unearthing overlooked and underrepresented works by women composers
Trio Tailleferre brings together the various talents of Sun Chang (piano), Martti Laivuori (cello), and Brent Taghap (violin). What began as a casual collaboration quickly blossomed into a rich musical partnership and friendship.
Bound by a shared passion for unearthing overlooked and underrepresented works, the trio takes its name from the first composer they championed together: Germaine Tailleferre, the sole female member of Les Six. Their programs have since featured music by Jennifer Higdon, Emilie Mayer, Mel Bonis, Dora Pejačević, and Stacy Garrop.
Martti Laivuori is a cellist originally from Helsinki, Finland, whose musical life has taken him to concert halls all over Europe and the US. A member of the Illinois Symphony Orchestra and a dedicated chamber musician, he brings to ensemble playing the same curiosity that drives his work as an experienced teacher and active researcher.
When he's not playing cello, there's a decent chance he's playing the viola da gamba — or losing at chess and pretending otherwise.
Brent Taghap is a violinist from the Tampa Bay area, holding degrees from Florida State University (BM '16) and DePaul University (MM '18; Certificate in Performance '20). Their primary teachers include Eliot Chapo, Corinne Stillwell, and Janet Sung.
As an active performer, Brent has been part of numerous ensembles in Chicago, including the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the Oistrakh Symphony, the Illinois Symphony, and the Artemis Chamber Orchestra. As an educator, Brent has worked with students of varying backgrounds and served as a mentor with the Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative, an organization dedicated to working with students from underrepresented backgrounds within classical music.
Beyond performing, Brent is a Donor Engagement Manager for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, where he curates donor benefit events and manages the League of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association. He is also interested in preserving, cataloging, and performing works by Filipino composers, in the hopes that they will become part of the canon of works for violin. Other interests include sleeping, eating, going to art museums, hanging out with friends, and playing with his cat, Wren.
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For Sun's full performance calendar, including performances with Trio Tailleferre, see Upcoming and Past projects.
