Rye Arts Festival Trio Opal

Trio Opal

Eriko Nagayama (violin), Joel Siepmann (cello), Yi-Shing Cheng (piano)

Prize-winning Trio Opal was founded in 2017 during each member’s study at the Royal Academy of Music, where they received coaching from world-renowned professors, violinist György Pauk, cellist Christoph Richter and pianist Michael Dussek. Each member’s extensive performing experience has led them to win competitions, be orchestral leaders, perform on live radio and more. After graduating, they were invited to be Cavatina Trio-in-Residence as a fellow ensemble at the Royal Academy of Music. They receive further coaching through the King’s Place Chamber Studio with Alasdair Beatson.

Trio Opal was nominated to represent the Royal Academy in the 2018 Intercollegiate Piano Trio Competition in Birmingham, at which they were awarded first prize. They were also finalists in the inaugural Birmingham International Piano Chamber Music Festival in November, and were chosen by the Trondheim Chamber Music Festival in October to be the prequalifying ensemble for the 2019 international competition. They have performed at venues including Wigmore Hall, Colston Hall, the Ivor Gurney Hall in Gloucester; the Royal Academy of Music; St Mary’s, Perivale; St Barnabas Church, Ealing; St. Martin-in-the-Fields and many more in the U.K. April 2018 saw a tour to Ferrandou, France, where they performed a wide range of repertoire in three full evening concerts.

Their future engagements include concerts at the Royal Academy of Music, St. Mary’s Perivale, the Lake District Summer Music Festival and Rye Arts Festival as well as a return to Ferrandou, France and the Trio have been invited to perform and teach at the Dartington International Summer School in August 2019.

PROGRAMME

Beethoven Piano Trio Op.1 No.3 in C minor

Schubert Piano Trio No.2 in B-flat major, D.898