It’s autumn, dank and dark November - there’s a chill in the air and the nights are drawing in. But all is not lost! Three magnificent, multi-prize-winning musicians are heading to St Briavels Church to light up your Sunday afternoon. The Radio 3 New Generation Artists (2025-27) are bringing with them a programme of glorious music by Kelly-Marie Murphy, Felix Mendelssohn and Beethoven – featuring what is perhaps the most powerful and impressive piano trio of all time – the ‘Archduke’.
Individually and collectively, Berniya Hamie, Riya Hamie and Maja Horvat, the members of the
Astatine Trio, have garnered more prizes than most of us have had hot dinners. Since their formation at the Royal College of Music in 2021, they were unanimously awarded first prize at the 2022 Senior Intercollegiate Piano Trio Competition as the youngest entrants, with an average age of 18. They went on to win first prize and the Luigi Boccherini Prize at the International Virtuoso & Belcanto Chamber Competition (held in Lucca, Italy) in July 2022 and were joint first prize winners at the Birmingham International Piano Chamber Music Competition in November 2022. Most recently, they were the youngest finalists of the 2023 Lyon International Chamber Music Competition and were awarded the SEAM prize for contemporary music. And so it goes on....
The trio have performed extensively across the UK and abroad, including at Wigmore Hall, The Glasshouse (as part of the BBC Proms), St George’s Bristol, Aldeburgh’s Jubilee Hall and the Harrogate Sunday Series, and as Britten Pears Young Artists for the 2023/24 season they made their debut appearance on BBC Radio 3 ‘In Tune’ in February 2024. They are current Hans Keller Chamber Fellows at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and are a resident ensemble at ProQuartet – Centre Européen de Musique de Chambre (Paris) for the 2025-2027 seasons. The trio have also been selected as Kirckman Concert Society artists for 2025/26. From 2022-25 the trio benefited from the mentorship of legendary pianist Alfred Brendel, at his personal invitation. They have also undertaken residencies at Snape Maltings.
In terms of quality, who could ask for more? We couldn’t be more delighted to have them back with us. So, do join us for what promises to be another very special afternoon.
