Awaken Yugen Trio

• Franz Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809): Piano Trio in A Major, Hob.XV:35:
• 1 Haydn:Piano Trio in A Major, Hob.XV:35: I. Capriccio (Allegretto) 06:35
• 2 Haydn: Piano Trio in A Major, Hob.XV:35: II. Menuet 03:43
• 3 Haydn. Piano Trio in A Major, Hob.XV:35: III. Finale (Allegro) 03:43
• Franz Schubert (1797 - 1828): Sonatensatz in B-Flat Major, D. 28:
• 4 Schubert: Sonatensatz in B-Flat Major, D. 28 07:13
• Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937): Piano Trio in A Minor, M. 67:
• 5 Ravel: Piano Trio in A Minor, M. 67: I. Modéré 08:34
• 6 Ravel. Piano Trio in A Minor, M. 67: II. Pantoum (Assez vif) 04:27
• 7 Ravel. Piano Trio in A Minor, M. 67: III. Passacaille (Très Large) 06:57
• 8 Ravel: Piano Trio in A Minor, M. 67: IV. Final (Animé) 05:31
• Total Runtime 46:43

Info for Awaken

For their debut album, the Yugen Trio presents what is arguably the cornerstone of the Piano Trio repertoire: Maurice Ravel’s trio, in a vital and highly expressive performance. Ravel’s masterpiece is preceded by the usually claimed ‘father of the piano trio’, Haydn, with his trio in A major, Hob.XV:35, and by one of Shubert’s compositions from his teenage years, the delightfully mozartian trio in B-flat major D. 28. A voyage from the origins to the culmination of the piano trio, brought with sensitivity and intensity by the Yugen Trio.

Yugen Trio:
Mariko Nishikawa, violin
Juan Raso Llarás, cello
Mika Yamamoto, piano

Yugen Trio
The Japanese word "yugen" translates as "profound" and "mysterious." This is the spirit in which the piano trio was founded, consisting of the three musicians Mariko Nishikawa (violin), Juan Raso Llarás (cello), and Mika Yamamoto (piano). In search of the mystery of music hidden deep within the connection between human being and melody, and motivated by their shared passion for chamber music, the trio has since worked on developing an individual, international, and unique musical language.

Since October 2018, they have been studying chamber music at the Munich University of Music and Performing Arts with Prof. Dirk Mommertz and Prof. Wen-Sinn Yang. They have also collaborated on numerous projects, festivals, and masterclasses with renowned artists such as Hatto Beyerle, Vincent Coq, Eberhard Feltz, Heime Müller, Péter Nagy, Günter Pichler, Eckart Runge, Rainer Schmidt, the Cuarteto Casals, the Quatuor Ébène, the Kuss Quartet, and the Vogler Quartet.

Since 2018, the Yugen Trio has won several international competitions, including first prizes at the Les 21èmes Européennes de Musique de Chambre d’Íllzach (France) and the Concours Européen Musiques d’Ensemble in Paris, as well as second prize at the International Anton Rubinstein Competition in Düsseldorf. They also received the opportunity to perform at the Rheingau Music Festival at the 64th Jeunesses Musicales International Chamber Music Campus and the "Barocksaal Prize" from the Aoyoma Music Foundation in Japan. Since 2019, they have been scholarship holders of Yehudi Menuhin Live Music Now e. V. and participants of the European Chamber Music Academy.

Booklet for Awaken