Founded in 1987, the Rawlins Piano Trio performs regularly throughout the United States and abroad, including prestigious concert series, television and radio broadcasts, appearances at conferences and educational outreach to young audiences. In 2004 and again in 2006 and 2008, the trio made successful concert and teaching tours throughout Taiwan. The trio has formed a reputation as a preeminent interpreter of 19 th and early 20 th century American music. Owing to its expertise, the ensemble has recorded four CDs of these works on the Albany Records label. The third disc-- American Romance--was declared, “A real find!” by reviewer J. Scott Morrison. The fourth, was released in July 2009--American Discoveries.
Moving into the realm of new music performance during the 2007-08 season, the trio premiered and recorded Volvic Maritim, a work commissioned from New York based composer, Daniel Bernard Roumain. More commissioned works will be premiered during the 2009-2010 season. The trio’s versatility furthermore includes two performances of the rarely-attempted cycle of the complete works for piano trio by Beethoven. Active as teachers as well as performers, artists Eunho Kim , violin, Marie-Elaine Gagnon, cello and Susan Keith Gray, piano are on the faculty of The University of South Dakota Department of Music. The trio is named in honor of Marjorie Rawlins and the late Robert Rawlins, its principal benefactors and graduates of The University of South Dakota in the 1940’s.
