BRUNO NASTA
VIOLIN, VIOLA, PERCUSSION

Mr. Nasta graduated from James Madison University with a Music Performance degree. Celebrities that top the extensive list he has performed/contracted with include The Three Tenors, Three Irish Tenors, 3 Mo Tenors, Luciano Pavarotti, The Who, The Moody Blues, Yes, Gloria Estafan, Tony Bennett, Ray Charles, Lyle Lovett, Denyce Graves, Josh Groban, John Denver and Liza Minnelli to name just a few. He is featured on Eva Cassidy's "Imagine" and "American Tune" CDs, multi-platinum selling recordings. Mr. Nasta has recorded for the Intersound Label as Concertmaster of The Taliesan Orchestra which received a #1 position on Billboards record ratings for three weeks in the summer of 1997 for the classical crossover category as well as several recordings that have been nominated for Grammy's in 1998.
Currently he is a Grammy winner for performing on "Bon Apetite", Kathy Fink/Marcy Marxter and local (Wama) Washington Area Music Association Wammie winner in 2003 for best classical artist. Currently, he is the Music Contractor for the National Gallery of Art and Personnel Director of National Gallery Orchestra. A performer with the Richmond Chamber Players in residence at the Virginia Museum of fine Arts. As well as maintaining a vigorous freelancing schedule, Violinist with the Impresario and Gypsy strings, Bruno is also very active in the Washington and Baltimore recording, Opera and Theater circuits. Mr. Nasta's contracted orchestras have been featured in performances from live recordings for NPR's Performance Today and the National Gallery Orchestra has been a featured presentation on Washington's local public radio broadcast station WETA.

VLADIMIR FRIDMAN
GUITAR, VOCALS

Vladimir Fridman was born in Moscow, Russia. Educated in music, as well as engineering, at the Moscow College. He immigrated with his family to the USA in 1998. In Moscow he performed with the Philharmonic and was active in the Maliy, Satricon and Khudogestvenniy theaters and appeared on Russian TV.
Vladimir performed as an active member of the eccentric show group, Jazz Balalaika with which he released four albums ( "Under the burning sky of Argentina"- tangos of Astor Pizzolla; "In the mood"- Favorite Classic, Jazz and Popular Russian Music; "Liber Tango", "Jazz for kids and their parents"). With this ensemble he toured Europe, the Middle East and Japan.
He participated in concerts as soloist, accompanied singers and performed in duos with violin and balalaika.
Currently Mr. Fridman is the guitarist with Gypsy Strings and plays solo on a regular basis in the “Russia House” restaurant in Herndon, VA.
Vladimir teaches guitar in the Jewish Community Center of the Great Washington and in his own studio. He has recorded his own album of Russian favorite ballads "Russian Romances".

MANUEL S. BOBENRIETH
ACCORDION

Born in Concepcion, Chile, Manuel Bobenrieth began studying the accordion at age five. He studied at Montgomery College in Rockville, Maryland and received a Bachelor of Music Degree in Performance from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., becoming the first accordionist to graduate with such a degree from that institution.
Mr. Bobenrieth has performed in many different musical contexts including Broadway musicals, Contemporary Music Forum and the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra. He has appeared with legendary jazz guitarist Charlie Byrd in a tribute to the music of jazz accordionist Art Van Damme. He can also be heard on the soundtrack to the Discovery channel television series, "The Great Chefs" as a guest artist with the Charlie Byrd Trio. Recently, The Manny Bobenrieth Ensemble was featured at the world famous Blues Alley Jazz Club, The Argentinean Embassy, The World Bank, The Kennedy Center and many other venues. His CD "Tangata" has received glowing reviews from many publications including The Washington Post, The Washington Times, Downbeat Magazine, Chamber Music Magazine and others. It has also been heard on NPR's "All Things Considered." As accordionist for Norwegian Caribbean Lines from 1984-1986, Mr. Bobenrieth toured Europe and the Caribbean aboard the SS Norway.
In 1986, Mr. Bobenrieth became a member of the United Stated States Army Band. As the accordionist with the Army Strolling Strings, he has performed the White House in honor of foreign dignitaries such as Margaret Thatcher, Mikhail Gorbachev, Prince Charles and Princess Diana, Boris Yeltsin, King Hussein, the Emperor of Japan and Nelson Mandela. In addition to his performing duties, Mr. Bobenrieth has written many arrangements for the Army Strings.

JONATHAN NAZDIN
CONTRABASSO

Mr. Nazdin is a native of Washington, DC, and attended the Berklee School of Music in Boston, MA. Jon has an active schedule as a freelance musician, performing for the Washington and Baltimore theatres, as well as participating in a considerable amount of television and radio recordings and live broadcasts in the area.