Sandy Yamamoto & Friends Trio

“Sandy Yamamoto and friends”

Featuring: Sandy Yamamoto (violin)
                     Matthew Zalkind (cello)
                     Julio Elizalde (piano)

Violinist Sandy Yamamoto has dazzled audiences in concert performances around the globe for the past three decades as a soloist and as a member of the Miró Quartet.  As a member of the Quartet, she was a recipient of numerous musical awards and accolades. Since leaving the Quartet, she has been appointed Associate Professor of Practice in Violin Performance at the Butler School of Music at the University of Texas at Austin. In addition she is the Artist Director for the Austin Chamber Music Center and co-concertmaster for the San Antonio Philharmonic. Ms. Yamamoto has an extensive discography of released music and the New York Times describes her performance as playing with “explosive vigor and technical finesse.”

Cellist Matthew Zalkind is an Associate Professor of Cello at the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music, Co-Artistic Director of the Denver Chamber Music Festival and former member of the Harlem Quartet. Mr. Zalkind performs regularly as a recitalist, soloist and chamber musician.  He has won top prizes in numerous international music competitions, performed concerti with numerous North American orchestras and given solo recitals a word- renowned concert halls. Mr. Zalkind recently released a solo album for Avie Records which received critical acclaim from Gramophone, BBC, and other publications.

Pianist Julio Elizalde is a graduate of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and he holds master’s and doctor of musical arts degrees from the Juilliard School in New York City. Julio is a multi-faceted artist who enjoys a versatile career as soloist, chamber musician, artistic administrator, and educator. He serves as the Artistic Director of the Olympic Music Festival near Seattle, Washington and has performed at many of the world’s major music centers.