Kadisha Onalbayeva
Dr. Onalbayeva hails from Kazakhstan and has lived in five U.S. states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi). She is an active member of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), National Federation of Music Clubs (NFMC), Southeastern Composers League (SCL), Schumann Music Club (SMC), and Mobile Music Teachers Association (MMTA).
In 2024, she received the First Degree Diploma in the National Professional Category of the XVII Golden Key Piano Composition Competition, and her recordings of Lawrence Moss’s “A Life” (12 solo piano movements) were featured on the Navona Records CD “Unseen Paths.”

Dr. Kadisha Onalbayeva is the first pianist from Kazakhstan to become a Steinway Artist (since 2013), and in 2022 she was inducted into the Steinway & Sons Teacher Hall of Fame. She is the founder and president of the Gulf Coast Steinway Society, which promotes piano studies in the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi. She currently teaches at the University of Mobile (Alabama), where she serves as Director of Piano Studies.
She actively performs as a soloist, chamber musician, and with orchestras, and participates in festivals of new and classical music in Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Costa Rica, Austria, and England. Among her achievements: the Glad Robinson Youse Adult Composer Award (2019) for the piece “Think…Together,” composition of the theme “Alla” for the documentary film “Alla, Muse of Dior,” the solo CD “Think…Together” (2021), and recordings of Lawrence Moss’s “A Life” on the album “Unseen Paths” (Navona Records, 2024).

Yevgeniy Dyo
"Elegant violinist"
- Luis Biava
Principal and Conductor-in Residence Emeritus
Philadelphia Orchestra
"Control, solidity and beauty - who could ask for more?"
- Jeffrey Solow
American String Teachers Association President
"His is fine, sylvan sound, a combination of secure intonation and lithe bow arm. Throughout, Mr. Dyo's playing was
elegant, subtle at times, imperious at others, dramatic, and remarkable."
- Dr. David Cannata


Since his debut with the Kazakh State Orchestra at the age of nine, Yevgeniy Dyo has performed at prestigious venues in the former Soviet Union, Europe, Asia, Canada, and the United States, including Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Kimmel Center, Tchaikovsky Hall, Mozarteum Wiener Saal, Meyerson Hall, Astana Philharmonic Society Presidential Hall, Embassies of the Vatican and South Korea, and the United Nations General Headquarters.
He has won numerous awards from foundations and national and international competitions, including the grand prize at the Shabyt International Chamber Music Competition, Astana, Kazakhstan, and the International Organization "New Names" Award, Moscow, Russia.
Yevgeniy Dyo was featured in the KBS World Radio program "Korea and I" and the KBS Overseas Compatriot Award recipient Ten Chu documentary, South Korea; the WWFM program "Celebrating Our Musical Future" hosted by David Osenberg in Princeton, New Jersey; and in a number of interviews and performances on Kazakhstan National Radio and Television. He was featured in the Washington Post's coverage of the regional premiere and second-ever performance of Bernstein's "Music for String Quartet" in Washington, D.C.; other U.S. publications include Korea Phila Times, Korea Week, Kazakhstan's national newspaper Kazakhstanskaya Pravda, Koryo Ilbo, and other international publications.
As a chamber musician and soloist, Dr. Yevgeniy Dyo was a founding member of the Musica D'Accordo Astana, the premier chamber ensemble at the Astana State Philharmonic Society, comprised of six of Kazakhstan's most distinguished musicians, performing a regular season at the Presidential Hall and touring nationally. He has performed in the inaugural concert of the Bridge International concert series (currently Vancouver Chamber Music Society) in Vancouver, Canada; and he has performed at international festivals, including Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria. His orchestral performances include the world premiere of Karl Jenkins' Requiem in London, England, conducted by the composer; a guest concertmaster appearance with the New Jersey Capital Philharmonic Orchestra; and the assistant concertmaster position with Camerata Kazakhstan. As a member of Trio Fontes, Trio Excelsior, and Lehner Quartet, he frequently performs in the tri-state region.
Dr. Dyo has taught violin and chamber music at institutions including Temple University, where he coached alongside Philadelphia Orchestra principal harpist Elizabeth Hainen, and The Peddie School. He has also given master classes at institutions including the Mongolian State Conservatory, Flint School of Performing Arts, and The Music School of Delaware, among others. He served as a judge for the GMP International Violin Competition in New York. Since 2015, he has also served as a regular judge at the New Jersey All-State auditions.
Dr. Dyo has served as vice-president and president of the Philadelphia Korean Musicians Association, one of the nation's oldest and most respected Korean arts organizations. Under his leadership, the organization participated in numerous events, including The First Korean Congress Centennial Celebration, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Korean liberation movement, and "Korea in Philly" Korean Cultural Week, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Korean American Association of Greater Philadelphia. During his tenure, he oversaw the organization of two competitions that served more than one hundred young Korean musicians in the region. He has been named the competition's permanent artistic director.
Currently, as Executive Director of Global Music Partnership, he served as co-production manager for multiple Carnegie Hall events in partnership with the US-China Cultural Foundation.