REVIEWS
"An intriguing and beautifully played program . . . convincing elegance . . . near-effortless lightness and grace.” —Washington Post
“An elegant rendition of Piazzolla’s ‘Chau Paris’ by the Poulenc Trio.” —New York Times
“Warmly molded phrases and panache from all three players . . . an ensemble that offers equal doses of polish and personality.”
—Baltimore Sun
“Magic was on plentiful display . . .” —Palm Beach Post
“The exceptional gifts of the Poulenc Trio were a welcome diversion to the large crowd . . . robustly thrilling . . . sensitive and sometimes sensuous, their techniques secure and fleet, their pitch and balances exact, their breath control effortless and their manner confident. Their preparation was incredible . . .” —Schenectady (NY) Daily Gazette
BIOGRAPHY
The Poulenc Trio is the most active touring piano-wind chamber music ensemble in the world. Since its founding in 2003, the Poulenc Trio has performed in 45 U.S. states and at music festivals around the world, including the Ravello Festival in Italy, the San Miguel de Allende Festival in Mexico, and the White Nights Festival in Russia, where the group toured with and premiered two new works with violinist Hilary Hahn.
The Poulenc Trio’s latest collaboration is Trains of Thought: Animated, a mixed-media project featuring a beautifully hand-animated film by artists Elizabeth and Alden Phelps, paired with a commissioned work by Viet Cuong to be premiered at the National Gallery this coming May 21st.
The Trio’s latest CD, Creation, reached No.4 on Apple Music’s iTunes Classical Music playlist and garnered high praise from the American Record Guide for the group’s technique and expressive range. The CD also features poet and Guggenheim Fellow Lia Purpura reading her poems juxtaposed with the movements of Schnittke’s Suite in the Old Style.
Coming collaborations include a new Music at the Museum residency with Chamber Music Raleigh and the North Carolina Museum of Art, featuring a new commissioned work by composer William Henry Curry, and a commission for Trio and Clarinet by GRAMMY-award winning composer and clarinetist Derek Bermel.
The Trio has a strong commitment to commissioning, performing and recording new works from living composers. Since its founding, the Trio has greatly expanded the repertoire available for the oboe, bassoon and piano, with 22 new works written for and premiered by the group, including three triple concertos for the trio and full orchestra.
The Trio is commited to exploring and promoting musics that reflect its members’ African, Asian, Eastern European and Jewish roots. Recent concerts have featured works by Afro-Cuban jazz great Paquito D’Rivera, Mexican-American composer Carlos Medina, Russian-American composer Nataliya Medvedovskaya and Yiddish Lexicon, an exploration of Jewish culture by composer Jakov Jakoulov.
The Trio launched a pioneering concert series called Music at the Museum, in which musical performances are paired with museum exhibitions, with special appearances from guest artists and curators. As part of the series, the Trio has collaborated with the National Gallery, the Walters Art Museum and Baltimore Museum of Art and the Hermitage State Museum in Russia. Guest artist collaborators have included the Thibaud Trio of Berlin, soprano Hyunah Yu, and clarinetists David Schiff, Alexander Fiterstein and Anthony McGill.
The Trio is deeply engaged in musical and educational outreach programs, including Pizza and Poulenc, an informal performance and residency series for younger audiences around the United States. The Trio regularly conducts masterclasses, with recent engagements at the University of Ohio, San Francisco State University, Florida State University and the University of Colima in Mexico.
“The exceptional gifts of the Poulenc Trio were a welcome diversion to the large crowd . . . robustly thrilling . . . sensitive and sometimes sensuous, their techniques secure and fleet, their pitch and balances exact, their breath control effortless and their manner confident. Their preparation was incredible . . . ”
PRAISE FROM PRESENTERS
“The Poulenc Trio was a great success both in the schools, at the public concert and at the Meet the Artist Reception. They are outstanding artists who together, make up a trio, they play as one. Their technical skills are amazing and their phrasing is superb and their attention to detail is impeccable. They are also very interesting as individuals.
The students in the three schools were really turned on by the Trio. Having the opportunity to experience the oboe and bassoon in such an intimate setting was very rewarding especially for the few double reed players who are often in the background.
In short, we loved them.”
—Jack Kukuk, Gold Canyon (AZ) Arts Council
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“I was delighted by the Poulenc Trio's concert last weekend, and so were my board members and principal funders. I sat with the founding trustee, who was thrilled with the program, the ‘sensitivity’ of the performances, and with the simple fact that having a wind concert on an otherwise string-dominated season was ‘wonderfully refreshing.’
I also heard from some of our patrons that this was their favorite event of the season -- and this about a series that this year also included the Eroica Trio and the great violinist Ida Kavafian!
Vladimir, Bryan, and Irina are consummate professionals and outstanding musicians who play with beauty and elegance. They were a pleasure to work with, and I appreciated their participation in the pre-concert talk -- a bonus for our audience.”
—Ron Caltabiano, Director, Morrison Artist Series, San Francisco State University
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"I have had great feedback from audience members—it was a most memorable evening, filled with so much joy and beautiful music!"
—Elizabeth Bergmann, White Rock (BC) Concerts
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“The Poulenc Trio’s playing . . . had the audience dancing in the aisles. What a joyful experience. Our patrons are saying, ‘This concert was the best of the season thus far. Bring them back!’ The ‘buzz on the street’ is that the Poulenc Trio was simply fabulous!”
—Howard Chadwick, Nantucket Musical Arts Society
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“Anytime you have patrons coming to you and saying this was the best concert we've had in our 12 seasons, you know the evening was a success.”
—Tom Kirk, Hart (MI) Community Performing Arts Series
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"They gave a great performance--lots of fun pieces, obvious virtuosity, I'm glad I finally got around to booking them. I might add, the announcements were just right--helpful, not too long."
All the best,
—George Reeke, Director, Rockefeller University
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“They were fantastic!! Such a musical performance. They were interactive, humorous. They presented a great varied program and their ensemble was so well balanced. Such delicate sounds from the oboe and bassoon, I'd never heard. Their interpretations were superb. We loved them."
—Janet Moore, Utica (NY) Chamber Music Society
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"They were absolutely superb, my board, the audience, and I were astounded at their musical gifts and a wonderful program. We look forward to their return. Thanks for sharing them with us." —Tom Broderick, Brookings (OR) Chamber Music Society
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“The Poulenc Trio were absolutely delightful! Their fine musicianship added to the sheer novelty of the instrumental combination and repertoire produced a fresh and enchanting experience for our audience. Subscribers wanted to know if they are going to appear again. Certainly we will want to engage them again in the future.”
—Gay Stanek, Chicago Chamber Music Society
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“Our audience loved the Poulenc Trio and it was wonderful also to introduce many people to this delightful combination of instruments. And of course, of the personal side, we had a great time, as well. Everything was so easy and smooth . . . The kids at the high school were quite thrilled, and three of them came to the concert and were excited to talk more with the musicians and have their picture taken with them. All in all, a wonderful experience. Thanks for all!”
—Paula Forrest, Ames Town & Gown Chamber Music Association
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“VERY Very positive reception. I was surprised at the degree of interest in hearing that kind of ensemble - people felt it was a refreshing change. The Previn piece is a knock-out, too. They played wonderfully.”
—Paul Nitsch, Queens University Friends of Music, Charlotte, NC
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“There has been unanimous acclaim from our subscribers re the Poulenc Trio's presentation and musicianship. The trio, truly, was a wonderful opener for our present season.”
—Gloria Bruno, El Dorado Community Concert Association, Placerville, CA
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“Sure hope I can get them to return to Green Bay soon. The Poulenc Trio will always be one of my best 'finds.'”
—Roger Bintz, Brown County (WI) Civic Music Association
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“Everyone (our biggest crowd) who attended the performance raved about Poulenc. They were great in the schools with the students and, as a result, several students came with their parents to the Friday evening performance. It was a great way to begin our season. I, and our
board, have really enjoyed getting to know them. They are such nice and interesting people as well as being marvelous musicians.”
