Biography
Established in the Netherlands, the Van Baerle Trio quickly gained recognition among Europe's leading chamber music groups. Violinist Maria Milstein, cellist Gideon den Herder, and pianist Hannes Minnaar formed the ensemble in 2004, with its membership remaining constant into the late 2010s. The name derives from Van Baerle Street in Amsterdam, the site of their initial meeting near the Amsterdam Conservatory, where all three had studied, and close to the Concertgebouw concert hall, where they have performed repeatedly; Amsterdam continues to serve as their base. Early guidance came from teachers Dmitri Ferschtman, Ferenc Rados, and Claus-Christian Schuster, while a pivotal encounter occurred in 2008 when the group met and received instruction from the elderly yet energetic Israeli pianist Menahem Pressler, previously a member of the Beaux Arts Trio. This experience elevated their visibility. The Concertgebouw Organization selected them as ECHO Rising Stars for the 2013-2014 season, resulting in appearances at the Philharmonie in Cologne, L'Auditori in Barcelona, the Musikverein in Vienna, the London Barbican, and Cité de la Musique in Paris. They also secured a top prize at the ARD International Music Competition that same year. Extensive European touring followed, encompassing concert halls along with broadcasts on television and radio, including engagements at the Rheingau and Bergen Festivals. Their first recording, released in 2012 on the Etcetera label, presented trios by Saint-Saëns, Ravel, and Theo Loevendie and earned an Edison Award after attracting favorable reviews across multiple countries. In 2015 the trio joined Challenge Classics and issued an album of Mendelssohn piano trios, followed in 2018 by a two-volume complete cycle of Beethoven's piano trios. The members have instructed chamber music classes at their former institution, the Amsterdam Conservatory, since 2014.
Albums
