Leonardo del Castillo was born in México City in 1973. He received his first private musical formation with Professor Xavier Gonzalez Pichardo. In 1990 he was admitted to the Escuela Nacional de Música de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, where he studied with professors Néstor Castañeda León and Carlos Vázquez. He completed his studies in México with the reconginiton of the Hungarian concertist István Nádas, student of  Béla Bartók. Afterwards, he attended the “Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Graz” in Austria with  Professor Käte Wittlich, realizing there two masters: first one in piano and the second one in Chamber Music. In both of them, he adquired the highest qualification grades. In 2002 he obtained a scholarship for Bösendorfer, granted  by the recognized piano construction house of Viena. In June 2004, he won the “Premio del Rector”, given to the best professional exam of the year. Presently he is realizing a PHD in the same university having chosen as his dessertation topic the analysis of the masterpiece of chamber music of Johannes Brahms. He has offered piano recitals, chamber music, and soloist concerts in different orquestas in México, El Salvador, Ecuador, Italy, Austria, Holland, and Croatia. He was member of the Trio “Silvestre Revueltas” joined residence for a period of three years at the Universidad Iberoamericana de la Ciudad de México. He has also, taken courses and high level classes with the Trio Altenberg Viena, Martin Lovett (cellist at the Cuarteto Amadeus), Paul Gulda (music and cámara), Malcolm Bilson (pianoforte), Rudolph Kehrer (piano), Christian Ivaldi (piano and chamber music), Jorge Risi, Stefan Schilling, Kerstin Feltz, Stephan Goerner, etc.

Dalibor Karvay was born in 1985 in Martin/Slovakia.
Under his fathers guidance, he began to play violin when he was 3 years old. From 1992 he has studied at the Conservatory in Žilina as an extraordinary student. Currently he is a student of the wellknown pedagogue and Violinist Boris Kuschnir at the Vienna Conservatory.
He won serveral first prices at national and international competitions: 1993 at the International Kocián-Competition in Ústí nad Orlicí/Czech Republic, 1996 at the International Young Musicians´ Gathering Córdoba/Argentina, 2002 at the 11th Eurovision Competition for Young Musicians in Berlin/Germany and 2003 at the Tibor Varga-Competition in Porrentruy/Switzerland.
As soloist he played with renowned orchestras like the English Chamber Orchestra, the Rundfunkorchester Berlin, the Slovak Philharmonic Bratislava. He has given concerts at the Vienna Musikverein, the Berlin Konzerthaus and in many countries all over the world.
He recorded his first CD when he was 10 years old.
Dalibor Karvay wishes to express particular thanks to the company “Machold Rare Violins Vienna” for the loan of the 1744 Guarneri del Gesu ex. “Sainton” violin that can be heard on this recording.

Milan Karanovic was born 1980 in Belgrade (Serbia), where he began to learn Cello at the age of eight with Prof. Nada Jovanovic. Since 1999 he studies with Prof. Jotscho Bayrov at the Konservatorium Vienna. He participated at several masterclasses with renowned cellist such as Mstislav Rostropowitsch, Mischa Maisky, Franz Bartolomey.
Milan Karanovic received several first prices, among others 1995 at the international competition "Trofeo Kaway" in Tortona/Italy, 1996 at the international competition "Augustina Prochasku" in Slowakia, 1997 at the international competition "Petar Konjovic" in Belgrade/Serbia, 2001 at the international competition "J. Dotzauer" in Dresden/Germany and 2003 at the international "Johannes Brahms" competition in Pörtschach/Austria.
Milan Karanovic performed numerous concerts, among others as a soloist with the Slowakian Radio Symphony Orchestra in the Konzerthaus in Vienna.
Radio and television shots, as well as a chamber music CD production with members of the Viennese Philharmonics document his artistic career.

