Piano Trios of Weinberg, Auerbach, & Dvořák
The debut album from Trio Zimbalist encapsulates an unwavering aspiration for a world where peace, freedom, and individualism flourish.
This album of piano trios by Mieczyslaw Weinberg, Lera Auerbach, and Antonín Dvořák is cast in the spirit of the Dumka, containing works composed under the shadows of troubled and traumatic political histories. This program is a heartfelt response to the enduring human struggle unfolding around the world.
Josef Špaček, violin
Timotheos Gavriilidis-Petrin, cello
George Xiaoyuan Fu, piano
Piano Trios of Weinberg, Auerbach, & Dvořák
- Mieczyslaw Weinberg – Piano Trio, Op. 24
- Lera Auerbach – Piano Trio No. 1, Op. 28
- Antonín Dvorak – Piano Trio No. 4 in E minor, Op. 90, B. 166 “Dumky”
Dumka is a Ukrainian term meaning “thought,” and in classical music, it is a type of epic, Slavic ballad. Dumky were sung by traveling minstrels, usually Ukrainian, who played some kind of strummed instrument (e.g. the bandura, kobza, or lira). Often their songs would contain a thoughtful or melancholic lament of oppressed peoples.
Dvořák used this form as the foundation of his “Dumky” Trio, which was on Trio Zimbalist’s first program together and maintains a special place in their repertoire. The work’s significance transcends the passage of time, finding renewed depth as the echoes of ongoing conflicts reverberate through our lives.
an astonishingly accomplished debut
—Gramophone
With impeccable preparation and dedication to the manic heights and somber lows of these works, the trio’s time and efforts are justly rewarded.
—Music City Review
Auerbach’s energetic Piano Trio No. 1 was completed immediately after her defection from the Soviet Union in 1991, while Weinberg’s dramatic Piano Trio in A minor carries the trauma of a composer who lost his entire family in the Holocaust—later to suffer heavy persecution under the Soviet Union’s regime. Both works are vibrant yet tragic, reflecting the intensity and strength of the creative human spirit in desperate times, and the emotional catharsis involved in telling one’s own story through music.
Trio Zimbalist
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About Trio Zimbalist
Trio Zimbalist has garnered critical acclaim for its “precision and feverish intensity” (Greece’s EfSyn). The group was lauded for its “liveliness and vigor of playing” and performances that were “pure enjoyment!” (Athinorama) at the Nights of Classical Music at the Gennadius Library festival in Athens, where it served as ensemble in residence in 2021. Members of the trio—violinist Josef Špaček, cellist Timotheos Gavriilidis-Petrin, and pianist George Xiaoyuan Fu—are all distinguished alumni of the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. In demand across Europe and the U.S. as soloists, chamber musicians, and recitalists, they form an inimitable ensemble with repertoire spanning Romantic masterworks to today’s most lauded composers.
Trio Zimbalist’s 2022-23 season engagements included U.S. appearances in Phoenix, Philadelphia, and Palm Beach, and European appearances in Athens, Bremen, Munich, London, and Paris. The group also performed Beethoven’s Triple Concerto with the Greensboro Symphony and conductor Dmitry Sitkovetsky. The trio’s 2023-24 season includes performances at the 92nd Street Y in New York City, the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C., and the Friends of Chamber Music in Miami. The ensemble’s debut album, featuring music of Lera Auerbach, Mieczysław Weinberg, and Dvořák, will be released in January 2024 on the Curtis Studio label.
The trio takes its name from famed violin virtuoso Efrem Zimbalist, a towering presence at the Curtis Institute of Music as faculty and director for a combined forty years. Trio Zimbalist carries on the violinist’s storied legacy through its commitment to artistic excellence. The group draws upon the lineage of previous world-class ensembles formed at Curtis. Its members have studied with faculty representing the Guarneri Quartet, the Beaux Arts Trio, and the Chicago Chamber Musicians.
Praised for his remarkable range of color and virtuosity, Czech violinist Josef Špaček has emerged as one of the leading violinists of his generation. He is a sought-after soloist, performing regularly with the most distinguished orchestras around the world, including the Orchestre de Paris, Philadelphia Orchestra, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra; the Czech, Helsinki, Strasbourg, Luxembourg, Netherlands, and Rotterdam philharmonic orchestras; and the Tokyo and Shanghai symphony orchestras, among others. An avid chamber musician, Mr. Špaček has collaborated with Gil Shaham, Yuja Wang, James Ehnes, Noah Bendix-Balgley, and Kian Soltani. He previously served as concertmaster and associate artist of the Czech Philharmonic, the youngest in its history. Mr. Špaček performs on the ca. 1732 “LeBrun; Bouthillard” Guarneri del Gesù violin.
Born in Thessaloniki, Greece, cellist Timotheos Gavriilidis-Petrin is principal cellist of the Athens State Orchestra and is Co-Artistic Director of the Samos Young Artists Festival. He gained international recognition as a top prizewinner at the prestigious International Paulo Cello Competition in Finland. In 2016 he made his U.S. solo debut with the Kansas City Symphony, under the direction of Robert Spano. He has also appeared as a soloist with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, the Tapiola Sinfonietta, the Israel Camerata, NEC Philharmonia, and the Athens, Thessaloniki State, and Lahti symphony orchestras. An avid chamber musician, Mr. Petrin has participated in the Marlboro Music Festival, Chamberfest Cleveland, Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute, Caramoor’s Evnin Rising Stars, and the Dimitria Festival, among other programs.
Chinese-American pianist George Xiaoyuan Fu is establishing an international reputation as a captivating performer with distinctive intelligence and sensitivity. Mr. Fu has performed as a piano soloist with orchestras such as the National Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, North Carolina Symphony, and the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra. He has appeared at international venues such as the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, Kings Place, Seiji Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood, and Teatro Municipal in Santiago; while his live performances and interviews have been featured on BBC Radio 3’s In Tune and National Public Radio’s Performance Today. Mr. Fu is an active composer and performer of contemporary music, having collaborated with composers Krzysztof Penderecki, Harrison Birtwistle, George Lewis, Unsuk Chin, Tansy Davies, Phil Cashian, Matthew Aucoin, and Freya Waley-Cohen.
Josef Špaček, violin
Timotheos Gavriilidis-Petrin, cello
George Xiaoyuan Fu, piano
For Presenters
Trio Zimbalist is represented worldwide by Curtis Artist Management. Visit their artist management page to learn more and to contact a booking representative.