In 1997, a group of talented musicians formed a chamber music ensemble under the tutelage of renowned artists Earl Carlyss and Ann Schein. They named the group after the Nineteenth Century composer whose versatility they greatly admired, and the Mendelssohn Piano Trio was born.

Since then, the trio has developed a loyal audience, performing with that rare combination of powerful individual talent and tight-knit collaboration that is the hallmark of a truly exceptional chamber music ensemble. The Mendelssohn Piano Trio's extensive repertoire embraces works from all periods of the genre's history. Ensemble members are superb soloists in their own right, having enjoyed diversified musical careers that transcend international boundaries and range from solo appearances with various orchestras to chamber music collaborations with such artists as Earl Carlyss, Ann Schein, Ronald Leonard, Igor Zhukov, Natalia Gutman, as well as many other musicians of the international stature.

Currently Ensemble-in-Residence for Washington DC's Embassy Series, Messiah College as well as "Chamber Music in Grantham" summer festival, the Mendelssohn Piano Trio is one of the most exciting ensembles on the national and international music scene.

Pianist, Ya-Ting Chang is from Taiwan; violinist, Peter Sirotin is from Russia; and cellist, Fiona Thompson is from England. The ensemble has performed and given master classes in a variety of venues nationwide and abroad, including universities, colleges, art academies, and music festivals, as well as an international radio feature of Voice of America.

The Washington Post has described the group's Brahms cycle of piano trios and piano quartets presented by the Embassy Series as "unfathomably beautiful", "transcendent" and "electrifying". The group has also presented a cycle of complete Beethoven piano trios in Portugal and Washington DC to critical acclaim.

The performance highlights of the Trio's recent 10th season included: National Concert Hall in Taipei, Taiwan, National Gallery of the Arts, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Embassy Concert Series, Black Rock Center of the Arts, Austin Chamber Music Festival and many others. The trio has recently signed a five-year contract with Centaur Records Inc. to record a cycle of complete Haydn Piano Trios. The American Record Guide, Fanfare Magazine and others have praised the trio's many recordings released on Centaur Records. Numerous classical music stations in the United States have also featured these recordings as well as CDs that the group recorded abroad. The trio's recent performance at the National Gallery of Arts was broadcasted on NPR's "Performance Today" program.