About us: The Best String Musicians in Dallas

Edina Pastyik received her music education in the famous Franz Liszt Music Academy in Budapest, Hungary. Being the daughter of a professional opera singer, she was strongly encouraged to start her music education at age 6 and never wavered in her love of music and the violin. She was a member of the Dohnanyi Erno Symphony Orchestra for three seasons then she founded the "Budapest Trio" and traveled with the group all around the world to such places as Japan, Dubai, Germany, South Korea, and the Netherlands. In 2004, Edina accepted an invitation from Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas and completed the "Artist Certificate in Violin Performance" program. In addition to performing with several local symphony orchestras, she founded the European Ensemble String Quartet in 2005 and performs with them on a regular basis with great success.

Lisa Rawlings originally from Georgia, has played the cello for over 20 years. She graduated Cum Laude from Southern Methodist University (Dallas, TX) in 2001 with a Bachelor’s of Music Education Degree and a primary focus on the cello, under the direction of Kolwasaki. She performs regularly with the Allen Philharmonic, Stonebriar Community Church, and the European Ensemble Strings. Lisa teaches Elementary Music in a local North Texas school district and maintains a growing private cello studio in McKinney. She loves arranging music and has contributed many songs to the vast repertoire of the European Ensemble Strings.

Andrea Russo began studying piano at age 5 and violin at 9, receiving pre-college music instruction at Butler University. She won numerous awards as a soloist in her hometown in Indiana, performing with local orchestras before the age of 12. She earned her bachelor's music performance degree from Oberlin Conservatory in 2005 and her graduate performance degree in 2007 from Indiana University School of Music. She has performed and mentored for various summer music festivals, including recitals and masterclasses in Italy and throughout the United States. Andrea is a faculty member of the Prestonwood School of Fine Arts and a versatile member of the European Ensemble String Quartet performing violin and piano throughout the Metroplex.

Gail Bowers a native of Indiana, holds a bachelor of music degree in viola performance from the Oberlin College Conservatory, where she studied with Peter Slowik. She studied with Ellen Rose, principal violist of the Dallas Symphony, while at Southern Methodist University, from which she received her master of music degree also in performance. In addition to the European Ensemble Stings Quartet, Gail plays with the Las Colinas Symphony Orchestra and in various venues in the DFW area. She also teaches viola privately in Dallas and in the Garland, Carrollton, and Frisco school districts. Highlights of summer festivals and master classes, both in the US and abroad, include instruction from members of the Cleveland and Dallas Symphony Orchestras, faculty from Indiana University and UCLA, as well as from distinguished soloists Csaba Erdelyi, Roger Chase, and Andres Dias.