ATOS Piano Trio
The ATOS Piano Trio has rapidly developed a strong reputation as one of the finest young chamber ensembles performing today. Formed in 2003 by violinist Annette von Hehn, cellist Stefan Heinemeyer, and pianist Thomas Hoppe, the ATOS Trio has since played recitals to high acclaim by both critics and audiences alike.Winners of the 2007 Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson International Trio Award, the most important distinction for piano trios in the United States, the ATOS Trio plays concerts throughout Europe, Australia, and North and South America. It has appeared at such festivals as the Schleswig-Holstein Musikfestival, Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele, Festival Mitte Europa, and the Bemus Festival Belgrad. The trio has performed Beethoven's Triple Concerto with the Kiel Philharmonic Orchestra, Orquestra Sinfonica de Chile, and the Bonn Academic Orchestra.
In 2007 the Trio won First Prize, Grand Prize, the Musica Viva Tour Prize, and the Audience Prize at the 5th Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition. Never before in the history of this competition (held only every four years) has a single ensemble garnered this many honors. The Trio was also named First Prize Winner at the 2007 International Competition Schubert and the Music of Modern Times in Graz, Austria. Grand Prize Winners at the Deutsche Musik Wettbewerb in 2004, one of the most important chamber music competitions of Germany, the ATOS Trio was invited to be part of the Konzerte junger Kuenstler, under whose management they remained performed 50 recitals.
The trio's debut CD with works by Beethoven, Brahms, and Leon Kirchner was released in 2005, and a documentary about the ensemble was produced by German TV station SWR. The second CD with the complete trios by Heinrich von Herzogenberg was published in early 2008 and sold out the first edition during the first month of its release.
Shortly after its first rehearsals, the ATOS Trio became a prizewinner at the 2003 Brahms International Competition in Austria and was awarded the audience favorite prize. Subsequently, they performed in the opening concert of the Internationales Kammermusik Festival at the University of Arts Berlin, the Young Artist Recital Series in Kiel, and recitals in New York City and Philadelphia.
From its inception, the ATOS Trio received instruction from Professor Ilan Gronich (University of Arts, Berlin), the Alban Berg Quartet (Hochschule Cologne) and performed in masterclass for Menahem Pressler (Beaux Arts Trio). For the upcoming seasons the ATOS Trio is invited to perform at venues such as London's Wigmore Hall, Amsterdam's Concertgebouw, Frankfurt's Alte Oper, New York's Carnegie Hall, and the Schwetzinger Festspiele. Several tours of the USA are planned for the upcoming season, and a tour of Australia and New Zealand under the auspices of Musica Viva Australia is scheduled for 2010.
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