PRIX YVES PATERNOT : Trio Chagall Awarded Verbier Festival Academy’s Top Honour
August 3, 2024 — Verbier (Switzerland) — The Verbier Festival Academy has proudly announced the recipient of its prestigious Prix Yves Paternot for 2024, awarded to the most accomplished and promising musician of the annual Academy for young professional musicians. This year, the honour goes to the Italian ensemble, Trio Chagall.
Yves Paternot, an emblematic figure of the Verbier Festival, was the founder of The Friends of the Verbier Festival and a member of the Foundation’s Board. In tribute to his commitment, the Prix Yves Paternot was established by his friends after his passing. The award includes CHF 10,000, an invitation to perform at a future Verbier Festival, and eligibility for up to CHF 15,000 in support for artistic and professional development.
Founded in 2013 within the Conservatory of Music ‘G. Verdi’ of Turin by Lorenzo Nguyen, Edoardo Grieco, and Francesco Massimino, Trio Chagall now studies under Rainer Schmidt and Anton Kernjak at the Hochschule für Musik in Basel. Since 2023, the ensemble has also been a ProQuartet Ensemble in Residence in Paris. In the same year, Trio Chagall won First Prize at the Schoenfeld International String Competition in Harbin, China, and was a winner at the 2023 Young Concert Artists Trust international auditions at Wigmore Hall.
The ensemble maintains an active concert schedule across Europe, Kuwait, China, and Japan, performing in prestigious venues such as Wigmore Hall, Grand Theatre in Harbin, Teatro Verdi in Trieste, and Teatro la Fenice in Italy. Earlier this year, Trio Chagall was named an ECHO Rising Star, leading to a tour of Europe’s major concert halls during the 2024/25 season.
“Trio Chagall has captivated both faculty and the public throughout their three-week residency of masterclasses and performances in Verbier,” remarked Academy Director Stephen McHolm. “Their music-making radiates joy and generosity, leaving a lasting impression.”
As the sole pre-formed chamber music ensemble accepted to the Academy this year, Trio Chagall received mentorship in masterclasses from András Keller, Quatuor Ébène members Pierre Colombet and Gabriel Le Magadure, as well as Gábor Takács-Nagy. In true Verbier Festival fashion, Sir András Schiff made an impromptu visit to offer his guidance during a masterclass. The ensemble also benefited from mentorship through the Academy’s Audio Recording Programme, which included recording sessions for a professional studio recording.
