Since 1997, Friends of Chamber Music has been presenting a full season of concerts and outreach programs by world-class musicians yearly, aiming to enrich the quality of life, entertain, and inspire.

Nominated for a 2014 GRAMMY Award, the Lincoln Trio has become Chicago’s most celebrated chamber ensemble. Praised for their "joy of sheer technical ability, unanimity of phrasing and beautiful blended tone," the trio takes its name from their home in the heartland of the USA. The Trio's polished presentations of well-known chamber works and their ability to forge new paths with contemporary repertoire has led to the group's reputation as a first rate ensemble, drawing an eclectic audience of sophisticated music lovers, young admirers of contemporary programs, and students discovering chamber music for the first time. They were the winners of the 2008 Masterplayers International Competition in Venice, Italy.

 

Each member is an artist of international renown. Violinist Desirée Ruhstrat has performed throughout the US and Europe, appearing at the White House and performing on a live radio broadcast heard around the world with the Berlin Radio Orchestra; cellist David Cunliffe has performed with the BBC and Royal Scottish orchestras as well as touring as a member of the Balanescu Quartet, and pianist Marta Aznavoorian has appeared with the Chicago Symphony and has performed at the Kennedy Center and the Sydney Opera House.

 

Formed in 2003, the Trio has performed throughout the United States, including appearances at the Ravinia Music Festival, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s Beethoven Chamber Music Series, the Lane Concert Series at the University of Vermont, Central Texas Orchestral Society, Columbus Chamber Music series, and a tour on behalf of the Ravinia Festival celebrating the Lincoln Bicentennial, including a kickoff celebration in Springfield, Illinois with President Obama. In Chicago they are frequent guests of classical radio station WFMT and have been featured on Arts Across Illinois TV, NEIU's Jewel Box Series, the Fazioli Concert Series, Music in the Loft, University of Chicago, Columbia University, Unity Temple and the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert Series. In 2011 the Trio toured throughout the United States and Germany, and, on behalf of the Ravinia Festival, Singapore, Hong Kong and Vietnam.

 

Champions of new music, the Lincoln Trio has performed numerous compositions written  for them, including premieres of seven works by members of the Chicago Composers Consortium. Their CD, Notable Women, features works by Grammy and Pulitzer Prize winning composers Jennifer Higdon, Lera Auerbach, Augusta Read Thomas, Laura Schwendinger and Stacy Garrop for the Cedille label. Their performance of Pierre Jalbert's Piano Trio for Cedille Records was praised by The Strad magazine as "sensational." 

 

The Lincoln Trio's recordings of the complete music for strings and piano by Turina were praised by the Chicago Tribune as "sensitive and polished readings [that] reveal what is best about this neglected repertory, with its melodic charm, harmonic grace and seamless blending of French and Spanish national influences. A benchmark Turina compilation."

 

Their latest CD is "Music from Our Homelands," featuring trios by Rebecca Clarke (UK), Arno Babajanian (Armenia) and Frank Martin (Switzerland).