Formed in 1993, the Gryphon Trio continues to delight audiences around the globe with their highly refined and dynamic performances. Based in Toronto, the Trio tours regularly throughout Canada, the United States, and Europe. Their celebrated recordings include works by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Dvorak, Lalo and Shostakovich. With a strong commitment to expanding the piano trio repertoire, the Trio has commissioned and premiered over 50 works. Their 2004 recording, Canadian Premieres, features the work of leading Canadian composers and was awarded a Juno. Their most recent recording, Tango Nuevo, features the music of Astor Piazzolla and Hilario Duran, and represents their tenth CD for the Analekta label.

As Canada’s pre-eminent ensemble, the Trio continues to be actively involved in teaching and nurturing future generations of both classical musicians and audiences. In addition to master classes at schools and universities across North America, the Gryphon Trio members are Artists-in-Residence at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music, where Dr. Parker is the Rupert E. Edwards Chair in Piano Performance and violinist Annalee Patipatanakoon is an Assistant Professor.

Strongly dedicated to pushing the boundaries of chamber music, the Trio has collaborated on special projects with clarinetist James Campbell, actor Colin Fox, choreographer David Earle, and a host of jazz luminaries at Toronto’s Lula Lounge. Their most ambitious undertaking has been the groundbreaking multimedia production of Christos Hatzis’ Constantinople, which has been performed in Canada, the United States, and was presented by the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden in England in 2006.

Cellist Roman Borys has taken the lead with the Trio’s responsibilities as Artistic Directors of the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival, a position they have held for two seasons. The Gryphon Trio has been a mainstay at the OICMF since its inception, the Festival of the Sound in Parry Sound, and many other chamber music festivals.

BIOGRAPHIES

ANNALEE PATIPATANAKOON, violin  Violinist Annalee Patipatanakoon grew up in Calgary where she began her violin studies at the age of three. Her fascinating last name is of Thai origin. Her teachers have included Dr. Lise Elson (Mount Royal College), Aaron Rosand (The Curtis Institute), Franco Gulli and Miriam Fried (Indiana University). Annalee is a laureate of Belgium’s Queen Elizabeth International Violin Competition and is one of Canada’s most respected violinists.

In addition to her many Gryphon Trio responsibilities, Annalee has a large class of violin students and coaches chamber music at the University of Toronto. Annalee performs on a 1907 Carlo Oddone violin.

ROMAN BORYS, cello  Roman Borys is one of Canada’s most active chamber musicians and a founding member of the Gryphon Trio. As a producer, Roman looks after production and development of the Gryphon Trio’s various projects and education and outreach initiatives. His most ambitious undertaking in this regard has been the theatrical development of Christos Hatzis’ Constantinople.

A native of Toronto, Roman Borys studied with Janos Starker at Indiana University and Aldo Parisot at Yale University. Roman now teaches at the University of Toronto Faculty of Music along with Gryphon Trio pianist Jamie Parker and violinist Annalee Patipatanakoon. Outside of chamber music, Roman enjoys contributing to film soundtracks and has been the featured soloist in Kenneth Lonnergan’s You can count on me and Guy Madden’s The saddest music in the world.

JAMIE PARKER, piano  Establishing himself as one of Canada's most in demand artists, pianist James Parker enjoys the variety of performing solo repertoire, concerti, vocal repertoire, and chamber music. Celebrated by critics, Mr. Parker has appeared across Canada, the U.S. and Europe. He has performed with every major Canadian orchestra including the Vancouver, Edmonton, Montréal, Calgary, Toronto, Québec City, Winnipeg and National Arts Centre orchestras, to name a few.  Mr. Parker has also given solo recitals across North America including command performances for dignitaries and diplomats at the Canada House in London and the French Embassy in Ottawa.

He can be heard in live concerts, radio broadcasts, and recordings and is a frequent guest on both radio and television. Mr. Parker has performed on Bravo!, the CanWest Global Network, MuchMusic and New York City's premier FM stereo classical music station, WNCN. He is also heard consistently on the CBC networks in Canada. James is a founding member of the Gryphon Trio and performs with them worldwide.

Mr. Parker achieved coast-to-coast recognition with his first prize win at the 1984 Eckhardt Gramatte National Music Competition and the Canadian recital tour that followed.  He has continued to capture major prizes, including CBC Radio's 25th National Competition for Young Performers, the Juilliard Concerto Competition and the Virginia P. Moore Award as the most promising young classical artist in Canada. In 2004, James was awarded two JUNO Awards for his work with the Gryphon Trio and with soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian. This season will see him release a CD celebrating Mozart’s anniversary on CBC SM5000 label. Dr. Parker completed his graduate studies at The Juilliard School. He is currently a Professor at the University of Toronto, where he was appointed the Rupert E. Edwards Chair in Piano Performance in 2003.

Mr. Parker has recorded for CBC Musica Viva, CBC SM5000, Pelleas and Analekta.

http://www.gryphontrio.com