Kristine Blaumane was born in Riga into a family of musicians.  After graduating from the Latvian Academy of Music where she studied with Eleonora Testeleca, Kristine moved to England and studied with Stefan Popov at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.   Educated in the best traditions of Latvian and British schools she became a winner of many prestigious competitions and awards including Latvian Philharmonic Young Musician of the Year, Latvian Television Competition “Alternativa”, Carmel International Competition, Musicians Benevolent Fund and Lord Mayor’s Prize.

She gives recitals and performs with orchestras such as the Amsterdam Sinfonietta, Chicago Civic Orchestra, Kremerata Baltica, Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Latvian National Opera Orchestra, Riga Chamber Players, Britten Sinfonia and Netherlands Wind Ensemble under conductors including Thomas Sanderling, Lev Markiz, Takuo Yuasa and Peter Oundjian.

Kristine has been a guest at major international festivals such as Lockenhaus, Gstaad, Salzburg, Verbier, Basel, Jerusalem, Cheltenham, Aldeburgh and Homecoming Festival in Moscow, and has performed chamber music with artists such as Isaac Stern, Gidon Kremer, Yo Yo Ma, Yuri Bashmet, Leiv Ove Andsnes, Bruno Giuranna, Nikolaj Znaider, Tatyana Grindenko,Oleg Maisenberg and others.

Together with the violinist Roman Mints and violist Maxim Rysanov Kristine established the ASCH Trio, which tours extensively in UK and abroad including performances at the Wigmore Hall and Purcell Room.

At the age of 22 Kristine was appointed principal cellist of the Amsterdam Sinfonietta.  She also regularly appears as a guest leader with Kremerata Baltica. She has recorded for Connifer Classics, Quartz as well as BBC, Dutch, Israeli, Russian and Latvian Radio and TV.  In 2005, Kristine became a laureate of the Great Music Award, the highest prize given by the Latvian State in the field of music.

Jacob Katsnelson was born in 1976 in Moscow.  He began his music studies at the age of six and in 1993 entered the Moscow Conservatory to study with Prof. Eliso Virsaladze.

Jacob has performed as a soloist across Russia as well as in Austria, Germany, Spain and France.  As a member of Akadem-trio (Jacob Katsnelson [piano] Irina Petukhova [violin] Boris Lifanovsky [cello]) he has performed extensively in Russia and abroad.  In November 1999 the trio won First Prize and six special prizes at the Second Open National Taneyev chamber music competition.  In December 2000, they were awarded Second Prize at the XXI Trapani (Italy) International Chamber Music Competition.

Jacob Katsnelson has participated in several international music festivals, including the Sixth International festival in commemoration of Oleg Kagan.  He was awarded a Diploma at the Tenth International Bach competition in Leipzig, a Diploma at the International Queen Elizabeth competition in Belgium (1999).  He is a Laureate of the Second International piano competition in Tbilisi (Georgia) and a Laureate of the First International Svyatoslav Richter competition in Moscow (2005).

Jacob has taught at the Special Gnessin music school affiliated to Moscow conservatory since 1998 and, since 2001, he has been assistant to Prof. Eliso Virsaladze at the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory.