Empire Trio serenades the Silver Screen

Renowned trio travels Montana April 1-12 with Hooray for Hollywood

On Stage

The classically trained Empire Trio tours Montana April 1-12 with “Hooray for Hollywood,” a glamorous soundtrack to the silver screen.

Erin Shields, a founding member of the Empire Trio, performs at Lincoln Center.
Erin Shields, a founding member of the Empire Trio, performs at Lincoln Center.

The trio presents the most beloved and famous songs from the world of film from the 1930s through the mid-1990s at rural communities across the state, including Polson, Belt, Libby, Paradise and Superior. Hear songs from Casablanca, James Bond, Titanic, The Wizard of Oz, paired with stories about the great singers who performed them, from Judy Garland and Frank Sinatra to Céline Dion and Barbra Streisand.

Formerly known as O Sole Trio, this uniquely talented classical crossover ensemble has been performing at concert halls around the globe since 2012, morphing into Empire Trio during the 2019-2020 season. The accomplished group has performed at major venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (which also commissioned their first show), The Redlands Bowl, CA (to a crowd of more than 6,000), Ronnie Scott’s, London, and over 300 other venues across the United States, Canada, and the UK.

Empire Trio features the lush and mesmerizing voice of soprano Erin Shields, and the versatile and virtuosic David Shenton on piano and violin, the world’s first (and possibly only) musician to play violin and piano simultaneously. In addition to these founding members, baritone Adam Cannedy, hailed for his “sonorous and secure voice” by Opera Today, lends his charisma and talent to the tour.

From deliciously witty to incredibly moving, Empire Trio’s shows breathe new life into familiar toe-tapping favorites with their unique and innovative arrangements. The trio has garnered rave reviews from audiences and critics alike.

The trio also provides educational outreach concerts and masterclasses to children of all ages and economic backgrounds.

Catch them in Montana

Polson: 7 p.m. April 1 at PHS Auditorium for the final concert in the Mission Valley Live series

Belt: 7 p.m. April 5 at the Belt Performing Arts Center

Libby: 7 p.m. April 7 at the Memorial Center

Paradise: 2 p.m. April 10 at the Paradise Center (406-826-0500)

Superior: 6 p.m. April 12 in the high school multi-purpose room as part of Mineral County Performing Arts’ Spring Gala