2006 Winner
ITALY'S DAVID TRIO WINS THE 2006 CHESAPEAKE CHAMBER MUSIC COMPETITION'S GRAND PRIZE OF $10,000 AND THE AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD
EASTON, MD. - The international award-winning David Trio from Italy won the 2006 Chesapeake Chamber Music Competition's Grand Prize of $10,000 and the Audience Choice Award. They competed with four other ensembles, chosen from a field of 50 from all over the United States and five European countries, at a live performance at the historic Avalon Theatre in Easton, Maryland on March 25. The marathon event was open to the public - students free, tickets at the door $5 - and drew large audiences. The winning ensemble also will perform at the Eastern Shore Chamber Music Festival's opening night on June 9 in Easton, MD and again on June 10 in Chincoteague, VA. The Trio also gave a free public concert on Sunday, March 26 at St. Mark's Methodist Church in Easton and received a standing ovation from the enthusiastic music-lovers.
The David Trio, consisting of Claudio Trovajoli, pianist, Daniele Pascoletti, violinist, and Giovanni Gnocchi, cellist, met in Florence, Italy as students in 2003. Each has studied at leading European conservatories, and they are currently building significant careers as solo and orchestra players throughout the world. When asked how they named their trio, Claudio replied, "We looked around and saw Michelangelo's statue of David which represents perfection and we wanted to make beautiful music as perfect as we could." There were many accolades for the David Trio's rendition of Haydn's Trio in A Flat Major. Judge Ida Kavafian, an internationally recognized violin and viola soloist, remarked, "Their interpretation of Haydn was dead on" Daniele explained, "We played Haydn as it could have been played on original instruments in the 18th century." The Trio also played Shostakovich's Trio in E minor op. 67 and Brahm's Trio in B Major op.8 (1889 version).
The David Trio has already been recognized at prestigious chamber music competitions both in the United States and Europe. They were recently First prize winners at the Annual Chamber Music Competition in Yellow Springs, OH and the International Chamber Music Competition held in Vienna, Austria. The David Trio is performing throughout Italy, and will be at the Casals Festival of Prades, the Haydn Festival of Eisenstadt, the International de Musique de Chambre in St. Ursanne, Switzerland, and other festivals. A U.S. tour is planned for 2007.
The Chesapeake Chamber Music Competition has become a truly international event. Among this year's 50 competing groups were submissions from Italy, Russia, Poland, Austria, and the Czech Republic as well as from 16 U.S. states. The other finalists were the California Quartet, San Diego, CA, the Manhattan Piano Trio, New York City, the Vinca Quartet, Boulder, CO, and the Intrada Winds, Long Island, NY. The Competition is limited to young professional organizations whose average age is under 30.
Rush Moody, president, ESCMF, enthused, "Some of the most spectacular music the Eastern Shore has ever heard," in referring to all five finalists who competed. The other four ensembles drew rave reviews. They each also received a $1,000 honorarium. All performed in concerts the following day - three at free public concerts in Easton, St Michaels and Chestertown on the Eastern Shore. The Competition expects that several will be invited later to return to play in nearby concert series.
Fourteen presenters representing five well established and highly admired Mid-Atlantic concert series, along with the Chincoteague Cultural Alliance and the Academy Art Museum Music at Noon series, attended the Competition hoping to book ensembles for future performances. Neil Hoffman, president, The Friends of Chamber Music in Reading, said, "Best $5 I've ever spent. Wouldn't like to have to judge this one. They are all wonderful."
The Competition is sponsored by the Eastern Shore Chamber Music Festival, now in its 21st year of bringing outstanding musicians to Maryland's Eastern Shore.
For further information and downloadable photos see www.chambermusiccompetition.org or call 410 819 0380.
Complete bios available on request. For Festival information visit www.musicontheshore.org.
Rev. Apr. 5, 2006
