“Their respect for each other, the attention to detail, and this wonderfully warm, fresh, yet very mature way of playing makes an audience cheer and go home knowing that they have witnessed a trio sure to become one of the greats.”
The award winning Trio Archai, founded in Switzerland, is emerging as one of the most promising young ensembles of its generation. Pianist Mar Valor, violinist Ayla Sahin, and cellist Finn Mannion met during their studies at the Musik-Akademie Basel, where they quickly discovered a rare artistic connection that has shaped their shared musical journey ever since.
Trio Archai won First Prize at the 2025 Schoenfeld International String Competition in Harbin, China, where they also received the Beethoven Prize for the best performance of a work by Beethoven. The ensemble previously took First Prize at the 72nd Royal Over-Seas League Competition in 2024 and made their Wigmore Hall debut in June of the same year. They are also laureates of the Orpheus Swiss Chamber Music Competition, recipients of the Philip and Dorothy Green Young Artist Award (PDGYA) from MakingMusic, and are winners of the Tunnell Trust Concert Scheme 2025/26. Most recently, they were selected as Britten Pears Young Artists for the 2025/2026 season and look forward to a residency at Snape Maltings. These accolades reflect the trio’s rapidly growing international recognition.
With backgrounds spanning Scotland, Turkey, Spain, Ireland, and Germany, Trio Archai is a vibrant cultural mosaic. This diversity informs their musical voice, broadens their artistic perspective, and allows them to offer audiences fresh and surprising interpretations beyond the traditional repertoire.
