recently, the increasingly acknowledged Trio Amael. Tatjana Ognjanovic is a prize winner of national, as well as numerous international piano competitions such as the Cidade do Porto in Portugal (1991), Maria Callas in Athens, Greece (1992), Jose Iturbi in Valencia, Spain (1992), and Premio Jaen, also in Spain (1993). The daughter of two professional opera singers, she began her music education at the age of four, studying for 14 years with Darinka Bernetic. She continued at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana with Dubravka Tomsic, and furthered her studies with Hans Petermandl at the Hochschule fur Musik in Vienna, and with Viktor Merzanov from the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow. In addition to her artistic performances, she has been teaching at the Academy of Music of the Ljubljana University since 1993. VOLODJA BALZALORSKY - violin Volodja Balzalorsky is an internationally acclaimed concert violinist who has performed in many international music festivals and concert series throughout Europe, and North America. Recently he was awarded with several International Music Arards, such as: The Inland Empire Music Award Music Award 2008 - Best International ArtistThe Ontario Independent Music Award 2007 - Best International Artist, The Canary Island Music Award 2007- Best Interpretation, Julij Betetto Music Award 2006 and Nomination for The Los Angeles Music Award 2007- classical. Critics have described him as an artist with a sensitive, intelligent and intuitive gift of interpretation, a polished technique, and a rich, full tone. Volodja Balzalorsky is particularly active in the field of chamber music. He performs with several well known international groups and ensembles. Critics comment on the degree to which he is able to develop and maintain unity with his musical partners in this milieu, presenting "… an exceptional harmony of ease and authenticity of performance. Volodja Balzalorsky has made extensive live and archival radio and TV recordings in various countries. In December, 2004, four CDs were released as part of his "LIVE" Collection, with 5 more planned for release on the CANTABEL label, with added releases by EROICA, a well known US Label that features great classical artists worldwide. Volodja Balzalorsky considers teaching an important and complementary part of his artistic career (Violin class at the Music Academy of University of Ljubljana), and regularly gives master classes in Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Great Britain, and the United States. After graduating from the class of professor Igor Ozim at the »Hochschule für Musik« in Cologne, Germany, he continued his studies in Moscow with Galina Barinova at the Conservatorium P.I.Tchaikovsky, with Josip Klima at the Music Academy in Zagreb, where he received his Master's Degree, and with the eminent Czech violinist Josef Suk at the »Universität für Musik« in Vienna. DAMIR HAMIDULIN - cello Cellist Damir Hamidulin is a virtuoso soloist and an excellent representative of the famous Russian cello school. He is first solo cellist of the National Opera House in Ljubljana (Slovenia) and a member of the Amael piano trio. He performs throughout Europe as a soloist, recitalist and chamber musician. He has played as a soloist many times with the Kazan Philharmonic and with other symphonic and chamber orchestras in Russia and in Slovenia. He plays all the famous concertos on his instrument: Haydn, Dvorak, Saint-Saens, Schumann, and Tchaikovsky. He has also been guest artist at various international festivals - Festival Groblje and Festival of Contemporary Music Radenci in Slovenia, Festival of Contemporary Music Kishinjev in Moldavia, Festival of Kazan in Russia, etc.