Tour Dates: 5 Aug - 16 Aug, 2010

“...their feeling for the balance between the instruments and their common sense of purpose when making music together is very admirable indeed...”
– Klassisk, 2009

Ida Nørholm - cello
Christine Raft– piano
Monika Malmquist – violin
Reviews

Trio Ismena was formed in 2004. The three musicians were then students at the Royal Academy of Music.

The interplay of the three musicians immediately called forth enthusiasm.

Assisted by their mentor and adviser Professor Tim Frederiksen, they have dedicated themselves to gain a strong (prominent) position in musical life.

The repertory of the trio is comprehensive. Their interest in new music has brought them in contact with contemporary Danish composers.  They have achieved to reach a wide audience through their vivid interpretations.

The trio has been prize winner in several competitions. This has led to many concerts in most parts of Denmark and the trio is often invited and reinvited to perform in chamber music societies throughout the country.  The trio has been selected to represent the Royal Academy of Music at the great annual festival in DR (the Danish Broadcasting Company).

Trio Ismena has worked together with various great capacities such as the Tokyo Quartet, Gerhard Schultz from the Alban Berg Quartet and the Vermeer Quartet.

The contact with the Vermeer Quartet has led to concerts in the Netherlands, at Grachten Festival in Amsterdam and at the Zeist Music Festival, Litomysl in Bohemia (Tjekiet), at the Danish House in Paris and also at the Young Musicians´ Festival in Halifax, England.

With their intensive and passionate performance, Trio Ismena have carried away their audience. On the basis of this they have commenced a fine career in Denmark as well as abroad.

Trio Ismena has a recording contract with Classico.

Ida Nørholm - cello

Ida Nørholm studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Music with Troels Svane, Stanimir Todorov and Kim Bak Dinitzen and in Groningen, Holland with Jan-Ype Nota. After her graduation in Copenhagen, she continued her studies in Chicago with Professor Hans Jørgen Jensen. She has furthermore participated in master classes with Pieter Wispelwey, Torleif Thedéen, David Geringas, and Michel Strauss a.o.

Ida is a founding member of Trio Ismena, with whom she has won numerous prizes and awards and performed in prestigious halls and festivals both in Denmark and abroad. In 2008 she took part in a televised concert at the Millenium Park in Chicago. The same year she performed in a cello ensemble concert in Copenhagen with some of the finest cellists in Denmark.

CD recordings include chamber music works of Kari Bæk recorded with Chamber music group Aldubaran and 2 albums with Danish group Oktober with music by Torben Westergaard.

Ida plays on a cello by Stefano Scarampella.

Christine Raft – piano

Christine Raft (b.1981) started playing the piano at the age of 4.  From 1999-2007, she studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Music with Prof. Anne Øland, Prof. Niklas Sivelöv and Bohumila Jedlickova. In 2001-2003, she has also studied with Russian Professor, Rena Shereshevskaya in France.  From 2008, she participated in Soloist class at The Royal Danish Academy of Music with Prof. Jens Elvekjær until 2010. She has attended masterclasses with Leif Ove Andsnes, Vladimir Feltsmann, Louiz de Mourra Castro, Liisa Pohola, Solomon Mikovsky. Christine has received a great number of prizes and awards, “Hågs” Artist Prize 2005, “Ester Vagning” Young Students Prize 2007 etc. and latest the “Odd Fellow Logen” Foundation Scholarship 2009.

Monika Malmquist – violin

Monika Malmquist, born 1982, began to play the violin at the age of 6.  In 1997, she was accepted at the pre-school for the conservatory with teacher Lars Bjørnkjær (concertmaster of the Royal Opera Orchestra ) and in 1999, she was enrolled at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in the class of Prof. Milan Vitek.  In 2001-2003, she was enrolled at a Performance Diploma Degree with Prof. Milan Vitek at Oberlin Conservatory of Music, USA.  From 2003, for two years Monika was a student at the Royal Danish Academy of Music with Prof. Serguei Azizian and in 2005, attended soloist class ( masters ) in the same academy.  For a year in 2007, she studied in Chicago with Prof. Shmuel Ashkenasi.

Monika has been a soloist with different orchestras in Denmark. ( Sibelius concerto, Mozart D-major concerto, Bach E-major concerto, Schnittke Concerto grosso no.1, C.Nielsen violin concerto and the Beethoven violin concerto).  She has participated in a great deal of master courses around the world; Internationale Meisterkurse Koblenz 1999Cassalmaggiore music festival 2002 Bowdoin Summer academy 2000 Litomÿsl violin mastercourse 2000, 2006 and 2008 Keshet Eilon master course 2004 Zeist Music Festival 2005 and 2006, etc. Monika has also participated in the Carl Nielsen International Violin Competition 2004, the Danish National Strings Competition 2001 and 2005, 2007 ( 2.prize and “the orchestras prize” winner ), and was in the final round at the Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition 2003 playing in a string quartet.  She was also the winner of the Yamaha Foundation of Europe 2004 and the Conservatory Violin Competition at the Royal Danish Academy of Music 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Reviews

“...to me they play like angels, and furthermore, the three young women are beautiful in a poetic and cultivated manner and they performed with a seriousness and dedication that seemed intensely moving...”
– Ebbe Iversen on Trio Ismena in Berlingske Tidende, February 2009

“...a really marvellous collective effort that continued in their interpretation of the largo from Beethoven's 'Ghost* trio. Here a beautiful, beautiful fragility and sadness transcended that perfectly suited Trio Ismena... Their Ravel was pure pleasure. They play this trio so that one senses symphonic coloration and movement.”
– Klassisk, 2009

“...the phrasing in Essai Memoriam (1999) by Danish composer Ib Nørholm was so convincing, it seemed like the three musicians had known it all their lives...”
– Klassisk, 2009

For booking inquiry please contact:

Mr. Ma Ran
Head of the Marketing Department
Tel. +86 10 5165 0798 ext. 18
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