Amael Trio – A top-notch ensemble
Recent News
- European Classical Music Award 2025 for Amael Trio: Platinum Award – Chamber Music
- Amael Trio LIT Gold Award winner – Best Chamber Music
- Amael Trio First Prize Winner at Claude Debussy Competition Paris 2025
- First Prize for Amael Trio at 10th Swiss Competition
- Two prestigious music awards for the Amael Trio in Berlin and Vienna.
The Amael Piano Trio has received oustanding international acclaim performing in New York, London, Rome, Belgrade, Bergen, San Marino, Munich, Sofia and some other European cities.
A top-notch ensemble, the Amael Trio! New York Concert Review
… a superb Beethoven’s ‘Archduke’,full-blooded in tone yet also respectful of structural clarity. Magical colouring of modulations, highlighting of luminescent thrilling, and fresh shades… The Classical Source
…The concert of Amael Piano Trio shall remain reasonably be remembered as a great artistic event of valuable guest artists from Slovenia… Radio Belgrade
…an extremely high level of musical communication. These three excellent musicians, all of them masters of their instrument, amalgamate their respective expertise in a high-quality musical experience… Vjesnik – Zagreb
Amael Piano Trio is a very fine group. The stringplayer’s intonation is impeccable, their tone is rich, beautiful and homogeneous and can vary from floating delicacy to vibrant full bodied sonorousness… A large multi-national audience rewarded the performers with warm approval and prolonged ovations… New York Concert Review
About Amael Trio
The Amael Trio was founded by three very accomplished artists, who, individually, have backgrounds as prominent soloists and chamber musicians.
Acknowledged as one of the finest piano trios, The Amael Trio has received outstanding international acclaim through performances in cities such as New York, London, Rome, Munich, Bergen, Tallinn, Luxembourg, Sofia, Kaunas, Belgrade, Ljubljana, Tehran, Porto and more.
All three members, including the pianist Zoltan Peter, the violinist Volodja Balžalorsky, and the cellist Damir Hamidullin, are accomplished artists with backgrounds as prominent soloists and chamber musicians.
With 25 years of successful performances, the trio has graced a variety of venues, concert series, and festivals, including “Kammermusikfestival Wien 2025”, “A Universal Affair” and Spectrum Festival at Carnegie Hall in New York, The Forge Concert Series in London, Grieg Festival in Bergen, Maskfest in San Marino, Nuovi Spazi Musicali and Festival of the Nations in Rome, Festival Spectrum at Gasteig in Munich, Forfest in Kroměříž, Tallin Chamber Music Festival, ISARTI festival in Kaunas, Urbino Chamber Music Series, European Foyer Chamber Music Series, Kolarac Chamber Music Podium in Belgrade, Festival NIMUS in Niš, MAG festival Split, Bystřice Chateau Festival in Czech Republic, Ljubljana Festival, Fajr Festival Tehran, Bled Festival, Pučišća Summer Festival, Bol Summer Festival, and performances at Cankarjev Dom (the most important cultural center in Slovenia), the International Festival of Contemporary Music in Radenci, Summer Music Festival of Hvar in Croatia, International concert series of Zemono, The Spectrum Festival, 52th ESTA conference – Porto 2024 and more.
The Amael Trio has attained the status of being among the most sought-after chamber groups in Slovenia. In addition to performing known traditional trio literature from various style epochs, the trio is dedicated to presenting contemporary works and promoting Slovenian composers of piano trio literature on the international stage.
ZOLTAN PETER – Piano
Pianist Zoltan PETER was born in Vojvodina. He attended the Secondary School of Music in Subotica (directed by Marija Sekelj) and then went on to study under Professor Arbo Valdma at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad. His completed his piano studies at the Academy of Music of the University of Ljubljana
As a soloist, chamber musician, and piano accompanist for many musicians of the highest level from both the younger and older generations, he has been a guest performer in Italy, Hungary, the former Soviet Union, Germany, and Switzerland, as well as at festivals of contemporary music. As a soloist with orchestra, he has performed under the baton of conductors such as Igor Gjadrov, Simon Robinson, Berislav Skenderović, Hermann Ostendarp, Guido Mancuzzi, George Pehlivanian, Paul Hoskins, En Shao, and others.
