TrioFenix LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN String Trio in E flat major, Op. 3 - Serenade in D major, Op. 8

In 2006, Shirly Laub (violin), Tony Nys (viola) and Karel Steylaerts (cello) founded TrioFenix to bring to a wider public through concert performance the seldom-played repertoire for string trio. As well as the great masterpieces, TrioFenix explore and perform lesser-known and contemporary works written in this genre. From the start, they have had the support of Klara, the Flanders Festival, the Ostbelgian Festival and the Musiques en Ecrins Festival among many others.

Their first CD was recorded in 2010 on the Fuga Libera label. The well-known Divertimento KV 563 and the six Adagio and Fugues KV 404a by W.A. Mozart became their musical calling card and a significant step for TrioFenix. In 2012 they recorded the Serenades Opus 8 by Ludwig Van Beethoven and Opus 10 by Ernst Von Dohnany for the television channel Canvas.

Their new CD dedicated to Beethoven string trios will be released in April 2016 (Fuga Libera). Shirly Laub studied violin at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Brussels with Clemens Quatacker and furthered her studies in Utrecht with Viktor Liberman and Philippe Hirschhorn. From 1998 to 2005 she was Co-Principal Violin of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London. As such, she is regularly invited to play with various eminent orchestras in Europe and Asia. As first violin of the Oxalys Ensemble she plays at the most prestigious international venues. She is professor at the Conservatoire Royale de Musique de Bruxelles. 

Tony Nys studied at the Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel with Clemens Quatacker and Philippe Hirschhorn. As a violist in the Danel Quartet from 1998 till 2005 he played worldwide in numerous festivals, recordings and performances of newly composed pieces. Since 2005 he has regularly worked as a freelance musician with ensembles such as Prometheus, Ictus, Ensemble Modern, Explorations. He is currently member of the String Trio & Quartet Malibran. As an orchestra musician, Tony Nys has been viola solo in La Monnaie Symphony Orchestra since 2007 and in that position he was also invited by the Frankfurt Rundfunkorchester. He teaches viola and chamber music at the Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel and at the Fontys Muziekhogeschool in Tilburg.

Karel Steylaerts studied at the Brussels Conservatoire with Carlo Schmitz and then at the Hochschule für Musik of Cologne with Maria Kliegel. He was a prize winner of the 1990 Tenuto competition. He has been Principal Cellist of the Beethoven Academie for many years. Karel Steylaerts is currently Principal Cellist at the Brussels Philharmonic.