Shannon Canchola, Flute Micah Wright, Clarinet Leon Thomasian, Piano

Coined a “Musical Tour de Force” by the Mountaineer Progress Newspaper, ACE Trio is a Los Angeles based classical modern ensemble rapidly distinguishing itself as one of the newest leading groups of its generation. With Bachelor’s Master’s and Doctorate degrees earned from USC Thorton, Rice University, California State University Northridge, Drake University, and University of Redlands; ACE Trio has participated in a multitude of recital series including the Wrightwood Classical Concert Series, Music by the Sea Encinitas, The Interludes in Torrance, the Newport Beach Public Library Sunday Musicales, the Brand Associates Music Series, the Laguna Beach Sunset Serenade Series, the St. Matthew’s United Methodist Concert Series, the Pasadena City College Guest Artist Series, and the Bakersfield Recital Series. Additionally, ACE Trio was the Music Teachers’ Association of California honorary Performing Guest Artist for their 2019 MTAC Convention in Santa Clara. At the MTAC Convention, they were guest clinicians in multiple master classes, performed a masterful recital and premiered a triple concerto piece with the MTAC Convention Honors Orchestra. ACE Trio were also winners of the Beverly Hills National Audition Chamber Ensemble Competition in 2018 where they went on to perform highly acclaimed recitals following their success.

Separately, the members of ACE have impressive solo careers in addition to their success with their ensemble. Flutist Shannon Canchola can be heard recording for many films and albums, as well as working directly with World of Warcraft composer Jason Hayes as a member of his video game band Critical Hit, Ariana Grande for the 62nd Grammy Awards, Billie Ellish for the 2022 Oscars, and film composers for “Wakanda Forever” “Nope” “Star Trek” and Guillermo del Toro’s “Pinocchio” to name a few. She has traveled across the globe with world famous Persian superstar artists, and performs in many professional orchestras and operas in southern and northern California. Shannon is currently the Professor of Flute at Cal Poly Pomona, Citrus College, Pierce College and Rio Hondo College.

Clarinetist, Dr. Micah Wright is an accomplished and versatile musician who has received many national and international musical awards and has performed concertos with several ensembles including Rice University’s Shepherd School Symphony, Drake University Symphony Orchestra, Masterworks Festival Orchestra, Meyer Chamber Orchestra, and Des Moines Metro Concert Band. Dr. Wright has premiered many contemporary works, and co-founded several active chamber ensembles including the Aristeia Trio, Syrinx Reed Quintet, and Kaleidoscope Trio. In 2018, he was featured as a soloist by the Beverly Hills National Audition Chamber Ensemble Competition, performing on both clarinet and piano. Dr. Wright is currently on faculty at California Lutheran University, California School of the Arts, and Kadima Conservatory.

Leon Thomasian is a Los Angeles based pianist, composer, arranger, and producer with a master’s degree in Music Composition, a bachelor’s degree in Scoring for Media and Commercial and a Classical Piano Performance degree. He is currently active in writing music for media and concerts, and performs contemporary, ethnic, classical, and jazz music across the world. Leon has a huge passion for all current music gear, technology, synthesizers, effects, and sample libraries and showcases them through musical context/demos with his thousands of followers on social media.

Continually pushing at the edges of what it means to be a contemporary chamber ensemble, ACE performs their own innovative arrangements and all accessible contemporary music by living composers from around the world. ACE Trio is dedicated to promoting the newest voices of our art performing music of our time for all types of audiences worldwide.

“…the final Allegro was a moto perpetuo requiring exceptional ensemble work at high speed and spectacularly virtuosic individual flights from all three players. It got both in spades from the trio.” –David J. Brown LA Opus

“Covering a broad spectrum of composers and musical genre from mostly the 20th Century, the kinetic energy of musicians created a unique synergy with audience members that continued to build throughout the concert with thunderous applause.” –Michael Palecki The Mountaineer Progress Paper