Christina Lazaridou studied with Statha Gkoutzika, Stelios Kafantaris, Irina Dragneva, Taras Gabora and Keiko Wataya. She took her violin diploma from the New Conservatory of Thessaloniki and then was accepted at Oberlin Conservatory, where she received the Bachelor of music. She continued her Master’s Degree at Conservatorium of Amsterdam. Christina participated in Master Classes both in Greece and abroad and was awarded in several competitions. As a soloist she collaborated with Municipality Symphony Orchestra of Thessaloniki and Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra. Since 2004, she is a permanent member of Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra.
Miguel Michaelides started violin with Mikis Michaelides at Synchronon Conservatory of Thessaloniki, where he got his Diploma and continued his studies at the Hochschule fur Musik Trossingen with F. Agostini and E. Fischer. He has participated in Master Classes with great teachers in Greece
and abroad. As a soloist, Miguel has performed with Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra, the State Orchestra of Cyprus, the Kammerorchester of Tubingen, the Athens State Orchestra and the Symphony Orchestra of Arad. Since 2004, he is a permanent member of Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra.
Athanasios Sourgounis completed his training in violin at the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki. He attended Master Classes with L. Kavakos, S. Kafantaris, A. Daskalakis and R. Koelman. He also participated and won prices in several violin competitions, among them the 1st Price in Murcia International Violin Competition (Spain, 2007). He was a member of the World Youth Orchestra for two years, touring throughout Europe. During his violin activities, he occasionally helped out in quartet playing by taking the viola part, so he decided to switch over. In 2009 he became a permanent violist of Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra, having also Co-Principal Viola duties. As a soloist, he performed with Thessaloniki and Athens State Symphony Orchestras.
Ioannis Stefos studied cello with Renos Baltas at the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki and withJ. F. Sellheimand K. Heitzat Hochschule fur Musik und Theater Hannover. During his studies, he was a scholar of the Yamaha Music
Foundation (1992), the association "Athens Friends of Music" (1993-1995), Al. Trianti (1998-2000) and the Foundation of State Scholarships (1995-1997).He has participated in cello and chamber music competitions, where he won several awards. He is teaching cello at the Conservatory of Northern Greece. Since 2001, Ioannis is a permanent member of Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra.
Ensemble "Xpause"
Christina Lazaridou, violin
Migel Michaelides, violin
Athanasios Sourgounis, viola
Ioannis Stefos, cello