Dec 7, 2023 By Stephanie Kalina-Metzger 4 min read

Music lovers who seem to have their pick of events this holiday season would be remiss if they failed to add the Junction Trio to their calendars.

The ‘new generation’ piano trio hosted by Chamber Music Pittsburgh will take the stage at the Pittsburgh Playhouse located in downtown Pittsburgh on Dec. 11. The ensemble, comprised of violinist Stefan Jackiw, cellist Jay Campbell and pianist/composer Conrad Tao, has been known to captivate audiences with their classical precision, contemporary innovation and touch of avant-garde flair.

An early start

Jackiw and Tao recently took the time to share their musical journey and one of the many things they have in common is that they both began at a young age.

Jackiw started playing the violin at the tender age of 4 when he was given one by his father’s former college roommate.

“His kids had outgrown it, so my parents, who love music, decided to start me on Suzuki lessons in Cambridge, Massachusetts,” said Jackiw.

As physicists, they instilled in Jackiw the satisfaction one gets from loving one’s work.

“I admired how committed they were to the pursuit of discovery,” said Jackiw.

Another major influence in Jackiw’s life was his teacher, Donald Weilerstein. “He was an important mentor who taught me what it means to be emotionally vulnerable. What I love most about being a concert violinist is the sense of catharsis I feel after a particularly satisfying performance,” he said.

Tao, too, started at a young age.

“According to my parents, I began playing the piano on my own at age 18 months,” said Tao, who was picking out nursery rhymes one note at a time and later began lessons taught by a family friend.

Over the years, Tao honed his skills, playing in recitals and orchestras and failing to take much of a break until the pandemic.

“I went through time when I felt a bit alienated from my work, then finding my way back to it. I think it was just necessary growth and I had to reach inside myself to examine whether I really wanted a career in music,” he said.

Joining up with Campbell and Jackiw gave him the insight to realize that music belonged in his future.

“I met them and felt less isolated and was finally working with people who felt like peers. It showed me that I could be down to earth and be myself as a musician,” he said.

Jackiw said he felt similarly while working with Campbell and Tao.

“While they are very different people and have distinct musical personalities, I would say they both share a similar sense of curiosity and a skepticism for traditions’ sake. They are always looking at familiar music with fresh eyes and questioning why we play the way we do,” he said.

Since their formation in 2015, Junction Trio has performed at Washington Performing Arts, Royal Conservatory in Toronto, Newport Classical, the Aspen Music Festival and for the LA Philharmonic’s NowRising Series at the Ford Theater. They will make their Carnegie Hall debut in New York this upcoming May.

The set list

“Bells and Whistles,” by Amy Williams, composer/professor, University of Pittsburgh, Department of Music, will make its Pittsburgh debut at the show.

“It reflects a few different takes on these little engines and in some ways becomes about technology and modern life and the 20th century with clocks and trains and ending with bells,” said Tao.

“Bells and Whistles” will be followed by Charles Ives’ “Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano” and Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Trio in B-flat Major, Op. 97, “Archduke.”

“It’s been so much fun rehearsing again, especially after COVID. We enjoy getting into the weeds, arguing about things that make our case for ideas and because we really trust and know each other, we have that respect, so our process is generative, fun and edifying and we’re really looking forward to sharing that with the audience at our Pittsburgh performance,” said Tao.

If you go:

PNC Theatre at the Pittsburgh Playhouse

350 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh

Monday, Dec. 11 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the 2023 MainStage Live concerts range from $35-$53 and can be purchased online.