Concert | Synesthetic Visions: The Modern Piano Trio

This event is co-sponsored by the Columbia University Club of France.

Spring Awakening series

Exploring themes of rebirth and renewal, each concert will present modern transformations of a historical musical genre that underwent significant reinvention in the 20th and 21st centuries. This series will bring to light lesser-known works by American and European composers active over the past century whose groundbreaking creative visions continue to shape the trajectory of contemporary music.

Synesthesitic Visions: The Modern Piano Trio

Spring stimulates all of the senses. Nature’s blossoming renews our contact with the outside world through a synthesis of sensory experiences: a confluence of fragrances, sounds and color. In the final concert of the Spring Awakening series, Clara Danchin (violin), Andrew Briggs (cello) and John Kamfonas (piano) present an evening of acclaimed piano trio music composed over the last three decades that appeals to more than just our sense of hearing. Movement, kineticism, imagery, and color drive the inspiration behind a program of works by major composers of today including Jennifer Higdon, Kajia Saariaho, and Ned Rorem, that break the traditional mold of the classical piano trio, presenting new synesthetic visions for a time-honored genre.

Clara Danchin

Passionate about chamber music and pedagogy, Clara Danchin is a graduate of the Royal College of Music in London and a violin teacher at the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional de Toulouse. She began her violin studies in the class of Larissa Kolos and then benefited from the teaching of Thibault Vieux. After her studies at the CRR in Paris, she entered the class of Itzhak Rashkovsky at the Royal College of Music in London and obtained a Bachelor's degree in 2014, a Master's degree in performance in 2016, as well as an Artist Diploma in 2017 with the highest honors. An eclectic musician, she is passionate about interpreting and serving music in all its forms. She performs as a soloist and in chamber music in prestigious venues such as Wigmore Hall or St Martin's in the Field, and participates in numerous festivals (Keshet Eilon in Israel, Santander International Music Festival in Spain) and in various orchestras (Orchestre de Chambre de Toulouse, Paris Mozart Orchestra). She and pianist Anna Jbanova have formed the Duo Alma since 2018. Their CD, "Créatrices", was released in Spring 2022 by Klarthe to critical acclaim.

Andrew Briggs

Praised as "an artist with an already expanding reputation and a great future" (The Well-Tempered Ear); cellist Andrew Briggs recently performed at the Festival Radio France Montpellier, Bridging Arts Music Festival (Nürmberg, DL); with recitals at the Concerts Rue Bayard and at the Maison du Japon in Paris. Last season, Andrew performed with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, the Orchester National d'Ile de France, the Ensemble Caliopée (Paris, FR), and as principal cello of the Orchester Symphonique de Bretagne (Rennes, FR). After studying at Juilliard, Andrew moved to Paris as a recipient of the Harriet Hale Woolley Fellowship from the Fondation des États-Unis where he studied and performed works by Duport, Debussy and Poulenc. He then joined the Cité Internationale des Arts where he spent two years working on projects showcasing Beethoven's cello works and world music with the Kimya Ensemble. He was a founding member of the IMAGO ensemble in residence at the Fondation des Etats-Unis, creating musical performances featuring interdisciplinary artistic collaborations.

John Kamfonas

Embracing his penchant for improvisation alongside his passion for the classical and contemporary repertoire, American pianist John Kamfonas (CC ‘09) has given performances around the world, from New York to India, Paris to Beijing. Residing in Paris since 2013, John has conducted performance residencies at the Cité Internationale des Arts (2018, 2021) and at the Fondation des Etats-Unis (2014-2017) as a Harriet Hale Woolley fellow where part of his 2016 solo recital was broadcast nationally on French TV channel TF1. John received a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University (CC) in 2009, a master of music from the Manhattan School of Music in 2011 and artist diplomas from the École Normale de Musique de Paris in 2017 and 2020 respectively. He is currently pursuing a PhD in the joint doctoral performance program between the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris and the Sorbonne Université with scholarships from the Fondation Meyer and the Fondation Société Générale.

The place

For nearly sixty years, Columbia University students and faculty have come to study, teach, or pursue their research at Reid Hall, an exceptional space in the world of international education and cultural exchange. Our public events draw on the rich resources of the Columbia campus and our local partners, creating a "third space" of intellectual exploration and research that resists easy categorization. Our workshops, lectures, and performances bring together a diverse audience to address pressing issues through creative, rigorous, and open dialogue.

Today, Reid Hall is home to several Columbia University initiatives: Columbia Global Centers | Paris, Columbia Undergraduate Programs, M.A. in History and Literature, Columbia’s architecture program, and the Institute for Ideas and Imagination. This unique combination of resources is enhanced by our global network whose mission is to expand the University's engagement the world over through educational programs, research collaborations, regional partnerships, and public events.

The views and opinions expressed by speakers and guests do not necessarily reflect the official policies or positions of Columbia Global Centers | Paris or its affiliates.