The Newstead Trio has captivated audiences worldwide, from New York; London; Budapest; Lhasa, Tibet; Florence, Tuscany; Shanghai and Beijing. They gave their concerto debut performing Beethoven’s Triple Concerto with the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra in Shenzhen, China. The Trio made its New York debut to a standing ovation at Carnegie Hall in 2000, has performed at Lincoln Center, and has been broadcast live worldwide on radio and television. Arnold Steinhardt, a founder of the Guarneri String Quartet observes, “They play with fine ensemble, youthful energy, and thoughtful musicality.”

The Newstead Trio’s innovative and unique concert programming combines traditional piano trio literature with more contemporary works. In addition, they have performed customized residency activities at college campuses spanning the United States and in China, and have been requested as a resident ensemble for various festivals in China, Italy, and the United States. These presentations are characterized by a dramatic variety and have been enjoyed by a wide array of audiences, from students well versed in the art of music to audiences who had never before been exposed to classical chamber music. Of their recent residency at Dartmouth College, Joe Clifford, Outreach and Arts Education Manager, says, “Michael, Sara and Xun…did wonders to show audiences that chamber music (whether classical or contemporary) is a vivid genre, alive with the human spirit.”

The Newstead Trio has also commissioned numerous works by highly respected composers such as Robert Starer and Chen Yi, and has included a world premier performance on three of their four CD’s, all of which are recorded on the Prince Productions label. Of their most recent CD release, Audiophile critic Tom Gibbs writes, “This disc represents among the very finest trio recordings I’ve ever heard; their playing of this oft-recorded Mozart repertory is peerless…”

The Newstead Trio is ensemble in residence at the Pennsylvania Academy of Music and has been included on the Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour roster since its inception in 1996. Additionally, they have had the distinct pleasure to have been named Ambassador for the Qinghai Zongheng Culture and Arts Development Company in China.

Michael Jamanis, Violin

Michael grew up around music all his life. His parents, both accomplished pianists, have been his guiding force since an early age. He received a Bachelor of Music from The Juilliard School, a Master of Music from Yale University and a Doctor of Musical Arts from Rutgers University. He has received numerous awards throughout his career, including the Victor Herbert Lincoln Center and Metro-Media Awards.  Dr. Jamanis has worked with such artists as Leonard Bernstein, Arnold Steinhardt and Joseph Fuchs.  When Dr. Jamanis is not on tour with the Newstead Trio, he is the head of the string department at the Pennsylvania Academy of Music, and is also the Artistic Director of Music Naturally, a summer music festival now in its eighth year. He is a visiting professor at China Northwest University for Nationalities and is also a member of the faculty at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Sara Male, Cello

Canadian cellist, Sara Male is a founding member of the highly acclaimed Newstead Trio, the ensemble-in-residence of the Pennsylvania Academy of Music. She received an Associate of the Arts in Music from the Victoria Conservatory where she was presented the Principal Emeritus Award. Her major teachers include Bernard Greenhouse, Zara Nelsova and Timothy Eddy. Ms. Male holds a Bachelor of Music with high honors from Rutgers University, and a Master of Music from Mannes College. Ms. Male is a former member of the Saskatoon Symphony and is well sought after as a chamber music recitalist, having performed in major venues in the US, Canada, Europe and Asia. Ms. Male joined the faculty of the Pennsylvania Academy of Music, as cello instructor and director of the Chamber Music Program, in 1994 and is on the faculty of Franklin and Marshall College.

Xun Pan, Piano

Born in Tianjin, China, Xun received his early musical training from his grandmother and his parents. He continued his studies at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and Syracuse University, and earned the Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from Rutgers University. Winner of the Dr. Luis Sigall International Piano Competition in Chile in 1987 and the Frinna Awerbach International Piano Competition in New York in 1992, Dr. Pan has performed solo recitals worldwide from Carnegie Hall to China’s Beijing Concert Hall.  He is the chairman of the piano department at the Pennsylvania Academy of Music. He is also visiting professor at the China Conservatory of Music, at China Northwest University for Nationalities, and at Wenzhou University.