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Sisters Soo-Jin and Soo-Kyung Hong are the violinist and cellist respectively of Trio Con Brio Copenhagen. They speak to online editor Davina Shum about their fine Italian instruments that they play – Soo-Jin a 1670 Andrea Guarneri and Soo-Kyung a Grancino cello c.1600. Soo-Jin and Soo-Kyung speak about how these two instruments – or ‘old fellows’ in their words – prefer certain climates, as well as what they do to keep their instruments happy. It’s not always easy, it seems!

The members of Trio Con Brio Copenhagen are artistic directors of Chamber Music at Lundsgaard, a Postcard from which will appear in the March 2023 issue of The Strad. Underscoring the intro and outro of this episode is the third movement from Arensky’s Piano Trio in D minor from the trio’s album Shostakovich/Arensky Piano Trios, out on Orchid Classics.

Both players are endorsed by Jargar Strings and Thomastik-Infeld Vienna. Soo-Kyung plays her Grancino cello courtesy of the Augustinus Foundation.

III Elegia. Adagio

Piano Trio no.1 in D minor, op. 32

Shostakovich/Arensky Piano Trios

Trio Con Brio Copenhagen

Orchid Classics

Photo credit: Nikolaj Lund