In addition to classical chamber and solo literature, Zoltan Peter often p erforms the works of Slovene composers, sometimes giving premiere performances. He has recorded many works for RTV Slovenia, RTV Belgrade, RTV Novi Sad and RTV Croatia, as well as twelve CDs of solo and chamber music for RTV Slovenia Publishing and other publishers. As a top-flight chamber musician and piano accompanist with an enormous repertoire, he often participates in domestic and international master classes and competitions.
Zoltan PETER is also the author of the book “Korepetiranje – kazen ali ustvarjalnost?” (Piano accompaniment – a penalty or creativity?), published in 2015 by Didakta.
In addition to his concert and pedagogical activities, he leads seminars for piano students and teachers, and for piano accompanists in Slovenia and abroad. He teaches Piano as a main subject on all levels from elementary to university.
VOLODJA BALZALORSKY – violin
Volodja Balzalorsky is internationally acclaimed violinist. He is Two Time Winner of Independent Music Awards 2014 – on receiving top honors in the Live Performance EP category for Karol Szymanowski: Violin Sonata in D Minor with the pianist Hinko Haas, and Vox Pop Independent Music Award 2014 for Debussy Violin Sonata performing with the pianist Christoph Theiler.
He was also Four-Time Nominee of IMAs 2014.
Volodja Balzalorsky is recipient of several further international music awards such as The Hollywood Music in Media Award, The Inland Empire Music Award, The Ontario Independent Music Award, The Canary Island Music Award, Julij Betetto Music Award.
Numerous highly praised concerts, broadcasts, CD and TV recordings in various countries have established his reputation as an artist with a sensitive, intelligent, and intuitive gift of interpretation, a polished technique, and a rich, full tone.
After his successful performance in the international cycle Violin Virtuosos in Belgrade, the esteemed critic in former Yugoslavia, Slobodan Turlakov, defined his artistic personality with the following words:
Volodja Balzalorsky is passionately devoted to violin, inspired by the flame which distinguishes the most refined and authentic violinists capable of building the dramaturgy of musical works in the most natural and persuasive manner. His interpretation calls for an exalted and compassionate listener, which is the d i s t i n c t i o n of rare and predestined musicians…
(Vecernje Novosti, Belgrade).
Volodja Balzalorsky has been a guest artist at international festivals and concert series in various countries such as Italy, France, Austria, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Germany, Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey, Portugal, Norway, Bulgaria, Denmark, USA and China.
Volodja Balzalorsky is particularly active in the field of chamber music. He works with many international groups and ensembles, and for several years has successfully performed in DUO with pianists Christoph Theiler and Hinko Haas.
Critics comment on the degree to which he is able to develop and maintain unity with his musical partners in this milieu, presenting …an exceptional harmony of ease and authenticity of performance
DAMIR HAMIDULLIN – cello
Cellist Damir Hamidullin is a virtuoso soloist and an excellent representative of the famous Russian cello school. He currently serves as the first solo cellist of the National Opera House in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and is a member of the Amael piano trio. Hamidullin showcases his talents across Europe as a soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician.
His extensive experience as a soloist includes numerous performances with the Kazan Philharmonic, along with appearances with other symphonic and chamber orchestras in Russia and Slovenia. Hamidullin is adept at playing renowned concertos on his instrument, including works by Haydn, Dvořák, Saint-Saëns, Schumann, and Tchaikovsky.
In addition to his solo endeavors, Hamidullin has been a guest artist at various international festivals, such as the Festival Groblje and Festival of Contemporary Music Radenci in Slovenia, Festival of Contemporary Music Kishinjev in Moldova, and the Festival of Kazan in Russia.
More Infos:
Electronic Press Kit of Amael Trio
• REQUIREMENTS:
Amael Piano Trio – Basic Requirements
Amael Piano Trio performs without amplification, if possible in Concert Halls with good acoustic!
Trio needs tuned concert size grand piano with artist bench and 2 armless chairs, as well as well lit stage suitable for reading music – standard Chamber Music Lighting.
Special situations: outside stages, big stages – big Halls (not concert halls for classical music) –
PA system to be provided by the Promoter: 3 high quality mics for piano, violin and cello.
Amael Piano Trio Live in Ljubljana – Video on YouTube
