ARTIST PROFILE

Ahn Trio

BIOGRAPHY

Touring the world and performing over 100 concerts annually in such places as Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie's Weill Hall, Chicago's Ravina, Singapore's Victoria Concert Hall, Moscow's Tchaikovsky Hall and Soul Arts Center, the three sisters of the Ahn Trio – violinist Angella and the twins, pianist Lucia and cellist Maria – grab the intellect, hearts and souls of all who hear them.

Hailed as a brilliantly distinguished ensemble gifted with extraordinary powers of communication and exquisite blend of sound, each of these artists performs with superb technique and contagious excitement. The Washington Post has said, "Their technique was impressive, and they balanced unanimity and individuality in a spirit that is at the heart of chamber music." With that rare gift to communicate, the Ahn Trio continues to conduct hundreds of workshops and master classes around the world for children and adults.

The Ahn Trio first gained public attention in 1987 when they were featured in a cover story entitled "Asian-American Whiz Kids" in TIME Magazine. They have also been featured on NBC and PBS networks, in the pages of New York Times, G.Q., Visionaire, and were featured in Vogue in January 1999, and Best Friends, a book by the best selling author of Sisters. Other publications featuring the Ahn Sisters include Town and Country, in May 2000, and the cover of Spotlight, a New York State magazine that covers the entertainment scene.

In acknowledgement of their contributions to music education, the Trio was bestowed the highly prized Kentucky Colonels Award, a distinction shared by the late Bing Crosby and Red Skelton. The Trio's most recent innovative project, Ahnplugged, enables them to reach out to new audiences all over the world.

The Ahn Trio's passionate dedication to the commissioning and performance of contemporary music has led to significant additions to the piano trio repertoire. Among recent premieres are Eric Ewazen's Trio; Dan Coleman's Rhapsody Revolved and Kenji Bunch's Concerto for Piano Trio and Orchestra. Upcoming premieres include works by Michael Nyman, Paul Schoenfield, John Musto, and John Zorn.

The Ahn Trio have been exclusive recording artists for EMI Classics since 1997. Their first CD (released in 1998) of Dvorák, Suk, Shostakovich Trios was subsequently awarded the "ECHO" Award, Germany's most coveted recording prize. "This enormously stimulating performance will be one to turn to again and again," (BBC Music Magazine)

Performances on the Ahn Trio's current schedule include a ten-week tour in the mid-west and performances at such prestigious venues as: Wolf Trap in Virginia and the "92nd Street Y" in New York City, as well as universities across the country. Tour plans abroad include stops in Korea, Europe and Australia in the 2000 - 2001 season.