Trio Eris, New England Conservatory’s Professional Trio-in-Residence, is united by a genuine love of collaboration, and a deeply personal approach to music-making. The trio comprises violinist K.J. McDonald, cellist Annie SeEun Hyung, and pianist Andrew Jun Chen, students of Donald Weilerstein, Laurence Lesser, Vivian Weilerstein and HaeSun Paik.

Originating from three distinct musical and personal backgrounds, the trio was introduced to one another in 2023 under the guidance of Merry Peckham and quickly developed a sense of camaraderie over the course of a serendipitous video call. During an eventful inaugural year as an ensemble, an unconventional artistic chemistry and compatibility was immediately apparent. The trio has since had the opportunity to work with Vivian Weilerstein, Laurence Lesser, Don Weilerstein, Laurie Smukler, and Areta Zhulla, and has performed in masterclasses for Itzhak Perlman, Ara Gregorian, and Lucy Chapman. In the summer of 2024, Trio Eris was chosen to participate in the Perlman Music Program’s Chamber Music Workshop. Upcoming season engagements include performances at Rockport Music, Martha’s Vineyard Chamber Music Society, Jordan Hall, and the Panama Jazz Festival.

Each member of the ensemble is an avid chamber musician with previous festival experiences at the Perlman Music Program, Yellowbarn, Kronberg Academy’s Chamber Music Connects the World, the Taos School of Music, and the Chautauqua School of Music.

Named, ironically, after the Greek goddess of discord and strife(!), the ensemble finds itself perpetually embroiled in a dynamic whirlwind of activity and relative chaos — outside the rehearsal studio, the trio can be found engaging in a number of diverse hobbies including hiking, reading, cooking, and lifting weights.