The three ensembles will compete in Friday’s final for a top prize of €15,000 plus concert engagements

Trondheim collage

The finalists, clockwise from left, Trio Opal, Trio Hélios, Mithras Trio

The Trondheim International Chamber Music Competition has named the three piano trios which will perform in the final on Friday. A total of ten ensembles were invited to the live rounds of the competition, which began on Monday.

The finalist trios, competing for a top prize of €15,000 and concert engagements, are: 

  • Mithras Trio – Moldova/UK
  • Trio Hélios – France
  • Trio Opal – Japan/Germany/Taiwan 

The Trio Opal has been awarded the €2,000 Kim Trio Commission Prize for their peformance of the Erlend Skomsvoll Playfulness in the semi-final.

Founded in 2000, the Trondheim International Chamber Music Competition is held every two years, alternating between string quartets and piano trios. The 2017 contest was won by Maxwell Quartet, 2015 by Trio Isimsiz, and 2013 by the Van Kuijk Quartet.

This year’s jury comprises Lambert Orkis (jury leader, Sharon Bezaly, Thomas Hoppe, François Kieffer, Sølve Sigerland, Tanja Tetzlaff and Marianne Thorsen.