The Columbia Piano Trio
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The Columbia Piano Trio, founded in 2007, brings together three versatile musicians with rich solo, orchestral and chamber music backgrounds. All trained at the Eastman School of Music, the Columbia Piano Trio emerges as a new, premiere ensemble based in Eugene OR.
Pianist David Riley has received rave reviews throughout the U.S. and Canada, including "Absolutely exquisite technique" (New York Concert Review), "A soloist's dream, star quality, gifted and sensitive ..." (Billings Gazette). He has extensive experience as a professional recitalist, frequently performing at many of North America's most prestigious venues such as the National Art Gallery in Washington D.C., Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall with the New York Philharmonic Chamber Players, the Dame Myra Hess Series in Chicago, the Gardner Museum in Boston, the Phillips Collection in Washington D.C., the 92nd St. Y in New York City, Bellas Artes in San Juan P.R., the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, and Salle de Concert Pollack in Montreal, among others.
Mr. Riley has been featured on dozens of radio broadcasts throughout North America, including NPR Performance Today & Morning Edition, CBC National Radio, and WQXR and WNYC in New York City. Along with violinist Jasper Wood, he received the 2004 East Coast Music Award "Best Classical Recording" for a CD of works for violin and piano of Igor Stravinsky. Reviewers have stated, "A beautiful recording of lush and nimble Stravinsky, a first-class product and a strong recommendation." (Gramophone); "absolutely exquisite accounts of these works" (Ottawa Citizen); "This one gets the full five stars" (CBC Sound Advice). Other violinists with whom Mr. Riley has concertized include Juyoung Baek, Jennifer Frautschi, Ilya Gringolts, Phillipe Quint, and Giora Schmidt, along with cellists Denise Djokic and Jesus Morales, and clarinetists Alex Fiterstein and Ricardo Morales.
David Riley is Assistant Professor and Director of Accompanying and Chamber Music at the University of Oregon, where he joined the music faculty in 2004. He holds degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music and the Eastman School of Music, where he studied with Dr. Jean Barr.
Violinist Fritz Gearhart has performed for audiences from coast to coast. October 26, 2003 marked his sixth appearance in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie since 1998. Several compact discs featuring Gearhart have been released in the last few years to rave reviews. A sampling from the press: "...a sizzling performance..."(The Wall Street Journal), "...supple and imaginative..."(The New York Times), "...a superlative evening of musicmaking..."(New York Concert Review), "Gearhart is a bold assertive player..."(Strad), and "...a magnificent young violinist..."(American Record Guide). Mr. Gearhart has been heard frequently on National Public Radio including several live broadcast performances. He has also been featured on the nationally syndicated program Performance Today.
First violinist of the Chester String Quartet in the early 90's, Gearhart continues to be very active in chamber music and now performs regularly with the Oregon String Quartet, which was a featured performer at the 1999 Oregon Bach Festival. In January 2001 Gearhart appeared as soloist with the Oregon Festival of American Music performing Bernstein's Serenade, and in 2004 he performed Corigliano's Red Violin Chaconne to a sold out audience of over 2000: "Gearhart gave a stunning performance. His warm tone sang out above the orchestra...the technical challenges of the piece did not faze him in the least..." (Eugene Register-Guard). Gearhart received his Master's Degree and Performer's Certificate from the Eastman School of Music where he studied with Donald Weilerstein. Earlier studies at the Hartt School included work with Charles Treger and members of the Emerson Quartet. Mr. Gearhart is currently on the faculty of the University of Oregon School of Music.
Cellist Andrew Kolb has performed as a soloist and chamber musician throughout the United States as well as in Canada, England, Switzerland and Sweden. For six years he was a member of the Fairmount String Quartet and principal cellist of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra. Committed to new music, Andrew has premiered several works as a member of Acidophilus (live culture), a new music sextet made up of young American and Scandinavian musicians. They have toured Sweden and gave their U.S. debut at the Scandinavian House in New York City. He has also premiered works in New York City as a member of the Stony Brook Chamber Players.
Andrew studied with Timothy Eddy at SUNY Stony Brook, Ross Harbaugh at University of Miami and Steven Doane at the Eastman School of Music. He has taught on university faculties in Newfoundland (Canada) and Kansas. Summer festival appearances include Taos, Norfolk, Spoleto, Sarasota, Bach Aria, Fontana, Coos Bay, Cascade, Oregon Bach Festival, Ernen and Prussia Cove. He is currently principal cellist of the Eugene Symphony Orchestra.
