Trio Gaspard's New Album, "Berlin Stories"

Released on Chandos Records, the new album features three composers who lived and worked in Berlin for a period of their lives

Trio Gaspard released their second album of the year, Berlin Stories, featuring works by Mendelssohn, Juon, and Skalkottas. The new series features three composers who lived and worked in Berlin for various reasons and circumstances during their lives. All members of Trio Gaspard (violinist Jonian Ilias Kadesha, cellist Vashti Hunter, and pianist Nicholas Rimmer) have lived or still live in Berlin.

"This CD is the first of our new series celebrating cultural capitals and the composers who left their mark on them. Berlin is also of special personal significance as it is a city we have all lived and studied in," cellist Vashti said of the trio's inspiration for their new album.

The album comprises Felix Mendelssohn's Trio Op. 66 No. 2 in C minor, Paul Juon's Litaniae Op. 70 in C# minor, and Nikos Skalkottas' Eight Variations on a Greek Folk Theme.

Mendelssohn's family established strong roles in Berlin, allowing both Felix and Fanny to explore their musical potential in the city, Paul Juon studied composition in Berlin and established a long career within the city until retirement, and Nikos Skalkottas moved to Berlin to study composition and worked with Arnold Schoenberg.

To purchase and listen to the album, click here.

A video of Trio Gaspard's 2022 album, "Haydn: The Complete Piano Trios" can be viewed below.

Trio Gaspard was founded in 2010 and has performed at major international concert halls such as Wigmore Hall, Berlin Philharmonie, Essen Philharmonie, Grafenegg Castle Austria, Salle Molière Lyon, NDR Rolf-Liebermann Hall, Hamburg, and Shanghai Symphony Hall, as well as making appearances at festivals such as Heidelberger Frühling, Mantua Chamber Music Festival, Boswiler Sommer and PODIUM Festival Esslingen.

The group has held a chamber music fellowship position at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester from 2017-2019 and won top prizes at the International Joseph Joachim Chamber Music Competition, the 5th International Haydn Chamber Music Competition in Vienna, and the 17th International Chamber Music Competition in Illzach, France.

They made their recording debut with Chandos Records, planning to release all of Haydn's 46 piano trios to be recovered over the next 5 years along with commissioned contemporary works.