about

The Lincoln Trio

Desirée Ruhstrat
David Cunliffe
Marta Aznavoorian

The Lincoln Trio
ensemble-in-residence at the Music Institute of Chicago
 

"Sensational ... bewitching."
    - Strad Magazine

"Throughout the program, the Lincoln Trio's playing was thrilling. The Lincoln Trio communicated the joy of sheer technical ability, along with unanimity of phrasing and beautiful balanced tone ... they are one of the best trios that I have ever heard."
    - Classical Voice of New England

"The Lincoln trio is a fresh and professional addition to the chamber music scene."
    - Classical Sonoma

"The season began with a real sparkler, when the members of the Lincoln Trio showed us why they are among the brightest young stars in the ares these days."
    - Pioneer Press

"... [the Lincoln Trio is] an incredible group of musicians ..."
    - Times-Sentinel (full article)

Praised for their "joy of sheer technical ability, unanimity of phrasing and beautiful blended tone", the Lincoln Trio has become Chicago’s most celebrated chamber ensemble. The Lincoln Trio - Desirée Ruhstrat, violin, David Cunliffe, cello and Marta Aznavoorian, piano - takes its name from their home, the heartland of the United States, the land of Lincoln. The Trio's polished presentations of well-known chamber works and their ability to forge new paths with contemporary repertoire has led to the group's reputation as a first rate ensemble, drawing an eclectic audience of sophisticated music lovers, young admirers of contemporary programs, and students discovering chamber music for the first time.

Bringing together performing experience spanning the globe, each member is an artist of international renown. Violinist Desirée Ruhstrat has performed throughout the US and Europe, appearing at the White House and performing on live radio broadcast heard around the world with the Berlin Radio Orchestra; cellist David Cunliffe has performed with the BBC and Royal Scottish orchestras as well as touring as a member of the Balanescu Quartet; pianist Marta Aznavoorian has appeared with the Chicago Symphony and has performed at the Kennedy Center and the Sydney Opera House.

Formed in 2003, the Trio has performed throughout the United States, including appearances at the Ravinia Music Festival, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s Beethoven Chamber Music Series, Oakmont Chamber Music Series, the Lane Concert Series at the University of Vermont, Central Texas Orchestral Society, Columbus Chamber Music series, a tour on behalf of the Ravinia Festival celebrating the Lincoln Bicentennial which included a kickoff celebration in Springfield Illinois with President Obama. In Chicago they are frequent guests of classical radio station WFMT and have been featured LIVE on WFMT's Impromptu, WTTW TV Arts Across Illinois, NEIU's Jewel Box Series, the Fazioli Concert Series, Music in the Loft, University of Chicago, Columbia University, Unity Temple and Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert Series including a special invitation to perform on the 28th Anniversary Concert. Collaborations have included guest violists, Roberto Diaz, Michael Strauss and Roger Chase.

Champions of new music, the Lincoln Trio has performed numerous compositions written especially for them, including premieres of seven works by members of the Chicago Composers Consortium, works by Stacy Garrop and Laura Schwendinger, Misha Zupko, "Moon Jig", by composer Augusta Read Thomas during her tenure as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's composer-in-residence, and most recently an award winning work by young ASCAP winner Conrad Tao. Staunch proponents of music education as well, the Lincoln Trio is also an ensemble-in-residence at the acclaimed Music Institute of Chicago. Valuing the importance of cultural diversity in music, the trio are strong supporters and serve on the advisory board of the Sejong Society and the Chinese Fine Arts Society of Chicago.

The Trio's performance of Pierre Jalbert's Piano Trio for Cedille Records "Composers in the Loft" CD, was praised by The Strad magazine: "The playing is sensational ... Pierre Jalbert’s Piano Trio (in two parts 'Life Cycle' and 'Agnus Dei') full of Schnittke-like sidling semitones is bewitching, with wonderful sneerings from the cello against insistently jaunty violin and piano, as if yearning to recall some elusive past." The recording was also complimented by the online music magazine, Enjoy the Music: "[Pierre Jalbert's] piece works well as "pure" music, constantly inventive and splendidly played by the Lincoln Trio."

Winners of the 2008 Masterplayers International Competition in Venice Italy, this upcoming 2010-2011 season will see the trio recording works by Grammy and Pulitzer Prize winning composers Jennifer Higdon, Lera Auerbach, Augusta Read Thomas, Laura Schwendinger and Stacy Garrop for the Cedille label, as well as performances throughout the United States and Germany, and a tour on behalf of the Ravinia Music Festival to Singapore, Hong Kong and Vietnam.