Hailed by The New Yorker as "destined for great things," when the members of Horszowski Trio - Jesse Mills, Raman Ramakrishnan, and Rieko Aizawa - played together for the first time, they immediately felt the spark of a unique connection. Many years of close friendship had created a deep trust between the players, which in turn led to exhilarating expressive freedom.

In the years since their formal debut performance at Rockefeller University in New York City, in December 2011, they have already been booked for over 200 concerts in the US and around the world.

Newtown Friends of Music will feature the trio on the stage of Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main Street in Newtown, at 3 pm Sunday, March 20.

The trio's pianist, Rieko Aizawa, was the last pupil of the legendary pianist, Mieczysław Horszowski, at the Curtis Institute. Among the exceptional accomplishments of the late Horszowski - the Polish pianist who died in Philadelphia in 1993 one month before his 101st birthday - was performing into his late 90s and teaching until the final week of his life. His students include such probing pianists as Murray Perahia, Richard Goode and Peter Serkin.

The trio takes inspiration from the musicianship, integrity and humanity of its namesake. Like Horszowski, the trio performs repertoire spanning the traditional and the contemporary.

As an ensemble-in-residence of the Electric Earth Concerts, Horzowski Trio premiered Welcome To Phase Space, by Eric Moe, in 2014. They have also recorded For Daniel, by Joan Tower, for inclusion on the celebration album of the composer's 75th birthday.

Jesse Mills, the violinist of the trio - who is also a composer and arranger - has written a work for the group. Painted Shadow was commissioned by and premiered at Bargemusic in Brooklyn, N.Y., in January 2015. In addition, the trio seeks to perform works from the trove of composers with whom Horszowski had personal contact, such as Ravel, Saint-Saëns, Fauré, Martinu, Villa-Lobos, and Granados.

Horzowski Trio Violinist Jesse Mills is a graduate of The Juilliard School and has performed at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center and Chicago's Ravinia Festival, to mention but a few of his credits. Mr Mills also a composer and arranger as well as a champion of contemporary music.

Cellist Raman Ramakrishnan holds a bachelor's degree in physics in addition to a master's in music from Juilliard. He has performed extensively throughout the United States, India and the Middle East.

Rieko Aizawa, the diminutive yet powerful pianist, studied at the Curtis Institute and Juilliard. Her performance credits include Lincoln Center, Boston's Symphony Hall, Chicago's Orchestra Hall, and Vienna's Konzerthaus, in addition to other major venues in the United States, Canada and Europe.

The trio's March 20 program will include works by Fauré, Beethoven and Mendelssohn.

An informal reception following the concert will offer concert goers the opportunity to meet and mingle with the musicians.

Tickets are $25, cash or check, and can be purchased in advance by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Newtown Friends of Music, PO Box 295, Newtown CT 06470. Reservations can also be made by calling 203-426-6470.

Remaining tickets will be sold at the town hall box office on the afternoon of the concert. The box office will open at 2 pm.

Students in grades K-12 are admitted free of charge when accompanied by a ticket-holding adult. Students with student ID are also admitted free of charge.

Parking is free behind Edmond Town Hall, and the facility is handicap accessible.

For information regarding this and other concerts, to print out an order form, and for additional information visit newtownfriendsofmusic.org.

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