About
Trio Zimbalist has been celebrated for its “highly charged performances” (The Strad) and its “liveliness and vigor of playing” (Athinorama). The trio is lauded for its masterful interpretations of repertoire spanning from Classical and Romantic masterworks to today’s most lauded composers.
Since its debut in Athens in 2021, Trio Zimbalist has quickly established itself as one of the world’s leading piano trio ensembles. Recent and upcoming performances include the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam; Phillips Collection and Dumbarton Concerts in Washington, D.C.; 92nd Street Y, New York; Toronto Summer Music; JCC Metrowest; Czech Chamber Music Society; St Martin-in-the-Fields in London; Club Monteverdi in Madrid; and Philharmonische Gesellschaft Bremen. The ensemble also has recent and upcoming performances of Beethoven’s Triple Concerto with the Greensboro Symphony and the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia. The trio’s acclaimed recording Piano Trios of Weinberg, Auerbach, and Dvořák was selected as a Gramophone Editor’s Choice in March 2024. It was hailed by the magazine as “an astonishingly accomplished debut” and praised by The Strad for its “wide range of sound, colour and dynamics.”
Members of the trio—violinist Josef Špaček, cellist Timotheos Gavriilidis-Petrin, and pianist George Xiaoyuan Fu—are in demand across Europe and the U.S. as soloists, chamber musicians, and recitalists. All distinguished alumni of the renowned Curtis Institute of Music, they draw on a lineage of world-class chamber music performance, having studied with teachers representing ensembles including the Guarneri Quartet and the Beaux Arts Trio. Taking its name from famed violin virtuoso Efrem Zimbalist, a towering presence at Curtis as faculty and director for a combined forty years, Trio Zimbalist carries on the violinist’s storied legacy through its commitment to artistic excellence.
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Praised for his remarkable range of color and virtuosity, Czech violinist Josef Špaček has emerged as one of the leading violinists of his generation. He is a sought-after soloist, performing regularly with the most distinguished orchestras around the world, including the Orchestre de Paris, Philadelphia Orchestra, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra; the Czech, Helsinki, Strasbourg, Luxembourg, Netherlands, and Rotterdam philharmonic orchestras; and the Tokyo and Shanghai symphony orchestras, among others. An avid chamber musician, Mr. Špaček has collaborated with Gil Shaham, Yuja Wang, James Ehnes, Noah Bendix-Balgley, and Kian Soltani. He previously served as concertmaster and associate artist of the Czech Philharmonic, the youngest in its history. Mr. Špaček performs on the ca. 1732 “LeBrun; Bouthillard” Guarneri del Gesù violin.
Born in Thessaloniki, Greece, cellist Timotheos Gavriilidis-Petrin is principal cellist of the Athens State Orchestra and is Co-Artistic Director of the Samos Young Artists Festival. He gained international recognition as a top prizewinner at the prestigious International Paulo Cello Competition in Finland. In 2016 he made his U.S. solo debut with the Kansas City Symphony, under the direction of Robert Spano. He has also appeared as a soloist with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, the Tapiola Sinfonietta, the Israel Camerata, NEC Philharmonia, and the Athens, Thessaloniki State, and Lahti symphony orchestras. An avid chamber musician, Mr. Petrin has participated in the Marlboro Music Festival, Chamberfest Cleveland, Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute, Caramoor’s Evnin Rising Stars, and the Dimitria Festival, among other programs.
Chinese-American pianist George Xiaoyuan Fu is establishing an international reputation as a captivating performer with distinctive intelligence and sensitivity. Mr. Fu has performed as a piano soloist with orchestras such as the National Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, North Carolina Symphony, and the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra. He has appeared at international venues such as the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, Kings Place, Seiji Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood, and Teatro Municipal in Santiago; while his live performances and interviews have been featured on BBC Radio 3’s In Tune and National Public Radio’s Performance Today. Mr. Fu is an active composer and performer of contemporary music, having collaborated with composers Krzysztof Penderecki, Harrison Birtwistle, George Lewis, Unsuk Chin, Tansy Davies, Phil Cashian, Matthew Aucoin, and Freya Waley-Cohen.