Hitting musical peaks with the power of three

MARTIN DE RUYTER

PERFECT MATCH: The Grampians Trio - Mary Ayre, left, Juliet Ayre and Lissa Cowie

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Pianist Mary Ayre thought of a name for her musical group long before she thought it had any significance.

She enjoyed the sound of it – The Grampians Trio. It sounded significant, bold and local.

Scottish-born cellist Lissa Cowie also liked the name. The Grampians are local to her, too – one of the three major mountain ranges in Scotland.

The connection was there before the pair even knew it.

"It's a funny thing," says Ayre, "that we had both thought of it as a name but from other sides of the world."

Cowie moved to Nelson with her husband and two-year-old child earlier this year.

She had performed in a trio before, for 12 years during and after her study at the Royal Academy of Music in London.

However, Ayre and her violinist daughter Juliet had never played in trios.

Juliet says it was an entire repertoire of music that had evaded her talents. "I just really love that there is a lot of good music written for violin, cello and piano, but I have never really had the opportunity to play them before."

The trio's repertoire includes classics such as Bach and Dvorak but also a new work by New Zealand composer Jonathan Crehan.

When Cowie moved here, she met Ayre and mentioned that she would be keen to play in a trio.

"We all just got together and started playing and thought, `We should give this a go'."

Ayre says the trio is more about taking the music they play to the public, rather than any grand financial venture.

"It's an important thing to do; it's important to bring this music to the community."

She has been teaching and performing in Nelson for a long time but is enjoying the charm of a trio.

"It's wonderful; the sound of the cello and violin really help the piano to sing.

"Three is a wonderful number."

• The Grampians Trio at Christ Church Cathedral, Nelson, Saturday at noon, entry by donation.
• Chanel Arts Centre, Motueka, Sunday at 7.30pm, $10 adults, $5 children.
• Christ Church Cathedral, November 28 at noon, entry by donation.

- © Fairfax NZ News