About Us

Anbau (German) verb/noun

ˈanba͜ u

Cultivate
Extension; Annex

The members of Trio Anbau met in 2023 as fellows of the International Ensemble Modern Academy in Frankfurt, Germany, where they studied and performed contemporary ensemble repertoire under the guidance of Ensemble Modern. After coming together to perform Wolfgang Rihm’s Verzeichnung-Studie, the trio’s members decided to explore the possibilities of low-string sonorities, and pursue an interest in expanding the trio-basso literature.

In its inaugural season, Trio Anbau played in Germany, Lithuania, and Switzerland, including featured performances at the Lucerne Festival the Into The Open Festival in Berlin and Vilnius, along with concerts at Frankfurt’s KunstKulturKirche, Zentrum für Kunst und Medien Karlsruhe, Herrenhaus Edenkoben, and KfW Villa Frankfurt.

In the 2024/25 season, the trio looks forward to an Artist Residency at Yellow Barn, followed by a US concert tour in New York, Boston, Chicago, and the Midwest, featuring both classics of the trio-basso repertoire and new commissions.

Elijah Spies, Viola

Uschik Choi, Violoncello

Emmett Jackson, Double Bass

Violist Elijah Spies first started learning the viola in group lessons at school, before beginning studies at the junior department of the Royal College of Music in London. He has since performed at international concert series including the BBC Proms, the Lucerne Festival, and Musikfest Berlin. Other recent highlights include appearances at the Creative Dialogues festival in Helsinki, the Thomas Mann Festival in Nida, Lithuania, and at Festival ECLAT in Stuttgart, for the premiere of Valerio Sannicandro’s VISIO-FICTIO for amplified violas and choir. A former academist of Ensemble Modern and the Basel Sinfonietta, Elijah premiered works at festivals including the Wittener Kammermusiktage, the Darmstädter Ferienkurse, New Music on the Point, the Gaudeamus Festival in Utrecht, Netherlands and Time of Music in Viitasaari, Finland. he has also performed chamber music with members of the JACK Quartet, Ensemble Recherche, and International Contemporary Ensemble, and recently undertook intensive string quartet lessons with György Kurtàg at the Budapest Music Center. In addition to Trio Anbau, Elijah is a member of Track 3, a clarinet-viola-piano trio, which this season will be an Ensemble-in-Residence at the impuls Festival in Graz, Austria. Since 2018, Elijah has been a performing artist for Concerts in Motion, providing solo and chamber concerts at hospital wards, retirement communities, and for isolated, homebound residents in New York. He was the featured soloist at the Queens COVID Memorial Ceremony. Elijah completed his masters degree at Musik Akademie Basel in 2023, studying with Geneviève Strosser, and holds a bachelor's degree from The Juilliard School. In his free time, Elijah enjoys free improvisation, cat sitting, and going down Wikipedia rabbit-holes.

Hailing from London, Elijah Spies began his viola tutelage in group lessons at school, prior to advancing to the junior department of the Royal College of Music. Since then, he has graced stages at global concert series such as the BBC Proms, Lucerne Festival, and Musikfest Berlin. During the 2022-23 season, Elijah had an internship with the Basel Sinfonietta, performing at concert halls throughout Switzerland, Germany, and Belgium. Other notable events include the Creative Dialogues festival in Helsinki, a show at the Berlin Philharmonie with the Ensemble Modern Orchestra, and his appearance at Stuttgart’s ECLAT festival for the debut of Valerio Sannicandro´s ›VISIO-FICTIO‹ featuring amplified violas and choir. With a distinct interest in teaming up with composers to produce new music, Elijah has studied and premiered compositions at festivals like the Darmstädter Ferienkurse, New Music on the Point, and the Hans Zender Akademie. He has played chamber music with the JACK Quartet, Ensemble Recherche, and International Contemporary Ensemble members. Elijah recently had intensive string quartet sessions with György Kurtág at the Budapest Music Center. Since 2018, Concerts in Motion has featured Elijah Spies as a performing artist, providing solo and chamber concerts to hospital units, retirement homes, and homebound New York residents. He was the honored soloist at the Queens COVID Memorial Ceremony. He received his master’s from Basel Music Academy under the guidance of Geneviève Strosser, and earned his bachelor's from The Juilliard School. In his available time, Elijah enjoys improvisation, cat-sitting, and deep-dives into Wikipedia articles.

