Neave Trio

Neave’ is actually a Gaelic name meaning ‘bright’ and ‘radiant,’ both of which certainly apply to this trio’s music making.
— WQXR

Since forming in 2010, GRAMMY®–nominated Neave Trio – violinist Anna Williams, cellist Mikhail Veselov, and pianist Eri Nakamura – has earned enormous praise for its engaging, cutting-edge performances. New York's classical music radio station WQXR explains, "'Neave' is actually a Gaelic name meaning 'bright' and 'radiant', both of which certainly apply to this trio's music making." Gramophone has praised the trio's "taut and vivid interpretations," while The Strad calls out their "eloquent phrasing and deft control of textures" and BBC Music Magazine describes their performances as balancing "passion with sensitivity and grace."

Neave has performed at many esteemed concert series and at festivals worldwide, including Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, Smithsonian American Art Museum, 92nd Street Y, Rockport Chamber Music Festival, Norfolk and Norwich Chamber Music Series (United Kingdom), Zeeuwse Concertzaal (The Netherlands), and the Samoylov and Rimsky Korsakow Museums' Chamber Music Series in St. Petersburg (Russia). The trio has held residency positions at Brown University, University of Virginia, Longy School of Music of Bard College, San Diego State University as the first-ever Fisch/Axelrod Trio-in-Residence, and the Banff Centre (Canada), among many other institutions. Neave Trio was also in residence at the MIT School of Architecture and Design in collaboration with dancer/choreographer Richard Colton. The Neave Trio continues to serve as the inaugural Ensemble-in-Residence at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Neave Trio strives to champion new works by living composers and reach wider audiences through innovative concert presentations, regularly collaborating with artists of all mediums. These collaborations include the premiere of Robert Paterson’s Triple Concerto with the Mostly Modern Orchestra under the direction of JoAnn Falletta; D-Cell: an Exhibition & Durational Performance, conceived and directed by multi-disciplinary visual artist David Michalek; as well as performances with the Blythe Barton Dance Company; with dance collective BodySonnet; with projection designer Ryan Brady; in the interactive concert series “STEIN2.0,” with composer Amanuel Zarzowski; in the premiere of Klee Musings by acclaimed American composer Augusta Read Thomas; in the premiere of Eric Nathan’s Missing Words V, sponsored by Coretet; in Leah Reid’s Cloud Burst for piano trio and electronics; in Dale Trumbore’s Another Chance; and in a music video by filmmaker Amanda Alvarez Díaz of Astor Piazzolla’s "Otoño Porteño.” The Neave Trio’s latest project is Rising, a collaboration with Pigeonwing Dance, composer Robert Sirota, and choreographer Gabrielle Lamb. Rising is a meditation not only on rising temperatures and sea levels but also on humanity’s rising awareness of our connection to and dependence on the Earth’s oceans.

  • The Neave Trio’s latest album, Rooted, was released in July 2024 on Chandos Records, featuring works centered around folk music by composers Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Bedřich Smetana, Joseph Suk, and Frank Martin. Rooted was chosen as one of Apple Music’s "10 Classical Albums You Must Hear This Month!" list. Rooted follows A Room of Her Own, the Neave Trio’s fifth album from Chandos released in February 2024 to high praise and wide international acclaim. The Times, which called the recording “a richly rewarding disc,” also included the record in its roundup of ”the best albums of 2024 so far.” The Strad praised the disc’s “illustrious performances,” adding, “The case for all four composers is strengthened by these illustrious performances: the Neave Trio delivers perceptively characterised interpretations that are by turns individual and blended, supported by a pleasingly warm recording.” Stereophile called the album “a must,” for those wanting to “spread your wings beyond the giant [composers] of the [canon].” Prior to A Room of Her Own, in 2022, the Neave Trio released their album Musical Remembrances, which was nominated for a GRAMMY® in the Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble category. The Neave Trio’s critically acclaimed discography also includes Her Voice (Chandos Records, 2019); Celebrating Piazzolla (Azica Records, 2018) with mezzo-soprano Carla Jablonski; French Moments (Chandos Records, 2018); and their debut album, American Moments (Chandos Records, 2016).

    While the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered concert halls around the world, the Neave Trio found meaningful ways to perform safely. In April 2020, Anna Williams and Mikhail Veselov of the Neave Trio were filmed giving an emotional and heartfelt performance of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah in support of their neighbor – a nurse and new mother – and all essential workers during the coronavirus crisis. The video was shared by PBS’ American Portrait series and has over 1 million views. Neave also performed virtual concerts for The Violin Channel's "Living Room Live" series and the “Notes of Hope: Music for the Frontline” series, which provided a daily performance of thanks by leading Boston classical musicians for COVID-19 frontline healthcare workers at Boston medical centers. 

    Recent and upcoming highlights include performances presented by Harvard University, Kaatsbaan, The Mostly Modern Festival in The Netherlands, Strathmore Mansion, the Patricia Valian Reser Center for the Creative Arts (PRAx) at Oregon State University, Rockport Celtic Festival, Chamber Music Tulsa, the Chicago Chamber Music Society, Friends of Chamber Music Portland, Boston Athenaeum, the Williams Center at Lafayette College, and many more.

a delectable joyful surprise ... It is inconceivable to me that they will not soon be among the busiest chamber ensembles going.
— The Boston Musical Intelligencer

NEWS

PHOTOS

the ensemble’s balance was on point through the entire concert ... polished and energetic
— Palm Beach Arts Paper

VIDEOS

we are blessed to be living in a golden age of string playing and chamber music making, let me up the ante by saying that we have exceeded the gold standard and have now moved on to platinum. Yes, the Neave Trio is that good.
— Fanfare Magazine
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Kristin Lee, violinist

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Robert Sirota, composer