Trio con Brio Copenhagen
Encyclopedia
Trio con Brio Copenhagen is an award-winning piano trio
based in Copenhagen
, Denmark
. It was formed in 1999 and consists of the Danish pianist Jens Elvekjaer and the two Korean sisters Soo-Jin Hong and Soo-Kyung Hong.
Soo-Jin Hong and Soo-Kyung Hong play an Andrea Guarneri violin
and an Amati cello
, respectively, and Jens Elvekjaer is a Steinway Artist.
in 1999, and had its breakthorugh when it took the main award at the prestigious German ARD International Music Competition
in 2002.
Subsequently Trio con Brio settled in Copenhagen and In 2003 it performed the complete Beethoven piano trio cycle in three concerts at Tivoli Concert Hall in Copenhagen to much critical acclaim. In 2005 Trio con Brio became Ensemble in Residence at Copenhagen's historic Round Tower
. These concerts were broadcasted on the European Broadcasting Union
and the national Danish broadcaster DR.
Parallel to these engagements, Trio con Brio continued to win awards at competitions and festivals around the world, culminating with the highly prestigious Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson International Trio Award in 2005. This gave them concert engagements in twenty major concert series across the USA as well as a record deal. In their review of trio's resulting debut CD, the American Record Guide
wrote: “One of the greatest performances of chamber music I’ve ever encountered [...] What stands out from this ensemble is the range of tone and sound [...] They command an amazing range of timbres. Melodies sing with an aching sweetness, or seduce with wild eroticism, or haunt with impenetrable mystery" while Gramophone wrote that "it’s easy to see what so impressed the judges [...] [the] performances can compete with the best available [...] a superb, greatly gifted chamber group".
Since then the trio has performed at numerous music venues around the world. These include New York’s Carnegie Hall
.
.
Trio con Brio Copenhagen is frequently featured as soloists in Beethoven’s Triple Concerto
with orchestras such as the Danish National Symphony Orchestra
, the Copenhagen Philharmonic, the Polish Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra, l’Orchestre Syrinx (France), and the Prime Philharmonic Orchestra (Korea).
Piano trio
A piano trio is a group of piano and two other instruments, usually a violin and a cello, or a piece of music written for such a group. It is one of the most common forms found in classical chamber music...
based in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. It was formed in 1999 and consists of the Danish pianist Jens Elvekjaer and the two Korean sisters Soo-Jin Hong and Soo-Kyung Hong.
Soo-Jin Hong and Soo-Kyung Hong play an Andrea Guarneri violin
Andrea Guarneri
Andrea Guarneri was an Italian luthier and founder of the house of Guarneri violin makers.-Biography:Thought to be born in 1626 to Bartolomo Guarneri in the parish of Cremona, Italy, very little is known about Andrea Guarneri's family of origin...
and an Amati cello
Amati
Amati is the name of a family of Italian violin makers, who flourished at Cremona from about 1549 to 1740.-Andrea Amati:Andrea Amati was not the earliest maker of violins whose instruments still survive today...
, respectively, and Jens Elvekjaer is a Steinway Artist.
Biography
The trio was founded by its three members in ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
in 1999, and had its breakthorugh when it took the main award at the prestigious German ARD International Music Competition
ARD International Music Competition
The ARD International Music Competition is the largest international classical music competition in Germany. It is held once a year in Munich.-History:...
in 2002.
Subsequently Trio con Brio settled in Copenhagen and In 2003 it performed the complete Beethoven piano trio cycle in three concerts at Tivoli Concert Hall in Copenhagen to much critical acclaim. In 2005 Trio con Brio became Ensemble in Residence at Copenhagen's historic Round Tower
Rundetårn
The Rundetårn is a 17th-century tower located in central Copenhagen, Denmark. One of the many architectural projects of Christian IV, it was built as an astronomical observatory...
. These concerts were broadcasted on the European Broadcasting Union
European Broadcasting Union
The European Broadcasting Union is a confederation of 74 broadcasting organisations from 56 countries, and 49 associate broadcasters from a further 25...
and the national Danish broadcaster DR.
Parallel to these engagements, Trio con Brio continued to win awards at competitions and festivals around the world, culminating with the highly prestigious Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson International Trio Award in 2005. This gave them concert engagements in twenty major concert series across the USA as well as a record deal. In their review of trio's resulting debut CD, the American Record Guide
American Record Guide
The American Record Guide is a classical music magazine. It has reviewed classical music recordings since 1935.Since 1992, with the incorporation of the Musical America editorial functions into ARG, it started covering concerts, musicians, ensembles and orchestras in the US.The magazine prides...
wrote: “One of the greatest performances of chamber music I’ve ever encountered [...] What stands out from this ensemble is the range of tone and sound [...] They command an amazing range of timbres. Melodies sing with an aching sweetness, or seduce with wild eroticism, or haunt with impenetrable mystery" while Gramophone wrote that "it’s easy to see what so impressed the judges [...] [the] performances can compete with the best available [...] a superb, greatly gifted chamber group".
Since then the trio has performed at numerous music venues around the world. These include New York’s Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
.
Concert activities
Trio con Brio Copenhagen tours worldwide, giving concerts in major concert halls and at festivals in Europe, North America and Asia. In Copenhagen the trio gives regular concerts at venues such as the Queen's Hall of the Black DiamondBlack Diamond (library)
The Black Diamond is a modern waterfront extension to the Royal Danish Library's old building on Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, Denmark. Its quasi-official nickname is a reference to its polished black granite cladding and irregular angles...
