Neave Trio

Anna Williams, violin | Mikhail Veselov, cello | Eri Nakamura, piano

 

 

 

 

Full Biography 

 

Praised for performances that “balance passion with sensitivity and grace” (BBC Music Magazine), the two-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated Neave Trio is known for its fiery connection, exuberance, and a shared sense of storytelling that reflects the deep human bonds at the core of chamber music. New York’s WQXR explains, “‘Neave’ is actually a Gaelic name meaning ‘bright’ and ‘radiant,’ both of which certainly apply to this trio’s music making.” Through their engaging and polished performances, advocacy for the works by living composers, and educational activities, the Trio fosters meaningful connections, cultivating long-lasting relationships with audiences and the communities beyond. The Trio’s recordings have been named among the best recordings of the year by both The New York Times and BBC Radio 3, and Gramophone notes their performances as “thrilling,” having “wild energy” and “electrifying.”

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Formed in 2010, the Neave Trio has performed at esteemed concert series and festivals worldwide, including Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Kaatsbaan Summer Festival, Bard Music Festival, Rockport Chamber Music Festival, La Jolla Athenaeum, as well as performances across Europe, Japan, and Russia. 

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The Trio has commissioned Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Jennifer Higdon to write a new work for piano trio, Vast Palette, which will premiere during the 2025-2026 season. In spring 2026, the Trio will make its London debut at Kings Place, including the U.K premiere of the Higdon piece, and release its next album, In Her Hands, on Chandos Records. 

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Innovative programming and collaborations with artists of many mediums are a hallmark of the Neave’s work. Their most recent interdisciplinary project, Rising, is a meditation on rising temperatures and sea levels in conjunction with humanity’s rising awareness of our connection to and dependence on the Earth’s oceans, crafted alongside Pigeonwing Dance, composer Robert Sirota, and choreographer Gabrielle Lamb. Additional premieres include Robert Paterson’s Triple Concerto with the Mostly Modern Orchestra under the direction of JoAnn Falletta; D-Cell: an Exhibition & Durational Performance, conceived and directed by multi-disciplinary visual artist David Michalek; and a music video by filmmaker Amanda Alvarez Díaz of Astor Piazzolla’s Otoño Porteño. The Trio gave the premiere performances of Musings by composer Augusta Read Thomas; Eric Nathan’s Missing Words V, sponsored by Coretet; Leah Reid’s Cloud Burst for piano trio and electronics; and Dale Trumbore’s Another Chance. In April 2020, Anna Williams and Mikhail Veselov of the Neave Trio were filmed giving an emotional and heartfelt performance of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah in support of their neighbor, a nurse and new mother, and all essential workers during the coronavirus crisis. The video was shared by PBS’s American Portrait series and has over 1 million views. 

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The Neave Trio’s latest album, La Mer, released in 2025 on Chandos Records, was praised by The Strad as “beguiling,” noting that “the playing is as idiomatic as it is virtuosic.” Prior to La Mer, the trio released Rooted in July 2024, featuring works centered around folk music by composers Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Bedřich Smetana, Joseph Suk, and Frank Martin. Rooted was selected as one of Apple Music’s "10 Classical Albums You Must Hear This Month." A Room of Her Own was released in February 2024 to wide international acclaim. The Times included it in their roundup of “the best albums of 2024 so far,” praising it as “a richly rewarding disc,” and The Strad lauded its “illustrious performances,” while Stereophile called it “a must.” In 2022, the Neave Trio released Musical Remembrances, which earned a GRAMMY® nomination in the Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble category. Their earlier acclaimed recordings include Her Voice (Chandos, 2019), Celebrating Piazzolla (Azica, 2018), French Moments (Chandos, 2018), and their debut, American Moments (Chandos, 2016).

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Members of the Neave are dedicated educators, and the trio currently serves as the inaugural Ensemble-in-Residence at Virginia Commonwealth University. They have previously held residency positions at Brown University, MIT School of Architecture and Design in collaboration with dancer/choreographer Richard Colton, University of Virginia, San Diego State University as the first-ever Fisch/Axelrod Trio-in-Residence, Longy School of Music of Bard College, Wartburg College, and the Banff Centre (Canada), among other institutions.