With music lovers across the globe gearing up to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Ludwig van Beethoven in 2020, Thomasville Entertainment Foundation is presenting an internationally acclaimed piano trio in an evening of the composer’s works later this month.

On Tuesday, October 22, the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio is set to perform three of Beethoven’s piano trios in the Thomasville Center for the Arts’ intimate and historic concert hall, the latest offering in TEF’s 82nd performance season.

As leading interpreters of Beethoven, the trio celebrates the genius of the conductor for his 250th with Beethoven-focused performances across the country, including the all-Beethoven program planned for TEF audiences.

Since making their debut at the White House in 1977, pianist Joseph Kalichstein, violinist Jaime Laredo and cellist Sharon Robinson have set the standard for the performance of piano trio literature. As one of the few long-lived ensembles with all of its original members, the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio balances the careers of three internationally acclaimed soloists with appearances in the world’s major concert halls and award-winning recordings.

In addition to serving as Ensemble-in-Residence at the Kennedy Center since 2003, the trio’s members are respected teaching artists, Jaime Laredo and Sharon Robinson on the instrumental and chamber music faculty at the Cleveland Institute of Music and Joseph Kalichstein as a long-revered teacher at the Juilliard School.

Of the trio’s reputation and artistry, The Washington Post has written, “Can we just be done with it, and declare the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio the greatest piano trio on the face of the Earth… (they) have outpaced the competition in everything from effortless virtuosity to striking originality.”

Thomasville Entertainment Foundation enjoys a long connection with the ensemble. In addition to their 2005 performance in Thomasville with the Miami String Quartet, TEF joined with a group of 20 leading concert presenting organizations in 2003 to establish the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson International Trio Award (KLRITA) to honor the trio and celebrate its contributions to the world of chamber music. 

TEF’s participation in the KLRITA was made possible by a personal gift from TEF founder Emily Searcy, and the award was presented biennially from 2003 to 2012 to encourage the careers of top young piano trios who might follow in their footsteps.

Individual tickets for the October 22 concert are available online at www.TEFconcerts.com or by calling the TEF office at (229) 226-7404. Tickets are $38 for adults, $15 for students, and all seats are reserved. A limited number of tickets may be available at the door on concert night beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Founded in 1937, TEF is a volunteer-powered, non-profit organization celebrating 82 years of entertaining the community. In addition to its annual season of performances by acclaimed artists, TEF offers a dedicated family series of presentations geared to families and younger children, provides educational outreach programs for students and awards performing arts scholarships and grants to promising young artists.