Heathcliff Trio© All Rights Reserved // Photo © Andrej Grilc
HEATHCLIFF TRIO
Bonded by a musical consensus and shared vision, the Heathcliff Trio is founded in 2020 Comprising violinist, Ashley Tong, cellist, Hyazintha Andrej, and pianist, Jonathan Siahaan. Characterised by their devotion, passion and integrity in their music making, they are quickly establishing themselves as an ensemble with the finest artistic quality of today.
Shortly after its inception, the trio made their debut at Wigmore Hall for the final concert of The Parkhouse Award (2021). And in 2022, The trio won 1st prize in the 9th International Johannes Brahms Chamber Music Competition with two additional special prizes including the best interpretation of a piece by Brahms.
The trio brings together their extensive individual experiences in chamber music, which include collaborations with artists such as Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider, Kathryn Stott, Enrico Pace, Philippe Graffin and Barnabas Kelemen, and continues to strive towards the discovery of their own expression. They have performed widely across Europe, in countries such as Denmark, Austria, Germany, France, Netherlands, Lithuania, Spain, Norway, England, Poland and Switzerland.
Season 22/23 saw the trio in recitals at The Harrogate International Festival, K&M Festival Stavanger, Hobro Musikforening, Kammermusik Odense (broadcasted on the Danish Radio), ChamberFest Munich (broadcasted on the Bayerischen Rundfunks) and The Gdansk Music Festival.
Recent highlights in season 23/24 include performances in Grafenegg, Hindsgavl Festival, K&M Festival Stavanger, where they are named ensemble in residence. The trio was also selected as Britten Pears Young Artists 23/24 and performed two sold out recitals in Aldeburgh Jubilee Hall. Furthermore, they were also invited to perform live for BBC3 Radio 'In tune'.
The Heathcliff Trio is currently based in Copenhagen and Vienna. They have studied under the guidance of Johannes Meissl and Stefan Mendl on the Chamber Music Postgraduate Programme at The University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna and have also been a member of the European Chamber Music Academy where they were mentored by Johannes Meissl, and have received further tutelage from Avedis Kouyoumdjian, Hatto Beyerle (Alban Berg Quartet), Patrick Jüdt, Dirk Mommertz (Faure Quartet) and members of the Casals Quartet. The trio is currently on the Advance Postgraduate Programme with Tim Frederiksen at The Royal Danish Academy of Music.
Ashley Tong
Violin
British-Taiwanese violinist Ashley Tong debuted with The Taipei Symphony Orchestra at the age of 8 after winning the ‘Young Soloist competition’. She has since appeared at the Wigmore Hall, the Barbican Hall, St. Martin in the fields, the Royal Festival Hall, Menuhin Hall, The National Gallery in London, Taiwan National Concert Halls, Wien Musikverein, Wiener Konzerthaus, Graz Musikverein, Bösendorfer Saal in Austria, Crystal Hall in Asahikawa, Japan, Dramaten and Kungasalen in Stockholm, and Konserthuset Stockholm.
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An avid chamber musician, Ashley is the violinist and co-founder of the Heathcliff Trio, with whom she won 1st Prize at the 9th International Johannes Brahms Chamber Music Competition and has performed widely across Europe and appeared at major festivals such as the Harrogate International Festival, Hindsgavl Festival, and Oslo Chamber Music Festival. The trio’s performances have been broadcast on prestigious platforms, including Danish Radio, Bayerischen Rundfunk, and BBC Radio 3.
Ashley has also performed alongside distinguished musicians such as Lev Klychkov (Concertmaster of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra), Günter Seifert (1st Violin of the Wiener Philharmoniker), Philippe Graffin, Barnabás Kelemen, and Kathryn Stott. Her festival engagements include K&M Fest Stavanger, Britten Pears Festival, and the Aurora Festival, where she led the Aurora Symphony Orchestra as concertmaster for two consecutive years, under the baton of Jukka-Pekka Saraste in collaboration with Leonidas Kavakos and Mischa Maisky.
Over the years, Ashley has received accolades from esteemed artists such as Schmuel Ashkenasi, Michael Frischenschlager, and Thomas Brandis. She started playing the violin at the age of 7, studying with the violinist-conductor, Drapal Liao. After graduating from The Yehudi Menuhin School with Lutsia Ibragimova, she continued her studies at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Krzysztof Smietana, earned a Bachelor’s degree at Kunst Universität Graz with Eszter Haffner, a Master’s degree at The Royal Danish Academy of Music with Tim Frederiksen and Peter Herresthal and a postgraduate degree in Chamber Music at The University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna with Johannes Meissl.
Now based in Copenhagen, Ashley performs regularly across Denmark and is currently pursuing an Advanced Postgraduate Diploma at The Royal Danish Academy of Music with the Heathcliff Trio under the guidance of Tim Frederiksen. She has been supported by notable institutions, including the Wilhelm Hansen Foundation, and continues to distinguish herself on the international stage.
