Widely regarded as the premier piano trio of its generation, the Claremont Trio is sought after for its thrillingly virtuosic and richly communicative performances. First winners of the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson International Trio Award and the only piano trio ever to win the Young Concert Artists International Auditions, the Claremonts are consistently lauded for their "aesthetic maturity, interpretive depth, and exuberance" (Palm Beach Daily News).

Equally passionate about the standard repertoire and the music of our time, the Claremonts recently celebrated the release of two CDs spanning music from Beethoven to Mason Bates. "American Trios" on Tria Records is the first disc to present both of Leon Kirchner’s piano trios and was recorded in honor of his 90th birthday year. The disc also features Paul Schoenfield’s “Café Music,” Ellen Zwilich’s “Trio,” and Mason Bates’ “String Band” (written for the Claremont Trio in 2002). The group's other recent release, on Ongaku Records, is a collaborative project with clarinetist Jonathan Cohler, including works by Beethoven, Brahms, and Dohnanyi. The recording garnered a glowing review in Fanfare magazine and received a Critic’s CHOICE award from BBC magazine, which cited the “splendidly enjoyable” disc’s “real intensity through eloquent phrasing and responsive teamwork.” The Trio eagerly anticipates the release of its newest recording featuring trios of Ravel and Beethoven, which will be available in the fall of 2010.

The Claremont Trio’s 2010-11 season includes engagements at Boston’s prestigious Celebrity Series, New York’s Symphony Space, Chicago’s Dame Myra Hess Series, Johns Hopkins University, Dayton’s Vanguard Concerts, and Jacksonville’s Riverside Fine Arts Association, along with the Chamber Music Societies of Phoenix and Sedona, and Pasadena’s Coleman Chamber Music Association. The Trio also performs in 10-11 at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Hope College, Western Illinois University, Milton Academy, and the JCC of Greater Washington.

The Claremonts’ 2009-10 season included a return to Boston’s prestigious Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum for a series of three performances and engagements at the Ravinia Festival, University of Wisconsin, Austin Chamber Music Festival, Houghton College, and Elmira College. It also performed for the Chamber Music Societies of Dallas, Bethlehem (PA), and Logan (UT), along with the Concert Associations of Merrick (NY) and South Windsor (CT). The Trio made its debut at West Palm Beach’s Society of the Four Arts in 2009-10 and performed as ensemble-in-residence at both California’s Laguna Beach Live and the National Conference of the Suzuki Association of America. The Claremonts continue to maintain a strong New York presence, with frequent performances at such venues as Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall, and Columbia University’s Miller Theatre, as well as the downtown venues of New York Public Theatre’s Joe’s Pub and Le Poisson Rouge.

Believing that education on all levels is essential to the future of classical music, the Claremont Trio is extensively involved in teaching the next generation of musicians and music lovers. Sought after for their effectiveness in the classroom as well as on the concert stage, the Trio regularly conducts educational outreach activities and master classes, most recently at the Peabody Conservatory’s Preparatory Division, where they conducted a mini-residency, and at the University of Washington, where they led a series of master classes. Other recent master classes have been at the Eastman School of Music, Columbia University, Duke University, Boston Conservatory, Purchase College at SUNY, Middlebury College, the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh, Longy School of Music, Kansas State University, and Gettysburg College's Sunderman Conservatory.

Deeply committed to expanding the trio repertoire, the Trio works actively with composers on new works. Sean Shepherd is writing a piece for the Trio to perform in 2012, and they premiered new works by Donald Crockett, Paul Chihara, Sharon Farber, and Howard Frazin this year. They have also commissioned works from Nico Muhly, Mason Bates, Daniel Kellogg, and Hillary Zipper, and have an ongoing collaboration with innovative composer and violinist Daniel Bernard Roumain.

The group frequently performs the Beethoven Triple Concerto with orchestras such as the Nashville Symphony, Virginia Symphony, Pacific Symphony, and Utah Symphony. They have collaborated with Peter Martins, director of the New York City Ballet, on a ballet based on Paul Schoenfield's "Cafe Music,” and have also been privileged to perform with many distinguished guest artists including Toby Appel, Beth Guterman, Joseph Kalichstein, Martha Katz, Jaime Laredo, Ida Kavafian, Nokuthula Ngwenyama, Sharon Robinson, and Richard Young.

The Claremont Trio’s debut CD of Mendelssohn trios was released on the Arabesque label in 2004 to overwhelming critical acclaim. Gramophone magazine called the performances “vital, imaginative playing... an extremely auspicious debut” while Strings praised the Trio’s ability to "find a cool equilibrium between industry and frivolity where an elegant, totally Mendelssohnian sexiness resides." The group’s second disc of Shostakovich and Arensky trios was released on Tria Records in 2006 in honor of the 100th anniversary of Shostakovich’s birth.

The Claremont Trio has been featured on Japanese and American television and is heard on radio stations throughout the U.S. and abroad, including Australia’s ABC, New York’s WQXR, Boston’s WGBH, Chicago’s WFMT, Salt Lake City’s KBYU, and Columbia University’s WKCR. Since 2006, they have kept a blog on their website which describes their adventures on the road. Through this online tour diary the members of the trio reach out to friends and music lovers of all ages around the world, offering a window into their lives as traveling musicians.

Twin sisters Emily Bruskin (violin) and Julia Bruskin (cello) formed the Trio with Donna Kwong (piano) in 1999 at The Juilliard School. The Bruskins both play old French instruments, Emily’s violin a Lupot from 1795 and Julia’s cello a J.B. Vuillaume from 1849. Donna Kwong is a Steinway Artist. The Claremonts are based in New York City near their namesake: Claremont Avenue.

For more information about the Claremont Trio and to read their blog, please visit www.claremonttrio.com.