James String Quartet

Joseph Nigro, violin

New York City native Joseph J. Nigro is a graduate of Manhattan School of Music, where he studied with both Karen Tuttle and Burton Kaplan. While in New York, Mr. Nigro appeared with The Orchestra of St. Luke’s, The American Symphony, and The New Jersey Symphony in halls ranging from Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, to Gracie Mansion and The White House.

Since his relocation in 1995, Joe has appeared locally as principal violist of The Roanoke Symphony, Opera Roanoke, and The Lynchburg Symphony. Mr. Nigro also enjoyed an eight-year tenure as both principal violist and academy director of The Wintergreen Summer Music Festival. In 2012, Mr. Nigro formed The James Chamber Players, with the intention that this chamber ensemble would provide an avenue along which local professionals could come together to rehearse and perform the wonderful literature written for the string orchestra medium.

Mr. Nigro’s chamber music performances include six summers at The Downeast Chamber Music Center in Maine, as well as a fellowship to The Blossom Festival School in Ohio, where Mr. Nigro studied with Robert Vernon. Joe’s desire to bring chamber music to Lynchburg eventually led to the formation of The James String Quartet in 1995.

In Lynchburg, Mr. Nigro continues to direct the strings program at New Covenant Schools, as well as maintains a private studio for both violin and viola. Joe has served as the music director and conductor of The Sweet Briar College Orchestra and The Wintergreen Festival Academy Chamber Orchestra. He has guest conducted the Virginia Junior Regional Orchestra, taught at The Central Virginia Suzuki Institute, and is a former member of the board of directors of The Virginia School of the Arts.

Joe and his wife Darlene reside in Forest. Joe, Jr., has left to study Engineering at Virginia Tech, while Ally and Lizzie will continue their dance studies this year as part of The Dance Theater of Lynchburg.

Christi Salisbury, violin

Christi Salisbury holds a Bachelor of Music in violin (2006) from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University; pursued violin studies at the Eastman School of Music (1997-2000) with Mitchell Stern and Ilya Kaler; and studied privately with Manhattan School of Music violin teacher Burton Kaplan (2002-2003). Ms. Salisbury was a violin teacher on faculty at the Monmouth Conservatory of Music in Red Bank, New Jersey (2001-2007) while working with mentor and noted teacher Irina Kowalsky.

Now in Lynchburg since 2007, Ms. Salisbury is active as a teacher and performer. In addition to teaching her private studio, Ms. Salisbury is concertmaster of the James Chamber Players, 1st violin in the James String Quartet in residence at University of Lynchburg, and performs regularly with the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, Oratorio Society of Virginia, Opera on the James, Lynchburg Chorale Union, and other ensembles throughout central-southwest Virginia. Ms. Salisbury was violin instructor at New Covenant Strings Camp (2014) and founded, directed, and taught at Silver Birch String Camp (2007-2009). Ms. Salisbury is founder of Flying Carpet Music, an organization devoted to promoting classical, jazz, and world music, and was artistic and executive director for their annual festivals, Feast or Flower (2008) and Saudade (2009). Additionally, Ms. Salisbury is owner of the stringed instrument rental and sales business, Salisbury Strings, and was co-owner (2007-2013) of Salisbury & Heer Stringed Instruments, Inc. in Lynchburg, Virginia, which rented over 750 instruments annually to students in the region.

Domenico Luca Trombetta, viola

Domenico Luca Trombetta is a native of Catania, Italy. After years of private music instruction, he was admitted into the Istituto Musicale V. Bellini of Catania. After a few years, he transferred his studies to the Conservatory of St. Cecilia, Rome to complete his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Viola Performance with highest honors under the instruction of Margot Burton. During this time, he was also a student at the Perosi Academy of Biella (Italy) studying with Simonide Braconi, the principal viola of La Scala Theater of Milan. Before completing his Master’s Degree he studied with Bruno Giuranna, at the Lugano Conservatory (Switzerland).

Since a young age Luca has appeared as the featured soloist in solo concerts and recitals and has performed around the world with numerous chamber ensembles, orchestras, and world renowned conductors such as Riccardo Muti, Yuri Temirkanov, Marc Soustrot, Ennio Morricone, Nicola Piovani (Music of Life is beautiful), Lu Ja, and Steven White. In addition, he has appeared in concerts with Uto Ughi, Boris Belkin, Robert Cohen, Luisa Castellani, Andrea Bocelli, and Yo-yo Ma. Luca holds a DMA from James Madison University and is currently Assistant Professor of Music and Coordinator of the String Programs at Liberty University.

David Feldman, cello

David Feldman has been a member of the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra since 2008 and is the recently appointed cellist of the James String Quartet in residence at University of Lynchburg. He has been featured as a concerto soloist with the Boise State University Orchestra, the New River Valley Symphony, and the Shenandoah Conservatory Orchestra. He is an alumnus of the Castleman Quartet Program and the festivals of Bowdoin and Chautauqua, studying under Peter Rejto, David Ying, and Steven Doane.

Along with regular studio session work, his pop music ventures include concerts with D.J. Spooky, Manchester Orchestra, Everclear, Liza Minnelli, Art Garfunkel, and the Trans Siberian Orchestra, where he was a featured soloist in 2011. In 2013, Mr. Feldman became one of the first resident artists at Carilion Clinic through the Dr. Robert L. A. Keeley Healing Arts Program. He holds performance degrees studying under Alan Weinstein and Brian Hodges, for whom he was a teaching assistant. He currently serves on the music faculties of Liberty University and University of Lynchburg. He performs on a cello of Belgian origin (c. 1850) generously on loan from Kelley Mikkelsen.