Onthe evening of June 8, the sixth Beihang Art Festival presented a special guest performance by the acclaimed Trio Hélios from France. Held at the Sunrise Concert Hall on the Xueyuan Road Campus, the concert drew an audience of over 600 faculty and students, who were treated to a luminous "dialogue between light and shadow" through piano trio masterpieces spanning from Haydn and Beethoven to Lili Boulanger and Ravel.

The concert traced a journey from the graceful perfection of Classical forms to the liberated colors of Impressionism. The trio brought exquisite clarity and refined elegance to Haydn's Piano Trio in A major, before plunging into the ethereal drama of Beethoven's Piano Trio in D major, Op. 70 No. 1 "Ghost." Lili Boulanger's two poignant miniatures—D'un soir triste and D'un matin de printemps—traced an arc from dusky melancholy to radiant morning light, while Ravel's Piano Trio in A minor unfolded with its signature fusion of structural clarity and sensuous color. The trio's performance drew sustained applause and deep appreciation from the audience.

"As a cellist in the university orchestra, this performance moved me in a particularly profound way," said Wei Yinlu, a PhD student in the School of Mathematical Sciences. "The soft dialogue between cello and piano in the second movement of Beethoven's 'Ghost' was so gentle, yet carried astonishing tension across the hall. It has lingered in my mind ever since."

Jia Jingyi, an undergraduate in the School of Reliability and Systems Engineering, reflected: "This was not merely a display of virtuosity, but a cleansing of the soul. From the violin's lyrical song to the cello's warm eloquence and the piano's shimmering brilliance, the three instruments conversed in deep resonance, weaving melodies that were at times serene as night, at others surging like a tide. This concert opened my eyes to the exquisite structure and dramatic power of chamber music, letting me truly feel the ebb and flow of emotion and the profound impact of art.”

Founded in 2014, Trio Hélios takes its name from Helios, the Sun God in Greek mythology, who symbolizes light, strength, and hope. The ensemble comprises pianist Alexis Gournel, violinist Luka Ispir, and cellist Raphaël Jouan—all graduates of the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP) and alumni of the European Chamber Music Academy (ECMA). The trio currently serves as the "Ensemble en résidence" at the Fondation Singer-Polignac and has performed at major international venues and festivals, receiving widespread acclaim from audiences worldwide.

Editor: Lyu Xingyun