.
Trio con Brio Copenhagen is frequently featured as soloists in Beethoven’s Triple Concerto
Triple Concerto (Beethoven)
Ludwig van Beethoven's Concerto for Violin, Cello, and Piano in C Major, Op. 56, more commonly known as the Triple Concerto, was composed in 1803 and later published in 1804 under Breitkopf & Hartel. The choice of the three solo instruments effectively makes this a concerto for piano trio and the...
with orchestras such as the Danish National Symphony Orchestra
Danish National Symphony Orchestra
The Danish National Symphony Orchestra , is a Danish orchestra based in Copenhagen. The DNSO is the principal orchestra of DR...
, the Copenhagen Philharmonic, the Polish Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra, l’Orchestre Syrinx (France), and the Prime Philharmonic Orchestra (Korea).
Awards
- 2nd Prize, Vienna Haydn Competition. Austria
- 2002 Danish Radio Competition. Denmark
- 2002 ARD International Music CompetitionARD International Music CompetitionThe ARD International Music Competition is the largest international classical music competition in Germany. It is held once a year in Munich.-History:...
- 2002 Premio Trio di Trieste. Italy
- 2003 Premio Vittorio Gui, Italy
- 2003 Trondheim Chamber Music Competition . Norway
- "Allianz-Preis" for Best Ensemble at the Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Germany
- 2005 Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson International Trio Award
Past concerts
- Carnegie HallCarnegie HallCarnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
, New York - the Gilmore Keyboard Festival
- Wigmore HallWigmore HallWigmore Hall is a leading international recital venue that specialises in hosting performances of chamber music and is best known for classical recitals of piano, song and instrumental music. It is located at 36 Wigmore Street, London, UK and was built to provide London with a venue that was both...
, London - ConcertgebouwConcertgebouwThe Concertgebouw is a concert hall in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Dutch term "concertgebouw" literally translates into English as "concert building"...
, Amsterdam - Musikhalle Hamburg, Hamburg
- Tokyo Bunka KaikanTokyo Bunka KaikanThe Tokyo Bunka Kaikan is a Japanese concert hall located in Ueno Park, Taito, Tokyo. It was built in 1961 and renovated in 1998-99. Its larger hall seats 2303 people, and its small hall seats 649. It is operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture.- External links :...
, Tokyo - Tivoli Concert Hall, Copenhagen
- Konzerthaus BerlinKonzerthaus BerlinThe Konzerthaus Berlin is a concert hall situated on the Gendarmenmarkt square in the central Mitte district of Berlin housing the German orchestra Konzerthausorchester Berlin...
, Berlin - Mozart-SaalKonzerthaus, ViennaThe Konzerthaus in Vienna was opened 1913. It is situated in the third district just at the edge of the first district in Vienna. Since it was founded it has always tried to emphasise both tradition and innovative musical styles.In 1890 the first ideas for a Haus für Musikfeste came about...
, Vienna - Herkulessaal, Munich
- Beethoven HouseBeethoven HouseDetailsThe Beethoven House in Bonn, Germany, is a memorial site, museum and cultural institution serving various purposes. Founded in 1889 by the Beethoven-Haus association it studies the life and work of composer Ludwig van Beethoven.The centrepiece of the Beethoven-Haus is Beethoven's birthplace...
, Bonn - Mozarteum, Salzburg
- Alte OperAlte OperThe Alte Oper is a major concert hall and former opera house in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. The building was inaugurated in 1880. Many important works have been premiered at the Alte Oper, including Carl Orff's Carmina Burana in 1937....
, Frankfurt - Library of CongressLibrary of CongressThe Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
Washington DC - Yale UniversityYale UniversityYale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
- Chicago Chamber Music Society, Chicago
- Newport Music FestivalNewport Music FestivalNewport Music Festival is a classical music festival that takes place in Newport, Rhode Island.It was founded in 1969 as a summer season of the Metropolitan Opera. The outdoor venue was not conducive to classical music performance, and instead the grand rooms of the stately Newport mansions were...
, Newport - Seoul Arts CenterSeoul Arts CenterThe Seoul Arts Center, literally the Hall of Arts, is a cultural center in Seocho-gu, the southern area of Seoul, South Korea.Measuring in 12,0350 m², it consists of many different halls and centers for many diverse art forms. It began construction in 1984, and opened all its doors in 1993...
, Seoul - Sejong CenterSejong CenterSejong Center for the Performing Arts is the largest arts and cultural complex in Seoul, South Korea. It has an interior area of 53,202m². It is situated in the center of the capital, on Sejongno, a main road that cuts through the capital city of the Joseon Dynasty. The center took 4 years to...
, Seoul - Teatro OlimpicoTeatro OlimpicoThe Teatro Olimpico is a theatre in Vicenza, northern Italy: constructed in 1580-1585, it is the oldest surviving enclosed theatre in the world. The theatre was the final design by the Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio, Renaissance, and was not completed until after his death...
, Vicenza - Società Filarmonica Trento, Italy
- Schwetzingen FestivalSchwetzingen FestivalThe Schwetzingen Festival is an early summer festival of opera and other classical music presented each year from May to early June in Schwetzingen, Germany....
, Germany - Schleswig-Holstein Musik FestivalSchleswig-Holstein Musik FestivalThe Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival is a classical music festival held every year in summer time all over the state of Schleswig-Holstein in Northern Germany....
, Germany