ClaRus PIANO Trio
Eun-Joo Kwak is Associate Professor of Piano at Cardinal Stritch University. Her performances have led her to Russia, Asia, and throughout the United States, including appearances at Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts in Chicago, American Landmark Festival in New York, Taipei National Recital Hall in Taiwan, and Seoul Arts Center in Korea. A prizewinner at the Tokyo International Piano Duo Competition in Japan and International Beethoven Sonata Competition in Memphis, Kwak has performed with numerous orchestras internationally, including the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and KBS Symphony Orchestra of Korea. Her performances have been broadcast through KBSFM-Korea, WFMT-Chicago, Christian Radio of Taiwan, and Wisconsin Public Radio. A sought-after clinician and adjudicator, she is on a judging panel for the International Smetana Piano Competition in Pilsen, Czech Republic. Kwak received her BM in Piano Performance from Seoul National University, MM from Chicago Musical College of Roosevelt University, and DM from Northwestern University. Dr. Kwak’s recordings are available on the Northwestern University Press label and the Vienna Modern Masters label.
Timothy Klabunde has been a member of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra since 1980. MSO tours have taken him to the great concert halls of Japan, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, England and Cuba.
Mr. Klabunde studied violin and chamber music with Leonard Sorkin, Abram Loft, Bernard Zaslav and George Sopkin, members of the Fine Arts Quartet at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He has appeared as violin soloist with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra and the Manitowoc Symphony. Mr. Klabunde performed at the Festival de Belles Artes in San Miguel, Mexico and the Fourth Annual International String Quartet Competition in Evian, France. He has been heard on live broadcasts for WFMT Chicago’s Dame Myra Hess Series and Wisconsin Public Radio’s Sunday Afternoon at Chazen. Since 2004, Mr. Klabunde has appeared at the Washington Island Music Festival. He has also recorded for many television, radio and stage productions as well as with individual artists.
Mr. Klabunde is a member of the Prometheus Trio at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music and an adjunct violin instructor and member of the Clarus Trio at Cardinal Stritch University.
Mr. Klabunde performs on a violin made by Scott Sleider of Milwaukee and bows by Emile A Ouchard and Charles Espey. Mr. Klabunde enjoys extra bitter chocolate, jasmine tea, growing orchids, fishing, sailing with friends and traveling with his family.
The Clarus Piano Trio was founded in 2005 by three faculty-artists of Cardinal Stritch University, where the trio has also established its residency. In addition to performing regularly on the university campus, the trio has been the featured artists at the Fine Arts at First concert series in Kenosha and the Fond du Lac Cultural Center.