The Manhattan Piano Trio

Hailed by critics as a Grand Departure from the Usual” Manhattan Piano Trio (MPT) is one of the most prominent, exciting and active emerging chamber music groups in America. It is the Grand Prize Winner of the 2006 Plowman Chamber Music Competition, 2007 Yellow Springs Music Competition and Runner Up at the 2006 Chesapeake International Chamber Music Competition. It is also the recipient of the 2007 Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Classic FM Listener’s choice award in Melbourne.

Formed during the summer of 2004, MPT has ever since given over 250 performances at many prestigious venues spanning 28 US states. The Trio comprises Milana Strezeva (Piano), Dmitry Lukin (Violin) and Dmitry Kouzov (Cello). The “Dmitrys” are from St. Petersburg (Russia) and met Milana, a Moldovan born American pianist literally on the “front steps” of The Juilliard School. Individually, the trio members are all award-winning soloists in their own right and have performed at many leading concert halls in the world.

Milana is a 1996 Arts Recognition and Talent Search Awardee. She is winner of the Yamaha Piano competition and Young Artist Competition (FL) as well as IBLA Int'l Competition (Italy). Dmitry Kouzov is the 1st prizewinner at the Int’l Beethoven Cello Competition (Czech Republic), a two-time laureate of the “Virtuosi of the Year 2000” Festival Competition (Russia), winner of the 2005 Juilliard Cello Concerto Competition and recipient of the 2006 New York Cello Society’s Rising Star award. Dmitry Lukin is a second prizewinner at 2005 International Violin Competition of Sion-Valais (Switzerland), where he was also the recipient of the "Audience Choice" award. He is also a Laureate of Mravinsky Int’l Music Competition (Russia) and Takasaki Int’l Competition (Japan).

In recognition, MPT has been invited and featured on the esteemed Rising Artists Series by Ravinia Music Festival (IL), Merkin Concert Hall (NYC) and Kravis Performing Arts Center (West Palm Beach, FL). Some additional highlights of MPT’s past and present seasons include concerts at Fairmont Chamber Music Society (WV), Lakes Music Festival (MN), Whitaker Arts Center (PA), Detroit Symphony Orchestra (MI), Dunn Center for the Arts (NC), Alice Tully Hall, Cutco Arts Theatre and Steinway Hall (NY), North Dakota Museum (ND), Richland Chamber of Commerce and Prizery Arts Center (VA), Academy Art Museum (MD) and South Padre Island Concert Association (TX).

MPT has also performed on the Fine Arts Series of Emory University, East Georgia College, Young Harris College, Dalton State College and Gordon College (GA), St. Vincent College, Thiel College, Allegheny College, Kings College and Misericordia College (PA), Bemidji Univ. and Hamline Univ. (MN), Mayville Univ. (ND), Shenandoah Univ. Wesleyan College, William & Mary College, Randolph-Macon College and Bluefield College (VA), Castleton College (VT), Troy Univ. and Jacksonville State Univ. (AL), Franciscan Univ. (OH), Elmira College, Hobart & Smith College, SUNY Cortland and Baruch College (NY).

2007-08 season marks MPT’s first overseas tour of South Africa and Germany that would include recitals and orchestral collaborations in Pretoria, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and Durban. This is in addition to over 70 concerts at many celebrated concert series in every part of the United States.

To reach out to new, un-attuned and receptive audiences, MPT occasionally performs in towns often bypassed by major classical groups. They have helped establish numerous concert series catering to the community and enabling MPT introduce chamber music to a new audience. As part of their outreach and gift to the community, MPT was also one of the first chamber groups to perform in New Orleans (University), post Hurricane Katrina.

In addition to their demanding concert and recording schedule, MPT is committed to music education, giving concerts, master-classes and special children’s shows. This is also one of the primary goals of the ensemble.