Dr. Kristian Schembri is a composer, percussionist, and conductor from the Republic of Malta. His music has been performed and recorded by orchestras such as the Cleveland Chamber Symphony, Brno Philharmonic Orchestra (Czech Republic), Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, Case Western Reserve University Symphony Orchestra, and the University of Delaware Symphony Orchestra, and his works have been featured in festivals across three continents. He is the recipient of many awards, including the Joseph Vella Award in Composition, and he has been commissioned by multiple organizations, most recently, the Catholic Sacred Music Project and the Embassy of Malta to the United States. His symphonic music is featured on both PARMA and ABLAZE Records.

Schembri worked for nine years as a percussionist with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, and has also performed as a guest percussionist in several other orchestras, including the Belle-ile-en-Mer Festival Orchestra and the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra. He has toured in three continents performing in venues such as the Berliner Philharmonie, Wiener Musikverein, Mariinsky Theater, Jiangxi Arts Center, the Kimmel Center, and Carnegie Hall. Schembri and his wife form the international award-winning percussion and viola duo, Duo Schembri-Gallagher. They are the recipients of numerous international prizes, most recently the "Master Prize" of the UK International Music Competition, and 1st Prize of the Gabriel Fauré International Competition. The Duo was also awarded 2nd Prize in Chamber Music Performance in the 2022 American Prize for Excellence in the Arts, performing Schembri's Scherzo for viola and multi-percussion. His mentors include Mac Damoulakis of the Cleveland Orchestra, and Gene Koshinski and Tim Broscious of the Quey Percussion Duo.

Schembri has served as the Assistant Conductor of the University of Delaware Symphony Orchestra. He has conducted at festivals such as the Victoria International Arts Festival and the Atlantic Music Festival, and regularly conducts contemporary music productions. He was also the conductor of the 2022 Micro-Opera Project at the Cleveland Institute of Music.

Schembri received is Doctorate of Musical Arts from the Cleveland Institute of Music with Keith Fitch, where he was the recipient of the Donald Erb Scholarship and the Carl G. Lampl Memorial Award in Composition. He hold a MMus. from the University of Delaware, where he studied with Jennifer Margaret Barker and Tony Solitro, a BA (Hons.) from the University of Malta, and a Licentiate Diploma from Trinity College, London. Schembri also holds the Diploma di Perfezionamento from Accademia Musicale Chigiana.

Schembir serves as Instructor of Music at JMU and is also the choir director at the JMU Catholic Campus Ministry. He is also on the Board of Directors of the Waynesboro Symphony Orchestra, and is a fellow at the Forbes Center for the Performing Arts. He has previously served on the faculty of the Cleveland Institute of Music, Case Western Reserve University, and Bridgewater College.