Biography

Hailed as “magnificent” by Strad Magazine, The St. Clair Trio drew international attention with the release of “Hobson’s Choice”, its first compact disc in a series with Koch International Classics.  “Old Acquaintances”, which features music by the celebrated composer Franz Waxman, won a Chamber Music America-WQXR-FM award for best releases of 2000.  Since its 1989 debut at the Mackinac Island Music Festival, the Detroit-based ensemble has appeared at a host of regional series and festivals, with nationally broadcast performances in Washington and Chicago.   Offering fresh interpretations of repertoire staples, the Trio is also a leading exponent of lesser-known contemporary works.   City Sketches (a compact disc of works by James Hartway) earned a “Best Classical Ensemble” award in 1994 from the Motor City Music Awards Foundation, and the Contemporary Recording Society cited the Trio’s “sensitive and technically brilliant” performance of Montage by James Lentini (Preludio:  Contemporary American Composers).  Comprised of violinist Geoffrey Applegate, cellist Marcy Chanteaux and pianist Pauline Martin, The St. Clair Trio is currently in residence at Wayne State University.

 Geoffrey Applegate made his solo debut at age twelve with the San Diego Symphony, and has since performed in chamber music settings throughout North America, Europe and South America.  The leader of the second violin section of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra since 1986, Mr. Applegate was invited to join the St. Clair Trio in 1995, to succeed founding member Emmanuelle Boisvert.  Despite a vigorous performance schedule, he recently completed, for re-issue, twenty-eight discs of the violin concerto repertoire with Music Minus One Records.  ‘Cellist Marcy Chanteaux is a member of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and a graduate of the Cleveland Institute.  Formerly a cellist in the Washington National Symphony,  she began her tenure in the DSO as Orchestra Pianist, making her one of the very few musicians in the United States to have held two disparate titles in a major orchestra.  Described as “absolutely hypnotic as a cello melodist”(Detroit News), Ms. Chanteaux’s solo performances are frequently broadcast nationally.  Pianist Pauline Martin’s Washington performance in 1985 inspired the Washington Post headline, “Pauline Martin’s Dazzling Debut”.  Ms. Martin has appeared as soloist with numerous North-American Orchestras, and her collaborations with leading instrumentalists and contemporary composers continue to earn praise throughout the United States, Canada and Europe.  Currently Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, she holds Bachelor’s and Masters’ degrees from Indiana University (studying with Menahem Pressler) and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from The University of Michigan, where she worked with Gary Graffman, Theodore Lettvin and resident artist Andre Watts.