Hyazintha Andrej was born in Graz, Austria, in 1995 and began her first cello lessons in 2000 with Martina Trunk. From 2007 to 2014, she studied at the University of Arts in Graz under Andrea Molnar, Kérstin Feltz, and Rudolf Leopold. In 2014, she continued her education at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) with Thomas Grossenbacher, where she completed both her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees with distinction. She concluded her education with a concert exam under Clemens Hagen at the Mozarteum Salzburg.
Hyazintha Andrej
Cello
Throughout her education, she received further artistic inspiration in masterclasses with renowned cellists including Rudolf Leopold, Xenia Jankovic, Robert Nagy, Reinhard Latzko, Karine Georgian, Christoph Richter, Patrick Demenga, Gustav Rivinius, Jens Peter Maintz, and Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt. During her time at ZHdK, she also expanded her musical horizons through contemporary repertoire and improvisation studies with Lucas Niggli.
Hyazintha has been recognised in numerous national and international competitions. She won first prize as a soloist at the Austrian national competition Prima la Musica in both 2010 and 2012, and first prize with the cello quartet Fiat Musica in 2011. She received a special prize at the International Competition for Young People in Oldenburg, Germany, for her interpretation of a 20th-century work, and was also a prizewinner at the international festival Allegro Vivo. In 2014, she was awarded second prize at the International Cello Competition in Liezen, Austria, and received a special prize at the Summer Academy in Radolfzell am Bodensee. In 2017, she earned second prize at the Kiwanis Chamber Music Competition received a prize from the Meggen Foundation, and was offered an internship with the Tonhalle Orchestra.
In 2018, she won the cello competition at the Valiant Forum Murten Classics and was awarded a scholarship from the Migros Kulturprozent. She was honoured by the Emanuel Schenk and Marguerite Meister Foundation in 2019. In 2020, she was selected for Gautier Capuçon’s Classe d’excellence de violoncelle in Paris and invited to join the soloist academy of the Verbier Festival. In 2021, she received third prize at the Mainardi Cello Competition at the Mozarteum Salzburg.
As a soloist, she performed Dieter Ammann’s Violation with the Arc-en-ciel ensemble in 2016, with concerts in Zurich and Berlin. Since 2018, she has collaborated closely with pianist Marta Patrocínio, and their CD Honegger – Boulanger – Poulenc was released in 2025. In 2024, she gave her debut concert in her hometown of Graz, performing Joseph Haydn’s cello concerto.
Since 2023, Hyazintha Andrej has been a member of the Danish National Symphony Orchestra. In addition to her permanent role, she regularly appears as a guest with Camerata Salzburg and the Bavarian Symphony Orchestra.
Jonathan Siahaan
Piano
Jonathan Siahaan is a Danish pianist based in Copenhagen, known for his artistry both as a soloist and chamber musician. He made his professional debut at the age of 12, performing Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Copenhagen Festival Orchestra, marking the beginning of a distinguished career.
He has performed as a soloist with prestigious orchestras, including the Odense Symphony Orchestra, Danish National Chamber Orchestra, and Danish National Symphony Orchestra. His solo recital debut at Tivoli Concert Hall in 2012 also received high critical acclaim.
Over the years Jonathan has garnered multiple international and national awards, including 3rd Prize in Nordic Piano Competion, 1st Prizes in all three age categories and the VIP Prize in the national Steinway Piano Competition, a Gold Medal in the Berlingske Tidendes Music Competition, and 1st Prize in the Danish Radiocast Competition ‘Spil for Livet’, which was broadcast on national television. He also received 1st Prizes in the Royal Danish Academy of Music Piano Competition in both 2016 and 2018.
Among his numerous accolades, Jonathan has been supported by the Augustinus Foundation, which has provided him with a brand-new Steinway grand piano since 2021. Additionally, he has been honored by several prestigious Danish foundations, including the DR Emil Holms Mindelegat, Den Berlingske Fond, Jacob Gade Talent Prize, Carl Nielsen og Anne Marie Carl-Nielsens Talent Prize, Wilhelm Hansen Fonden, and Odd Fellow Ordenens Legat.
A passionate chamber musician, Jonathan co-founded the Heathcliff Trio in 2020 and has collaborated with renowned artists such as Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider, Enrico Pace, Sergei Malov, Andrei Bielow, and Andreas Brantelid. He has performed at leading festivals, including the Hindsgavl Festival and Kerteminde Chamber Music Festival, and served as the permanent accompanist for the contestants in both the 10th and 11th Carl Nielsen Violin Competitions in 2016 and 2019. Jonathan has also released a piano album on Dacapo Records featuring contemporary Danish composers.
He began his piano studies at the age of 6, studying under Kyoko Kato and later Bella Zapolski. He completed his Soloist Diploma at the Royal Danish Academy of Music under Professor Jens Elvekjaer, further honing his skills as a versatile and sought-after performer in both solo and chamber music settings. Jonathan is currently pursuing a postgraduate degree in chamber music at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna.