Oxbow Piano Trio

David Thies-Thompson, violin
Leah Wyber, cello
Nicole Presentey, piano

The Oxbow Piano Trio was formed when three friends came together to explore repertoire during the pandemic. Their time spent together quickly became a creative refuge through a period when in-person music making was a rarity. 

As a geographical formation, an oxbow wetland is both familiar and unexpected, adding richness and diversity to an ever-changing landscape.

David Thies-Thompson is a member of the NAC Orchestra and has performed as concertmaster with Thirteen Strings, the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, and Opera Lyra Ottawa Orchestra. He frequently appears in the NAC’s chamber music concerts and at the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, the Music and Beyond Festival, and the Festival aux iles du Bic.

Leah Wyber has been a member of the NAC Orchestra since 1993, and is also a former member of La Pieta of Montreal, Thirteen Strings of Ottawa, the Atlantic String Quartet, and Joe Trio of Vancouver. She was also principal cello of the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra for several years. Some of the many festivals and programs she has participated in include the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, the Scotia Festival, the Whistler Mozart Festival, the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, and the Jeunesses Musicales World Orchestra.

A native of Ottawa, Nicole Presentey made her first appearance with orchestra at age 12 performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto K. 271 with the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra. Recipient of numerous prizes in Canada, she went on to compete successfully in several international music competitions, including the prestigious Royal Overseas League Competition in London. She is on the Faculty at Carleton University where, in 2003, she founded and continues to direct the Carleton University Chamber Music Ensembles.