Mannes Trio

The Mannes Trio is one of America’s oldest chamber-music ensembles, founded in the 1920s by violinist David Mannes. The ensemble won the prestigious Naumburg Foundation Chamber Music Award in 1986 and performs widely in North America. The Mannes Trio serves as ensemble-in-residence at the school, performing nationwide. Hiroko Yajima is currently chair of the string department at Mannes. Since 1989, she has been a member of the Saito Kinen Orchestra in Japan. Wilhelmina Smith has performed as guest artist with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Boston Chamber Music Society, and the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society. Since 1997, she has been artistic director of the Pensacola Chamber Festival in Florida. Thomas Sauer is a member of the piano faculty at Mannes and also serves on the music faculty at Vassar College. He is a frequent collaborator with the renowned instrumentalists Midori and Colin Carr. Guest violinist Samuel Rhodes has been a member of both the Juilliard String Quartet and the faculty of the Juilliard School since 1969. His solo appearances have included recitals at the Library of Congress, Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall, the Juilliard School, and Columbia University’s Miller Theater.