The Z.E.N. Trio’s name is an acronym for the three musicians’ initials, but it is also an apt description of their musical philosophy: ‘the forgoing of the self for total togetherness’. As Zen masters will attest, it’s a simple philosophy that is extraordinarily difficult to attain. Right from the opening bars of this concert, the Z.E.N. trio proved more than equal to the task.

Z.E.N. Trio. Photo © Darren Leigh Roberts

Intense, passionate, serious, exuberant, virtuosic – all these words describe last night’s performance. But the word I came away with was reverence: for the music, for the composers, and for the art of playing chamber music. As individual artists, each of the three was magnificent. As a trio they were transcendent.

Arno Babajanian’s 1952 Piano Trio in F Sharp Minor opened the program. The opening bars – a profound melody reminiscent of an Armenian liturgical chant – were played with a simplicity and sincerity that is hard to describe in words. It was a whispered invitation: ‘come with us, we’re going to show you the wonders that music can create’. And they did. This wonderful work was an avalanche...