Musica Viva Australia | Trio Isimsiz
October 7, 2025 | Melbourne Recital Centre, Melbourne, VIC
It’s ironic that musicians that play with the intimacy, drama and playfulness of closest friends should be called the Trio Isimsiz, which translates to ‘Anonymous Trio’ from Turkish. Formed in London in 2009, Trio Isimsiz comprises Pablo Hernán Benedí on violin, Edward Pogossian on cello and Erdem Mısırlıoğlu on piano and are currently on tour around Australia for Musica Viva.
Highly regarded across Europe, the group met at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and have won many awards. Music and drama is also how I’d describe the great evening of music they performed at the Elisabeth Murdoch Hall of the Melbourne Recital Centre.
Opening with the First Piano Trio composed by Brahms during a very fruitful (working) holiday where he composed a number of works, including this magnificent staple of chamber music. It is technically supercharged as well as musically so, and in four movements. From the opening tender melody to the last note, we were transfixed by the playing. The interplay between parts was subtle and the development of melody almost organic. There was plenty of drama too, with those big expressive chords played on strings as well as the piano.
The Australian premier of Spanish composer Fransica Coll’s Piano Trio (2020) was matched very well against the romanticism of the Brahms. Again, made up of four movements it was melodic as well as modern sounding. Obviously technically demanding for the performers, it felt very much like chamber music for lovers of chamber music. It was the perfect audience for the premier, I’m sure the Musicia Viva fans in the audience were very pleased to hear it.
The second half of the concert was given over to Schumann’s Piano Trio No 1. It’s a strong work with symphonic overtones, grand and sweeping gestures in form as well as expression. The performers were so obviously in-synch with one another they acted as a single musical organism. It was a joy to watch. This discipline allowed them to play to their individual strengths and at the same time make room in the music for each other. I was so pleased to see they are conducting masterclasses at different times during their tour.
Trio Isimsiz may be calling themselves anonymous, but by the end of the concert I think we were all firm friends. Artistic Director Paul Kildea has a great sensibility and programming young and contemporary work with the romantic greats was rewarding and satisfying.
