Luiz Amato
was born in São Paulo, Brazil, and studied violin with Johannes Oelsner, Elisa Fukuda, Erich Lehninger and Ayrton Pinto, among others. In 1984 he soloed with the São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra, winning the Young Soloists competition. Amato completed his bachelor's degree at USP in 1986. From 1989 to 1992 he studied for a master's degree and graduate diploma at the New England Conservatory in Boston, and in 1996 he received his doctorate (DMA) from the University of California in Santa Barbara, USA. During this time, he was a member of the university's quartet in residence, with which he took part in various festivals and tours throughout the United States, Europe and Brazil.

Back in Brazil, he was a member of various musical groups, such as Camerata Novo Horizonte, Trio Ives and Quarteto de São José dos Campos (winner of the APCA award for best chamber group in 1997). He is currently spalla of the São Paulo Municipal Symphony Orchestra.

Adriana Holtz
was born in Sorocaba (São Paulo state). She studied at the University of São Paulo with Robert Suetholz and Antonio Lauro Del Claro, and at the Universidade Federal da Bahia for her Master’s degree.

Formerly head of the cello section at the Orquestra Experimental de Repertório, she is a member of chamber groups such as Quintal Brasileiro and Trio Pueli. She has performed as a cellist in OSESP since 1997.