Stefan STROISSNIG was born in 1985 in Vienna/Austria.
Since 2000 he studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna with Prof. Oleg Maisenberg.
Further studies with Dmitri Bashkirov, Rudolf Kehrer and Vadim Suchanov expands his experiences.
He was awarded several first prices at national and international competitions, among them the first price as well as the EMCY-award at the International Greta Erikson`s Piano Competition in Karlstad/Sweden. At the International Competition for young pianists in Ettlingen/Germany Stefan Stroissnig received a price and in January 2002 he was invited to the final of the Young Concert Artists Auditions in New York/USA.
In September 2003 he was finalist at one of the highly reputed piano competitions, the Clara-Haskil-competition in Vevey-Montreux/Switzerland, which was broadcasted live by radio and TV.
Since the age of eleven he performs as soloist, chamber musician and with orchestra (within others he played with the Bruckner Orchestra and the Orchester de Chambre de Lausanne with Okko Kamu). His performances brought him to the Wiener Konzerthaus, throughout Europe and Japan.
He was invited to perform at several piano- and music festivals such as the Piano Festival Ruhr, Rheingau-Festival, Music Festival Kyoto, Festival in Divonne-les-bains, New Artists Series London, Piano Festival of the Danish Broadcastings and the Carinthian Summer Festival.
Several radio and TV-recordings reveal his artistic career.

Fabienne Leresche was born in 1981 in Zurich, Switzerland and started to play the violin at the age of six. From 12-15 she was a student of Herbert Scherz at the Lucerne Conservatory. In 1997 she entered the professional class of Karen Turpie at the Schaffhausen Conservatory from which she obtained her Bachelor degree with distinction in 2000 . After high school graduation in 2001 she moved to Beijing to continue her studies with Prof Lin Yao Ji at the China Central Conservatory. She was a member of China National Orchestra as well as China Film Philharmony. In addition she played first violin in a string quartet together with the leaders of the National Orchestra. After a two years study with Detlef Hahn she received her concert diploma from the University of Arts Berne in 2005 and will continue to work with him in his solo class at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama London. She won several prices and awards, among other things: 1st price Swiss Youth Competition, Walter-Bringolf Price, Lyra foundation scholarship, city of Zurich cultural contribution. She is performing in Switzerland, Germany, USA, Israel and China. Masterclasses with D. Weilerstein, I. Ozim, F. Gulli and participant at Aspen Music Festival. She recorded for Swiss National Radio DRS, Espace 2 and Swiss National TV DRS. In October 2005 she is giving her debut with the International New Symphony Orchestra Lemberg and has further invitations from chinese and swiss orchestras for solo performances.

Aina Hickel from Basel, Switzerland was born into a musician family in 1978 and got her first violin lessons from her mother at the age of six. Between 1990 and 1999 she studied at the Music Academy of her home town with Adelina Oprean and received her Bachelor Degree with distinction. After graduation she continued in Basel with performance studies under Raphael Oleg. From 2001 to 2003 she was a student from both Lothar Strauss and Roland Baldini at the University of Music and Theatre in Leipzig. She got a degree in orchestral training with the grade „very good“. After leaving Leipzig she completed her studies at the University of Arts Berne with Prof. Detlef Hahn and graduated in summer 2005 with a concert diploma (with distinction). To rounden her musical studies Aina Hickel participated in many masterclasses in Switzerland and abroad. In 1994 she was a fellowship student in the class of F. Gulli at the Eastern Music Festival in Greensboro, North Carolina and in 2004 participated at the Pacific Music Festival in Hokkaido, Japan. She currently is a member of the Basel Sinfonietta, Swiss Chamber Orchestra and extra player in the Opera Zurich. 2002-2004 she was a member in the German Youth Philharmony. Since 1994 she frequantly appears in chamber music concerts in Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Japan.

After graduation from high-school Andreas C. Fischer (1974) started studying violin with Rudolf Koelman at the Zurich&Winterthur College of Musicin 1994. Two years later he changed to the viola and in summer 2000 he finished his studies in Zurich in the concert class of Prof. Wendy Champney (Carmina Quartet). Together with mastercourses with Gérard Caussé, Paul Colleti and others, he completed his studies in the masterclass of Prof. Hariolf Schlichtig (college of Music and Theatre Munich). For a few years he is leader of the viola sections of the Aargau Symphony Orchestra, the Aargau Chamber Orchestra and the Swiss Chamber Orchestra. A lot of his time is dedicated to chamber music in different formations (at times he performs with members of the Carmina Quartet) and solo-projects as well. Besides his occupation with music he is working as a garden designer.

Bruno Fischer, 1981, was born and raised in Berne, Switzerland. He begins to play the Cello at the age of seven. He starts his professional studies in 1997 at the Berne Conservatory with Johannes Bühler and graduates in 2002 with a Bachelor degree after having studied with Conradin Brotbek. After one year break he continues his studies at the University of Arts Berne with Conradin Brotbek and receives his concert diploma in summer 2005 with distinction. Bruno Fischer participated in many masterclasses in Switzerland and abroad, among others with Pieter Wispelwey in Berne and Pierre Boulez and the Ensemble Intercontemporain in Paris. He is a passionate chamber music player and is performing regularly with different formations in Switzerland. Besides his musical activities Bruno Fischer has a wide interest in non-musical fields. After high school graduation he started to study political science and economics at the University of Berne.

The contrast between the religious and the secular music of the late Renaissance and the early baroque era is the basis of the programs of the ensemble MUSICA FIORITA. Special emphasis is put on the juxtaposition of vocal and instrumental music.
"If we play French and Italian music in the same concert, it occurs regularly that we all arrive with several instruments. The sound of my Italian harpsichord is direct, present, and even a little explosive, the French one on the other hand has more overtones and sounds a little perfumed. An ideal instrument for the many small trills."
Some decades ago, the music of the high baroque was the starting point for a new movement in the practice of early music. Later on the interest changed to the music of the Renaissance, then to the music of the Middle Ages. Today the classical and early romance period take center stage.
"I love to spend time in libraries and to hold old books in my hands. The greatest joy for me is to find a forgotten or an unknown composer. If I look at a manuscript, I pay close attention to the harmonies and the rhythm - are they interesting? - and to the relationship of the individual voices to each other. That shows me immediately if I have found a jewel."
On the other hand, the 17th century has remained unknown in many respects. However, the music from that time - and most particularly that from Italy - is characterized by great originality, boldness and freshness. This turns performances into truly musical experiences.
"When we meet for rehearsals, we work around the clock. We discuss, we try out, reject, sometimes we argue, then we eat an Italian meal, and we relax. It is sumptuous and baroque. And not at all aseptic."
The repertoire, the instruments and the basso continuo of MUSICA FIORITA take the most current movements in the practice of early music into consideration. The sound of the ensemble is characterized by the cornet - at that time probably the most popular instrument -, then by the transverse flute and a variously occupied basso continuo, consisting of theorbo, lute, harp, psalterio, baroque cello, viola da gamba, harpsichord and organ. In addition, the ensemble attaches great importance to the true-to-style, richly ornamented song of the time. This is reflected in the name MUSICA FIORITA: "fioritura" is an old Italian expression for ornament.
"Fiorita means flowering, our music is flowery. On paper, it often looks quite dry, then we begin to improvise and ornament. That is Musica fiorita."
The members of the ensemble originate from different countries and they all met during their studies at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis.
"Since we are all from the same school, we speak the same musical language. Therefore, we know that the lute makes an ornament here and that the violin embellishes freely there. And even if it sounds differently every time, this does not surprise us: we simply listen to each other. We make early music, because we are awake."
The harpsichordist Daniela Dolci leads MUSICA FIORITA.

Fernando Santiago was born  in Mar del Plata city. Nowadays he improves with Maestro Omar Carrión in vocal training and Dante Ranieri in opera repertory. He sang in the following operas, Spanish comedy and choral symphony: : Opera Minute (D. Milhaud) in the CTC (Teatro Colón); El Segreto di Susana (Gil), El Triunfo de Judith (Holofernes, Teatro Margarita Xirgu), I Plagliacci (Silvio, Opera ‘s House), La Bohème (Marcello), Don Giovanni (Masetto, Aliançe Française) La Traviata (Baron Duphol, Luna Park), La Traviata (Germont),  Il Matrimonio Segreto (D. Jerónimo), El Barbero de Sevilla (Fiorello, Teatro Lola Membrives), Don Pasquale (Malatesta, Teatro Maipú) La Cenerentola (Magnifico), La Scala di Seta (Blanzac, Teatro Avenida), La Creación de Hydn (Teatro Roma, Teatro Colón Mar del Plata), Misa Santa Cecilia de Gounod (T.Colón Mar del Plata).