Trio Pantoum, the critically acclaimed chamber ensemble, announces the addition of a new member, pianist Kojiro Okada who will be joining current members Bogeun Park and Hugo Meder. This change follows the departure of Virgile Roche, who leaves after a remarkable seven-year tenure with the trio to pursue other opportunities.

Trio Pantoum has experienced a series of notable achievements this year, including winning first prizes at the Trio di Trieste International Chamber Music Competition, Joseph Haydn International Chamber Music Competition and the Lyon International Chamber Music Competition. They also secured second prizes at the Osaka ICMC and Melbourne ICMC, and recently received the third prize at the Internationaler Musikwettbewerb der ARD in Munich. They are currently Artist Residency at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel and nominated into the 2023-24 Classeek Ambassador Programme.

The trio expresses enthusiasm as they enter their next chapter with their newest member:

“A long time friend since our Conservatoire studies together, Kojiro Okada is a magnificent pianist and marvelous chamber musician. It was very natural for us to continue our musical adventure with him. Kojiro brings us an energy, creativity and joy that we look forward to sharing with you at our upcoming concerts! We're really thrilled and we hope to see you soon at one of our concerts to enjoy the music together.”

Trio Pantoum promises further exciting developments with January 2024 opening with a tour of Italy, and by keeping your ClasseekLink account active, you'll have exclusive access to their latest news. The trio will collaborate with La Belle Saison and Philarmonie de Paris in 2024-2025 and will record their debut album.

Praised by critics as "a passionate and committed violinist" (Bachtrack), Hugo Meder represents the new generation of French violinists. Born into a family of Alsatian winegrowers, Hugo joined the Strasbourg Conservatory and subsequently the CNSMD in Paris under the tutelage of Alexis Galpérine in  2016.  In the meanwhile, he began a career as a soloist and performed regularly in venues such as the Auditorium de la Seine Musicale and Cité de la musique in Paris or the Kammermusiksaal in Stuttgart. He collaborated with the conductors Mathieu Herzog, Chloé Dufresne and Marie Jacquot  with several orchestras. A winner of prestigious international competitions, Hugo has garnered recognition in La lettre du Musicien and France Musique.

French-Korean cellist, Park is a rising star in the world of classical music. Trained at the Conservatoire de Reims and the CNSM in Paris with notable instructors, including Marc-Didier Thirault, Jérôme Pernoo, and Christophe Coin, Park was also a distinguished member of the Tchaikovsky Promotion at the Académie Musicale Philippe Jaroussky during the 2021-2022 season. Prizewinner of several international competitions, his performances are extending all around the world as a soloist and chamber musician. Embracing various genres, he has a particular affinity for early music, exploring the sounds of period instruments and championing a repertoire from Gabrielli to Beethoven. 

 Bordeaux-born pianist, Kojiro Okada began playing the violin alongside his brother, but soon after turned to the piano. In 2008, he was admitted to Anne-Lise Gastaldi's class at the CRR de Paris, where, at the age of thirteen, he won the piano prize with distinction. He then entered the class of Hortense Cartier-Bresson and Florent Boffard  at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse (CNSMD) in Paris. He has already performed in numerous Parisian venues, including the Salle Pleyel as well as the Festival Chopin de Nohant, Festival Nohant Hors les Murs and Festival de l'Orangerie de Sceaux.. He shares the stage with great musicians such as Marie-Josèphe Jude, Frank Braley, Philippe Graffin, Miguel da Silva, Jérôme Pernoo and Yves Henry. In October 2018, he also won first prize at the Gabriel Fauré International Competition.

 for more information about their upcoming concerts. 

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Trio Pantoum Announcement

Welcoming new member Kojiro Okada

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