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ABOUT US
The Helios Trio is a dynamic ensemble comprised of artist faculty from the University of Wyoming and the School of Music at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Their rich and diverse backgrounds as performers combine to produce probing and passionate interpretations of the great piano trio repertoire and have garnered international acclaim. The ensemble’s NYC Carnegie Hall debut was greeted with high praise, “(Helios) presented a stunning program, gorgeously rendered.” (New York Concert Review) and they were the single United States representative ensemble invited to perform at the International Debussy Centennial Conference in Oviedo, Spain in 2018.
Wu, Fadial, and Vanderborgh are dedicated to building audiences for the future, and are highly involved in musical outreach, bringing world class music to rural areas, and into the schools in the US and abroad.
At the age of eleven, violinist John Fadial performed as soloist for President Gerald Ford, and since has sustained a multifaceted international career as chamber musician, concertmaster, soloist and pedagogue, performing in multiple styles, from the baroque to contemporary, earning critical acclaim: “Sparkling Technique,” (L’Est Republicain, France), “Wow! Great Stuff,” (The Washington Post). Fanfare states, “Fadial moves effortlessly among the composer’s subtle moods, voicing sentiment, melancholy, wistfulness and joyful lyricism with utter naturalness…these could hardly be bettered” (Brahms Sonatas, Centaur 2019). Fadial was a Grammy semifinalist for the disc Where Does Love Go: Chamber Music of Mark Engebretsen (Innova 2007) and collaborates regularly with leading musicians including Gerard Schwarz, Jennifer Higdon, and Libby Larsen.
Visiting Guest Artist invitations have included, Interlochen Arts Academy, the French National Conservatory of Nancy, France, and Beifan University in Yinchuan, China. Fadial been honored by the Southern Poverty Law Center for his contributions to Social Justice.
Cellist Beth Vanderborgh maintains a vigorous performing, teaching and recording career. She was top prizewinner of the Washington Society for Arts and Letters Cello Competition, as well as the Baltimore Chamber Awards. The Strad Magazine (London) praised her recent recording of the music of August Nölck as “Lyrical and technically accomplished…eloquent and persuasive”, and the Classical Voice of North Carolina describes her playing as “Impeccable musicianship, rhythmic precision, technical expertise, and expansive, passionate musicianship. Gorgeous music, exquisitely performed, and I do not believe I have overdone the superlatives.” Vanderborgh’s recent recordings include discs of the Chamber Music of Gwyneth Walker for the Centaur Label, and Chamber Music of Jennifer Higdon (in collaboration with the Pulitzer prizewinning composer) for Albany.
She continues to enjoy her activities as artist faculty of the Eastern Music Festival and Principal Cellist of the Cheyenne Symphony. She was honored to represent the State of Wyoming in the 2019 National Senior Olympics where she reached the podium earning 5th place in both the 20k and 40k women’s cycling road races.
As a musician active in performing, recording, teaching and research, Dr. Chi-Chen Wu is equally at home in the worlds of contemporary and classical music as well as historical performance practice.
Recently making her Carnegie Hall debut with the Helios trio, Wu has appeared as recitalist, chamber musician, and concerto soloist in the United States, Canada, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Luxembourg, Japan, Taiwan, China, Thailand, among others. She has performed at numerous festivals including Aspen, Monadnock, and the Boston Early Music Festival Fringe Concert Series. Her live performances have been broadcast on NPR’s live performance programs Simply Grand Concert Series, From The Top, and many others.
Chi-Chen’s musical collaborations include performances with Augustin Hadelich, Karl-Heinz Steffens, Jonathan McPhee, Zuill Bailey, Guy Johnston, members of the Juilliard String Quartet, Takács String Quartet, and musicians from the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.