The Verdehr Trio- pioneers of the unusual grouping of violin, clarinet and piano

Verdehr Trio in Argentina

The Trio, first formed in 1972, came fully into its own in the late ‘70s, and the number of major new works it has commissioned is now nearing one hundred. Together with its residency at Michigan State University (MSU) in East Lansing, the highly personable group, its members now in their early 50s, frequently plays as many as 60 concerts per year, and often gives masterclasses or demonstrations of new music performance-techniques in conjunction with their concerts. The Verdehrs are also professors at MSU with some 16 students each during the school season, while Kirkpatrick enjoys a similar position at William Paterson College in New Jersey.
Verdehr states: ‘Our ambition is to forge a chamber medium with a distinctive personality and repertoire which can eventually take its place alongside the piano trio, the string quartet, and the woodwind and brass quintets as a major musical entity. This is not a modest goal, but in more than 20 years of endeavor, we feel we are well along the way. In the process we are striving to establish a performance standard for the ensemble that is very different from that of a temporary group. We work assiduously to achieve blending of instrumental sound, balance, and homogeneity of attack. And of utmost importance is the quality of music written for us.’