Trio Pantoum Announces New Member

Pianist Kojiro Okada has joined the ensemble, succeeding Virgile Roche

French pianist Kojiro Okada joins French violinist Hugo Meder and French-Korean cellist Bogeun Park in the award-winning Trio Pantoum.

Okada succeeds pianist Virgile Roche, who is departing the group after a seven-year tenure to pursue other opportunities. 

Trio Pantoum’s recent successes include winning first prizes at the Trio di Trieste International Chamber Music Competition, Joseph Haydn International Chamber Music Competition, and the Lyon International Chamber Music Competition. 

They are also second prize-winners of the Osaka and Melbourne International Chamber Music Competitions, plus recently received third prize at Munich’s Internationaler Musikwettbewerb der ARD.

Currently, the group is artist-in-residence at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel and has been nominated into the 2023/24 Classeek Ambassador Program.

The trio’s upcoming projects include a tour of Italy in January 2024, collaborations with La Belle Saison and Philharmonie de Paris for the 2024/2025 season, and the recording of a debut album.

Meder studied at the Strasbourg Conservatory and the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse (CNSMD) in Paris. He has performed with various orchestras conducted by Mathieu Herzog, Chloé Dufresne, and Marie Jacquot. 

Trained at the Conservatoire de Reims and the CNSMD in Paris, Park was a distinguished member of the Tchaikovsky Promotion at the Académie Musicale Philippe Jaroussky during the 2021/22 season, and has won at several international competitions.

Okada attended the City Conservatory of Paris (where he won the piano prize with distinction at age 13) and also studied at the CNSMD. He has performed at the Salle Pleyel, Festival Chopin de Nohant, Festival Nohant Hors les Murs, and Festival de l'Orangerie de Sceaux, plus won first prize at the Gabriel Fauré International Competition in 2018.

“A long time friend since our Conservatoire studies together, Kojiro Okada is a magnificent pianist and marvelous chamber musician,” Meder and Park said. “It was very natural for us to continue our musical adventure with him. 

“Kojiro brings us an energy, creativity and joy that we look forward to sharing with you at our upcoming concerts!” they added. “We’re really thrilled and we hope to see you soon at one of our concerts to enjoy the music together.”