POULENC TRIO
Irina Kaplan Lande, piano
Aleh Remezau, oboe
Bryan Young, bassoon

The Poulenc Trio has rediscovered and redefined piano-wind chamber music for the 21st century.

A pioneering oboe, bassoon, and piano ensemble, The Poulenc Trio has garnered international recognition over its 20-year history. With performances in 47 U.S. states and at prestigious music festivals around the world, including the Ravello Festival in Italy, the San Miguel de Allende Festival in Mexico, and the White Nights Festival in Russia, they have firmly established themselves as one of the most active and sought-after touring piano-wind ensembles in the country.

The Trio's performances have earned critical acclaim, with The New York Times praising their "elegant rendition" of Piazzolla's tangos and The Washington Post commending them for doing their namesake proud with an "intriguing and beautifully played program" that exuded "convincing elegance, near effortless lightness, and grace". Their concerts have been featured on American Public Media's Performance Today program, and their recordings are regularly broadcast around the world.

But the Poulenc Trio's impact extends beyond their performances. They have made a significant contribution to the repertoire for the oboe, bassoon, and piano by commissioning and performing over 22 new works, including three triple concertos for the trio and full orchestra, showcasing their commitment to pushing the boundaries of their ensemble's capabilities and expanding the possibilities of chamber music.

The Trio has embarked on innovative concert initiatives, including Music at the Museum, a groundbreaking concept that combines musical performances with museum exhibitions. Collaborating with esteemed institutions like the the Walters Art Museum, the Baltimore Museum of Art, and the Hermitage State Museum in Russia, and National Gallery in Washington DC, where they premiered Trains of Thought Animated, a hand animated film commissioned by the Trio to pair with an original score by composer Viet Cuong.

The Trio is equally dedicated to musical and educational outreach programs. Their "Poulenc and Snacks" series offers informal performances and residencies specifically tailored for younger audiences, cultivating a love for music among the next generation. Furthermore, they regularly conduct masterclasses at universities across the United States, sharing their expertise and nurturing the talents of aspiring musicians.

Beyond captivating live performances, the Poulenc Trio's discography showcases their musical prowess and commitment to both classical and contemporary music. Their debut album, "Poulenc Plays Poulenc" (2009), pays homage to the composer who inspired their ensemble's name. Their second album, "Creation" (2016), debuted at an impressive #4 on Apple Music's iTunes Classical Music playlist and was acclaimed by the American Record Guide for their technical mastery and expressive range. Their most recent album, "Trains of Thought", received accolades from MusicWeb International for their highly accomplished playing, which “effortlessly captures occasional touches of sentimentality, infused with humor and wit.”

Meet the Artists

Irina Kaplan Lande, piano

Irina Kaplan Lande trained in the famous tradition of piano playing at the St. Petersburg Conservatory in Russia. She is a winner of the Baltimore Chamber Music Award.

Irina is a longtime faculty member at the Peabody Institute, teaching piano and chamber music, and has served on the faculty of the College of Notre Dame and Towson University.

Irina has a lifelong passion for chamber music. As Artistic Director for the Poulenc Trio, Irina has been the driving force behind the Trio's commitment to commissioning, performing and recording new works, expanding the repertoire for unique ensembles. 

As Artistic Director of the Candlelight Concert Society in Columbia, MD, her responsibilities are to conceive and implement the artistic vision for the series by bringing outstanding musicians, maintaining artistic excellence, fostering creative diversity and building the organization’s reputation as an internationally recognized music presenter.

Irina has been featured numerous times in live performance on the nationally-syndicated radio program Performance Today and on programs like Front Row Washington on WETA and Music in Maryland on WBJC. Fanfare Magazine hailed her as “a strong pianist who doesn’t settle for an accompanying role.”

In her free time she loves to ski in the winter and forage for mushrooms in the summer.

Aleh Remezau, oboe

Based in Toronto, Aleh is renowned for his “sensuous and exuberant” performances (The Millbrook Independent) and “incredibly expressive” playing (Vancouver Sun). He has performed in major venues as well in Canada, the USA, Austria and the UK. He has appeared with the New York Philharmonic, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, National Arts Centre Orchestra, National Ballet Orchestra of Canada, and as guest Principal Oboe with the City of Birmingham and Winnipeg Symphony Orchestras.

Aleh was an inaugural member of The Orchestra Now (TON), a training orchestra based at Bard College, New York. With TON, he was a frequent performer at Alice Tully Hall, The Metropolitan Museum, and Carnegie Hall. He has performed numerous times with the New York Philharmonic under such world-class conductors as Jaap van Zweden, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Neeme Jarvi and others. He can be heard on New York Philharmonic’s Grammy-nominated recording of Christopher Rouse’s Symphony No.4 with Alan Gilbert conducting.

Bryan Young, bassoon

Bryan is principal bassoonist of the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, and has performed as soloist with the Baltimore Symphony and the National Symphony Orchestra. The Washington Post wrote that his playing "dances with a lightness and grace uncommon for his instrument," and the Baltimore Sun praised his "particularly beautiful playing" and "technical agility."

Bryan appeared with legendary jazz-leader Cab Calloway in his final performances at the Kennedy Center in Washington. He has premiered new works written for him by composers Megan DiGeorgio, Octavio Vazquez, Steven Gerber, Thomas Benjamin and David Fetter. and was chosen by the International Double Reed Society to premiere To Earth by composer Roydon Tse, a work commissioned to celebrate the organization's 50th anniversary.

Bryan is the Board Chair of Chamber Music America, and is a frequent guest commentator on Maryland's WBJC-FM radio show, Face the Music. In addition to his musical activities, Bryan founded Intertwine Systems, a healthcare focused software company. He was featured on the front page of the Baltimore Business Journal as a “mobile software entrepreneur to watch.” [Contact: [email protected]]