Uschik Choi is a versatile musician who works regularly in different formations. He studied cello with Josef Schwab and later with Hans-Jakob Eschenburg at the Hanns Eisler Academy of Music in Berlin and at the same time piano with Rainer Becker at the Berlin University of the Arts. As an orchestra musician, Uschik Choi was a member of the orchestra academy of the Radio Symphony Orchestra Berlin, where he is invited regularly to return as a guest musician. He is also a sought-after pianist and pedagogue, who has served as a pianist and docent on various master courses. Since completing his studies, Uschik Choi has been increasingly active in the contemporary music field and is a member of the ensemble L’art pour l’art. His affinity for chamber music led him to further ensembles, such as the Asian Art Ensemble, Reflexion K or KNM Berlin. He is also interested in questions of music theory and dedicates himself to conducting in his free time.

Emmett Jackson is a Chicago-based double bassist, specializing in contemporary music. He has performed with numerous ensembles including Ensemble Modern, the Grossman Ensemble, Ensemble dal Niente, and the Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra, and has premiered works by numerous composers including Rebecca Saunders, Thomas Ades, over 30 works by student composers. Festival performances including Time of Music (Finland), Into the Open (Berlin/Vilnius), Lucerne Festival (Switzerland), Gadeamus Muziekweek (Netherlands), and attended summer programs such as the Lucerne Festival Academy, Domaine Forget, Orford Musique, and Marrowstone Music Festival. In 2023, along with two members of the Ensemble Modern Academy, he founded Trio Anbau, a group dedicated to the creating of new works for viola, cello, and double bass. Equally at home in the orchestra, Emmett is the Assistant Principal of the Fox Valley Symphony, and was a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago from 2019 to 2021. In addition, he has substituted throughout the Midwest with the Madison, Quad Cities, Illinois, and Dubuque Symphony Orchestras. Emmett holds a Bachelors degree from Lawrence University, a Master’s Degree from Northwestern University, and a Master’s degree in contemporary music from the International Ensemble Modern Academy/HfMDK in Frankfurt. His teachers and mentors include Mark Urness, Andrew Raciti, and Paul Cannon.

Upcoming Performances

27 September 2024, Karlsruhe, Germany

Zentrum für Kunst und Medien, Kubis

Wolfgang Rihm, "Verzeichnung - Studie"

29 September 2024, Vilnius, Lithuania

Into the Open Festival, Visions

works by Simon Steen-Anderson, Wolfgang Rihm, and Mauricio Kagel

Previous Performances

28 August 2024, Lucerne, Switzerland

Lucerne Festival, "Musik von heute für Morgen" - 40 Minutes Concert

Oxana Omelchuck, "…Mon chier Amy…"

15 September 2024, Edenkoben, Germany

Herrenhaus Edenkoben

Oxana Omelchuck, "…Mon chier Amy…"

26 July 2024, Frankfurt, Germany

IEMA Ensemble Presents: Entanglement, KunstKulturKirche Frankfurt

Marc Sabat, "Jean-Philippe Rameau"

13 March 2024, Frankfurt, Germany

IEMA Ensemble Exam Konzert, HfMDK Frankfurt

Friedrich Goldmann, "Trio (4 Stücke)"

6 November 2024, Frankfurt, Germany

IEMA Ensemble Werkstattkonzert, Ensemble Modern

Wolfgang RIhm, "Verzeichnung - Studie"

Recordings

Wolfgang Rihm - Verzeichnung - Studie

Marc Sabat - Jean Philippe Rameau

Oxana Omelchuk - "Mon chier Amy…"