Each member of the Trio has a thriving solo career and is passionate about chamber music. Li-Wei has appeared at the BBC Proms and with the LPO at the Royal Festival Hall; So-Ock has appeared with the Philharmonia Orchestra and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and Naomi as soloist with the Osaka Symphony Orchestra.

The Trio has been coached by Ralph Kirshbaum, David Takeno and Arnold Cohen and was selected by Young Concert Artists Trust in 2001. Since then they have appeared at major festivals and venues throughout Europe, including Wigmore Hall, the Cheltenham (broadcast by BBC Radio 3) and Aldeburgh Festivals and given concerts in Paris and Germany.

This year the Trio return to Wigmore Hall and give concerts throughout the UK as part of the Arts Council England Around the Country series. Between 2003-05 the Trio were ‘Fellows’ at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.

 

So-Ock Kim, violin

So-Ock Kim was born in Seoul in 1982, and moved to London aged 3. At 15, she was the youngest ever winner of the gold medal in the prestigious Shell/LSO Competition playing a concerto with the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican. Her teachers have included Itzhak Rashkovsky, Felix Andrievsky and since 1994, David Takeno.

So-Ock has given numerous critically acclaimed performances around the world and at the Wigmore Hall, Royal Festival Hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall in London. Abroad she has toured throughout Asia, Europe and the US, performing concertos and recitals in international music festivals, including the Penderecki Festival, Krakow, Montpelier Festival, Beethoven Festival in Krakow, Schleswig Holstein, Ravinia and Aldeburgh Proms.

She has recently appeared with the Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique de France and Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra.

 

Li-Wei, cello

Li-Wei was born in Shanghai and moved to Australia at the age of 13, before accepting a scholarship to study with Ralph Kirshbaum at the RNCM in 1995. He has won several prestigious awards including silver medal at the 11th Tchaikovsky International Competition, the 2001 Naumburg Competition and was invited onto the BBC New Generation Artists Scheme during 2001-03.

Li-Wei has established a formidable reputation on the international concert scene. Recent and forthcoming engagements include: BBC Proms with the Scottish Ensemble, London Philharmonic, BBC Scottish Symphony, Bournemouth Symphony, Kremerata Baltika conducted by Guidon Kremer, Singapore Symphony, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Hong Kong Sinfonietta, Sydney Symphony Orchestras, Auckland Philharmonic, China Philharmonic as well as recitals at Wigmore Hall, Graz Festival and the Kronberg Festival.

 

Naomi Iwase, piano

Naomi Iwase was born in Japan. She studied in San Francisco and Tokyo, in 1991 entering the RNCM where she was the first recipient of the John Ogdon Scholarship. A top prize-winner at numerous competitions Naomi won 1st Prize at the Eduard Flipse Competition (Holland), Artur Rubinstein In Memorium Competition (Poland), Senigallia Competition (Italy) and the Theodor Leschetizky Competition (Taiwan).

As a soloist Naomi performs throughout Europe, the Far East and America. Recent engagements include a concerto with the Osaka Symphony Orchestra and tours of Italy and Japan.