—Judy Baxter, Grand County (CO) Concert Association
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“They were a smashing success.” —Tim Sims, High Point, NC Concert Association
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“The Poulenc Trio was absolutely wonderful! Here are some of the audience comments, offered spontaneously: ‘Magnificent!’ ‘Thrilling!’ ‘Lovely! ‘Terrific!’ ‘Wonderful’! One lady, not known for hyperbole, said, ‘I left the concert high as a kite! Another woman, one of the area's best voice teachers, said she usually doesn't enjoy transcriptions of vocal music, but this was an exception—she could just hear Cecelia Bartoli and Thomas Hampson in the Rossini piece. I agreed with her! I had many phone calls and emails after the concert, raving about it, and hoping that we will invite them for a return visit. The delightful, wistful encore by Charlie Chaplin elicited satisfied sighs—a perfect choice! The Trio's comments to the audience were just right—informative and amusing.
PLEASE let me know when their CDs are available; I wish to purchase at least three.”
—Diane Mitchell, Hemet (CA) Community Concert Association
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“The audience gave them prolonged warm applause . . . they were enjoyable and considerate house guests . . . Audience members told me their delight with the concert—program and musicianship . . . it created a rapport with the audience that they gave brief introductory remarks before each piece. . . ”
—Ted Lorraine, San Jose Chamber Music Society
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"They were amazing and the music absolutely beautiful . . . a wonderful concert! . . . true professionals and very special people.”
—Dennis Tomlinson, Hidden Valley Community Concert Association, Escondido, CA
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“A wonderful performance!” —Shelley Brown, Strathmore Hall
“The Poulenc Trio's concert and outreach program were both excellent. Not only was the ensemble of the highest quality, their comments to the audiences were very engaging.”
—Joan Allison, Corpus Christi Chamber Music Society
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“The concert was fabulous. My goodness they are good! And the ‘Pizza with Poulenc’ went wonderfully well. All three of them were wonderfully personable and interested in our students here.”
—Mary Richardson, McNeese State University, Lake Charles, Louisiana
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“Opened up a new sensibility of sounds and colors to lovers of chamber music. The audience was full of excitement and wonder, and the high level of virtuosic playing left them mesmerized!”
—Lorraine Bernstein, Artistic Director, Peggy and Yale Gordon Trust, Baltimore
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“The audience left with joy . . . Precision, humor and sophistication—what a delight for all!”
—Camie Sands, San Miguel de Allende Chamber Music Festival, Mexico
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“The Poulenc Trio is a fresh breeze: not only does their repertoire cover the time from Handel to today, but in the hands of these fine players, it all sounds new.”
—Bill Nerenberg, Peabody Presents
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“The Poulenc Trio . . . connected in a very special way with everyone present . . . performed at the highest possible level. A standing ovation no less . . . Exhilarating!”
—Ernest Ragogini, College of Notre Dame Concerts
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“Amazing musicians!”
—Alfredo Franco, Zimmerli Art Museum, Rutgers University
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“What a wonderful opener for our season!! These artists were absolutely excellent and the selections on their program were varied and extremely interesting. Bravo!"
—Gloria Bruno, El Dorado (CA) Community Concert Association
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“The Poulenc was gorgeous. I really loved the sound, so different from our usual string ensembles, . . . The oboe was elegant as was the bassoon and their playing wasstellar . . . I'm so glad we included ‘Yiddish Lexicon.’ It was a real treat, a fabulous composition and beautifully played . . . The audience was charmed by their comments; that really tears the curtain down between the listeners and the players and makes for an intimate atmosphere.“
—Dotty Deimel, Utica Chamber Music Society
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“The audience was quite pleased with the concert and we liked them very much personally. It was a success--we seated 190-some people out of the 200 capacity of the hall. Thanks."
—Jeff Huntington, Chamber Music Yellow Springs (OH)