Ensemble Avalon is a fresh and dynamic piano trio featuring three of Ireland's finest internationally accomplished soloists and chamber musicians. Since their inaugural concert together in the summer of 2006 the trio have performed concerts, tours and series in Europe and enjoy regular broadcasts on radio and television. Originating from both Northern and Southern Ireland, the three members of Ensemble Avalon each enjoy an active solo and chamber career and they have created Ensemble Avalon as a means to discovering and performing new and existing piano trio repertoire together. The trio have been part of Music Network's artist roster following the success of their February 2007 tour, which was generously funded in part by Music Network's Performance and Touring Award.

The daughter of two professional violinists, Ioana Petcu-Colan first held a violin as a toddler and gave her debut performance at the age of six. Following a musical education continued in Ireland, France and UK, a successful and varied career was launched.

Collaborations have included projects with artists as diverse as Barry Douglas (piano), members of the Alban Berg, Vanbrugh and Belcea Quartets, John Abercrombie (jazz guitar), Martin Hayes (traditional fiddle) and Canadian rock group Arcade Fire. Stylistically, Ioana is at home in everything from music from the Baroque era on period instruments to the traditional music of South America, and she is a permanent member of Lunfardia and Ensemble Avalon with whom she performs, tours and continues to release recordings. Ensemble Avalon have recently taken up the post of first ever Ensemble-in-Residence at Trinity College Dublin and present their annual festival in Wexford.

Contemporary music plays a big part in Ioana's professional life; she has been commissioning works and giving premieres since she was at school, and was invited by major international publishing house Universal Edition to edit 'Violin Project', a volume of contemporary works for solo violin. Performance highlights to date include recording Luigi Nono's 'la Lontananza de la Utopica Futura' for solo violin and tape for broadcast on BBC Radio 3, working intensively with Arvo Part on his own music, duetting with Philip Glass in concert and performing the music of Sir John Tavener as soloist with the Ulster Orchestra. Ongoing projects include the critically acclaimed 'Una Santa Oscura', described as 'an opera without words' for staged solo violin in collaboration with composer Ian Wilson and theatre director Tom Creed. Ioana has most recently been appointed Associate Leader with the Ulster Orchestra and plays a wonderful Eberle violin, on generous loan from a private collector.

Gerald Peregrine is one of Ireland's leading young musicians. The youngest member of a well-known Irish musical family, his mother is the violinist Sheila O' Grady, his uncle the late great tenor Frank Patterson. Gerald began learning violin at the age of 3, but fell quickly in love with the cello at the age of 6. Having studied in Ireland, Gerald began commuting regularly to London at the age of 15 for tuition with the late mentor William Pleeth, the former teacher to Jacqueline Du Pre. At 18 he was awarded a Foundation scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music, London, with the renowned American pedagogue Steven Doane. Having gained a 1st class honours degree, Gerald was awarded a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship to continue his studies at Indiana University, receiving tuition from Emilio Colon and Janos Starker. In 2007 he received a first class honours Masters from Limerick University, where he was RTÉ lyric fm Artist in Residence during his studies. In 1996 Gerald won the String Category of the RTÉ Young Musician of the Future. He was awarded many Arts Council Scholarships to assist with his tuition, as well as several college prizes. On his return to Ireland Gerald was awarded the prestigious National Concert Hall Dèbut Recital, which he gave to acclaim in 2003. Gerald has been busy building a career as a soloist and chamber musician. He has made many broadcasts in Ireland, for RTÉ and BBC radio and television. He has appeared as soloist with both Irish National Youth Orchestras, the National Symphony Orchestra, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and the Orchestra of Saint Cecilia. He presented two successful recital series in the National Concert Hall, featuring the complete works for cello and piano by Beethoven, Bach and Brahms, broadcast by RTÉ lyric fm. Recent highlights have included performances at the West Cork Chamber Music Festival, the Camerata Ireland Clandeboye Festival, as well as trio recitals in France, London, Portugal, Spain, Italy and around Ireland. September 2007 saw the release of Gerald's first commercial CD, 'Heavenly', a collection of popular jazz standards. The release was accompanied by a National Tour.

Winner of the Terence Judd / Hallé Award in 2009, Belfast-born pianist Michael McHale has established himself as one of the leading Irish pianists of his generation. Since completing his studies at Cambridge University and the Royal Academy of Music in London he has developed a busy career as a solo recitalist, concerto soloist and chamber musician. He has given notable solo performances at the Tanglewood Festival, Berlin Konzerthaus and Pesti Vigadó in Budapest, and many broadcasts for radio stations in Ireland, the UK, continental Europe and North America.

He has performed as soloist with the Bournemouth, Moscow and RTÉ National Symphony orchestras, the London Mozart Players, Camerata Ireland, the Hallé and Ulster orchestras in repertoire ranging from Mozart and Beethoven to Gershwin and Rachmaninoff. His début solo recitals in Washington DC, the National Concert Hall, Dublin and the Wigmore Hall, London received great public and critical acclaim. In addition to winning the prestigious Terence Judd / Hallé Award (previous winners include Nikolai Lugansky and Stephen Hough), Michael was awarded two special prizes at the 2006 AXA Dublin International Piano Competition and first prize at the 2004 Camerata Ireland Musician of the Year. His teachers and mentors include John O’Conor, Reamonn Keary, Christopher Elton, Barry Douglas and Ronan O’Hora. An interest in contemporary music has seen Michael work with composers such as Bill Whelan, Philip Hammond, Ian Wilson, John Tavener and Arvo Pärt in both concerts and recording projects. He collaborates regularly with Sir James Galway, Michael Collins, Patricia Rozario, Ensemble Avalon and the Cappa Ensemble, and his discography includes recordings for Chandos, RTÉ lyric fm, Louth CMS and Lorelt. Michael is grateful to Camerata Ireland / Accenture, EMI Music Sound Foundation, the Musicians Benevolent Fund and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland for supporting his performing career.

Reviews

"Ensemble Avalon...completely enraptured a capacity audience...another impressive performance..."

Sunday Business Post

"...ravishing sensitivity...one of the highlights of my listening year..."

The Strad

"...hushed and magical..."

The Irish Times

Sample Programmes

Programme 1

Beethoven Trio in E flat Major, op 1 no 1
Piazzolla 'Cuatro Estaciones'
Brahms Trio in C minor, op 101

Programme 2

Haydn Trio in G Major 'Gypsy Trio', H15/25
Beethoven Trio in D Major 'Ghost', op 70 no 1
Shostakovich Trio no 2 in E minor, Op 67

Links

www.ioanapetcucolan.com

www.geraldperegrine.com 

www.michaelmchale.com

www.ensembleavalon.net 

Ensemble Avalon on RTÉ 1 The View

For further information on availability or artist fees, or to discuss a booking please contact the Performance Programmes Manager by emailing performance@musicnetwork.ie or telephone: 01 6719429.