Aoi Trio

Only five times in history, the ARD international music competition has awarded the first prize for piano trios. Aoi Trio won this prestigious first prize in 2018, which made a breathtaking start to their international career. Based in Germany, the trio is highly regarded for pioneering the world of the classic piano trio repertoire while championing rarely performed music by Japanese composers. “Aoi” not only refers to the initials of their individual family names, but is also the name of a flower in Japan that symbolizes aspiration and fruitfulness. 

Aoi Trio was founded in 2016 by Kyoko Ogawa (violin), Yu Ito (cello), and Kosuke Akimoto (piano), all of whom graduated from the Tokyo University of the Arts and studied at the renowned Chamber Music Academy of Suntory Hall (Tokyo) for 2 years. After winning at ARD competition, they continued studying under Dirk Mommertz (Fauré Quartett) at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich.

Aoi Trio is appearing at more than 20 concerts every year at the major venues not only in Japan but Germany, Italy, France, Czech and Singapore. Recently they are working 7 years project with Suntory Hall and 3 years resident program with Kioi Hall. Recent highlight includes the collaboration with Sapporo Symphony Orchestra and orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa for Beethoven’s triple concerto and with Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra Casella’s triple concerto. Not only for concert performance, they were involved in chamber music masterclasses for faculty members.

Aoi Trio has released four recordings “Haydn No. 27 and Schubert No. 2” and “Beethoven No. 1 and Mendelssohn No. 2”, “Martinu No. 1 & Dvorak No. 3”, “Schumann No. 1 & Schubert No. 1”, “Schumann No. 2 & Chopin” and “Beethoven No. 2, 4 &6” which have attracted great critical acclaim. They received the Aoyama Music Award, Nippon Steel Music Award, Hotel Okura Music Award and Music Pen Club Award.