Philippine-born pianist Roy Imperio and Austrian-born cellist Susanne Friedrich met in 1998 at the Thayer Performing Arts Center of Atlantic Union College in South Lancaster, Massachusetts, where they both taught at the time. They started playing together at the school’s faculty recitals and had the vision of forming a piano trio. Finally they found a violinist to join them. In the fall of 2001 they started a piano trio with violinist Ann Miklich. Many performances followed until the winter of 2004 when Ann had to end her commitment to be part of the trio.
In the meantime, Susanne met violinist, Katharina Radlberger, an Austrian compatriot who had arrived in the US in 2003. Katharina and Susanne co-founded the Vienna Waltz Ensemble, a group performing waltzes, polkas, and marches in the style of Vienna’s New Year’s Concert. Katharina joined Roy and Susanne in January 2005 to form Trio Orione. They chose the name, “Orione” (Italian for Orion) based on the belief that the constellation Orion is the door to heaven, which music can and should be. Incidentally, the three musicians got together for the first time in January when one can see the constellation Orion at its brightest.
Since then Trio Orione has performed recitals at the Weston Public Library, in the Red Room at the Thayer Conservatory at Atlantic Union College, and in New England Conservatory’s Williams Hall.
Franz Schubert, Trio Bb major, op. 99
Frank Bridge, Minuatures, Set 2
Joseph Haydn, Trio VI, D major,
Werner Schulze, Deux mouvements, op. 5a
Paul Schoenfield, Café Music
Ludwig van Beethoven, Trio Bb major, WoO 39
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Trio G major, KV 564
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Trio Bb major, KV 502
Felix Mendelssohn, Trio C minor, op. 66
Johannes Brahms, Trio C minor, op. 101
Johannes Brahms, Trio C major, op. 87
Dmitry Shostakovich, Trio E minor, op. 67