The Zima Piano Trio is a dynamic ensemble known for its exquisite blend of piano, violin, and cello. Founded in 2017, the trio comprises with Sun Huh, Cory Blais (newly joined), and Eunjin Bang, each a highly accomplished musician with a deep passion for chamber music. The trio’s name, “Zima,” meaning winter in Slavic languages, reflects the birth months of both Eunjin Bang and Sun Huh, the founding members of the trio.
Individually, the members of the Zima Piano Trio have garnered recognition for their virtuosity and musicality. They have appeared at prestigious venues and festivals, delighting audiences with their nuanced interpretations and collaborative ensemble. As a group, they won several chamber music competitions such as Mineral Point Music Festival in 2018 and New York International Music Concours in 2021.
Native Korean violinist Sun Huh is a graduate of the Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, where she earned her Doctor of Music in Literature and Performance as a student of Mark Kaplan. Dr. Huh is a prize winner of New York International Music Concours 2021 in both solo and piano trio categories with the “Zima Trio”. She has joined Owensboro Symphony as a second section violinist since 2014.
After having established her professional career in the U.S., she still continues her performance engagements in Europe. Her performance at the ceremony of the “UNHCR World Refugee Day” in Switzerland in 2019 was broadcasted for the refugees in the world. Since 2019, she has joined the International Chamber Orchestra of Puerto Rico as a musical representative for the D’Addario & Co., the Titin Foundations, and the Shirley Givens Memorial Fellowship. Dr. Huh has sat on the jury of the Missouri Music Teachers Association (St. Louis District), the Manhattan International Music Competition, the East Coast International Competition, and served as the head of the jury in the 9th New York Artists International Competition for Violin category.
Dr. Huh obtained her Bachelor of Music at the Hanns Eisler Hochschule für Musik in Berlin, and Konzert-Examen at the Robert Schumann Hochschule in Düsseldorf. She has had significant performance engagements during her study in Germany as a concert soloist with German orchestras such as Collegium Musicum Jülich, Neue Philharmonia Westfalen, and Neue Kammerorchester Düsseldorf.
Based in Austin, TX, cellist Cory Blais enjoys living as a chamber musician playing concerts with friends and teaching cello. Since moving to Austin in 2016, he became a founding member of Austin Camerata, an organization and music festival known for its creative artistic collaborations that augment music’s emotional power. Performances frequently feature collaborations of choreography, visual art, creative writing, and dance ranging in style from flamenco, to hip-hop, to ballet.
His playing with Austin Camerata has lead to frequent appearances with Austin contemporary ballet company, Ventana Ballet, where projects often pair choreography with solo cello and are consistently some of his favorite performances each year. Recent collaborations include solo cello works by Kodaly, Cassado, and Bach. In addition, he serves as principal cellist for the Temple Symphony Orchestra and cofounded an award winning piano trio with friends that met while performing at the Manchester Music Festival in 2017.
He teaches cello privately at the Greater Austin Music Academy as well as the Academie Musique in Temple, Texas. Cory holds degrees in music from The University of Texas at Austin in 2019 and The Ohio State University in 2015.
South Korean pianist Eunjin Bang began playing the piano at the age of 4. Since moving to the United States in 2007, she has established herself as an award-winning performer, enthusiastic collaborator, chamber musician, and pedagogue. She has appeared in performances globally, including in the United States, South Korea, Germany, Spain, and Canada. She is a founding member of the Zima Piano Trio in Bloomington, Indiana, and has been actively performing and recording. Her engagements include a broadcast in WCLV radio (Cleveland), a performance of Schnittke’s Piano Quartet with Sibbi Bernhardsson of the Pacifica String Quartet, and appearance as a soloist with the IU Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Maestro David Effron as an Indiana University concerto competition winner.
She has been teaching for over 10 years, ranging from beginners to college and adult students. She enjoys sharing her musical knowledge and skills and loves to find the easiest approach to playing the piano. She has served as a practice coach at the Indiana University Summer Piano Academy, and was a faculty member for many years at the university’s prestigious Young Pianist Program. She was also an Associate Instructor for four years at Indiana University, teaching group and private lessons. She has also participated in master classes given by internationally renowned pianists, such as Malcolm Bilson, Enrique Graf, Lambert Orkis, Sean Duggan, and Xiang Zou. She received a Bachelor of Music from Oberlin College and Conservatory, where she was awarded the Dean’s Talent Scholarship during her studies. She earned her Master of Music, Performer Diploma, and Artist Diploma at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, where she is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Music Degree.
Maurice Ravel Piano Trio in a minor (1914)
(30 min)
Felix Mendelssohn Piano Trio No. 2 in c minor, op. 66
(30 min)