Kliment Krylovskiy admits there’s isn’t a deep meaning behind his group’s name.
When the Zodiac Trio was playing its inaugural concert in New York City, the clarinetist said it had to come up with a name quickly for the chamber music ensemble that also includes Vanessa Mollard on violin and Riko Higuma on piano.
Krylovskiy said they wanted a strong letter to start their moniker, like Z.
“We were on the phone discussing it and I looked up at the sky and said, ‘Zodiac,’” he said.
“That was really it. It’s been such a good name because people remember it very easily. And it’s easy to find on a program — always at the bottom of the list. It sticks out.”
Since its celestial formation in 2006 at the Manhattan School of Music, the trio has won countless awards and played violin–clarinet–piano repertoire around the world.
On April 16, the Zodiac Trio will be at Coquitlam’s Evergreen Cultural Centre for a performance organized by the Vancouver Chamber Music Society as part of the venue’s Power Classic Sundays.
The show in the Studio Theatre starts at 3 p.m.
Speaking from France, where the trio is based, Krylovskiy said the group has five dates in the Vancouver and San Francisco areas for its upcoming tour before it starts its 10th season of the Zodiac Music Academy and Festival in Nice, France, in July.
Its North American tour program features arrangements from 20th century American composers with a special emphasis on where jazz, Latin and classical music meet:
- An American in Paris by George Gershwin
- Homage to Benny Goodman Set - Benny Rides Again
- Serenade for Three by Peter Shickele
- Danzón No. 2 by Arturo Márquez
- Trio by Paul Schoenfield
Krylovskiy said the trio is glad to get back on the road to perform to full audiences after three years of pandemic restrictions.
“Last year, we had a few concerts and it felt like every one was a gift. People were so grateful to be back and so were we, but I find now that we’ve moved on and we’re taking things for granted a little bit again.”
As for violin–clarinet–piano pieces, Krylovskiy said the catalogue is mostly limited to modern tunes as Zodiac’s ensemble formation is unusual with a wind instrument.
It’s main go-to is Béla Bartók’s Contrasts that was commissioned by clarinetist Benny Goodman, as well as some compositions from Stravinsky and Khachaturian.
“We play a lot of contemporary music today. You’re not going to find any violin–clarinet–piano pieces from Mozart or Brahms. It’s not the way that things were done back then.”
Tickets to see Zodiac Trio’s Tales from the Americas show on Sunday, April 16 are $35/$32/$16. Call the box office at 604-927-6555 or visit evergreenculturalcentre.ca.
