Sima Piano Trio, Trio

Biography

Winners of the First Prize and Gold Medal of 2012 New England International Chamber Music Competition, Sima Trio is quickly becoming one of the leading young trios of its generation. Praised for their “powerful” and “heartfelt” interpretations of classical and ethnic repertoire, the members of this NY based ensemble are highly sought after soloists and chamber musicians

Sarah Crocker Vonsattelis a member of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.  An avid chamber musician, she was a founding member of the Verklärte Quartet, Grand Prize Winners of the 2003 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition.  A strong proponent of new music, she has performed as guest artist with the iO string quartet and the Talea Ensemble and has recorded two discs for Bridge Records.  She has appeared at several music festivals including the Wellesley Composers Conference.  Ms. Crocker Vonsattel holds a Master of Music degree from The Juilliard School, where she was a student of Ronald Copes and Naoko Tanaka, and a Bachelor of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she was a student of David Updegraff.  

Hailed by the Los Angeles Times as “representing the young, up-and-coming generation,” Ani Kalayjian has performed in Japan, Australia, Canada, Europe, and the United Sates, both as a soloist and chamber musician.  She has been featured at the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival in Michigan, the Steamboat Festival in CO, with appearances at IMS Prussia Cove in England, Lark Chamber Music Society and La Jolla Chamber Music Festival in California, BargeMusic in NY, Camerata Nordica in a U.S. and Swedish tour, and a Weill Recital Debut at Carnegie Hall. She completed her Masters degree at the Royal Northern College of Music as a student of Ralph Kirshbaum and undergraduate studies with Timothy Eddy at the Mannes College of Music.

Armenian-born pianist Sofya Melikyan, winner of many international competitions, has toured throughout Europe, Australia, Canada, Japan and the USA. She appeared as a soloist with the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra, Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra of Spain, Cordoba Orchestra, Valencia Symphony Orchestra, New Europe Chamber Orchestra, Philharmonic Orchestra of Andalucía, among others. Ms. Melikyan's performances have been broadcast in Spain, Armenia, France, Chicago and New York.  Sofya Melikyan completed her studies at the Royal Conservatory of Madrid with Joaquin Soriano, and the Manhattan School of Music in New York where she was a student of Solomon Mikowsky.