The Northwest Piano Trio was founded in fall 2014. Based in Portland, OR, the trio is committed to the performance of traditional classical music while also exploring the music of 20th and 21st century composers. Their goal is to appeal to a wide array of audiences in varied settings, from the time-honored concert hall to the less-traditional local music venue. They are passionate about collaboration with artists of other disciplines to provide unique performances that give listeners a
contemporary perspective on a non-contemporary art form.

Esther Shim grew up studying violin with Kathryn Gray and piano with Sylvia Killman and playing with the Metropolitan Youth Symphony under Lajos Balogh. She attended DePauw University in Indiana for Violin Performance. Since returning to Portland, she has devoted her time to teaching, adjudicating, and coaching the next generation of musicians. She plays with Portland Festival Symphony, Willamette Master Chorus, and subs with the Oregon Symphony.  In her spare time, she loves to cook for her friends and get lost in a book.

After eight years as a full-time ICU nurse, Hannah Hillebrand decided to pursue her passion and completed her master’s degree in cello performance with Hamilton Cheifetz at Portland State University in 2014. While pursuing her degree, she participated in masterclasses with artists such as the Takacs String Quartet, the Tokyo String Quartet and cellists Johannes Moser and Alban Gerhardt. She continues to work part-time as a nurse while enjoying a busy freelancing schedule. She has been featured as a soloist with ARCO-PDX and was full time member of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra for many years. She thrives on collaboration, and enjoys working with artists of all varieties to present multi-disciplinary performances. She has a busy private teaching schedule with students of a wide variety of ages.
​In her spare time, Hannah is an avid traveler, photographer (www.alaskalightphotography.com), and also enjoys baking and knitting.

​Susan McDaniel has appeared widely as soloist and chamber musician, including recitals in France, Germany, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic. She received a B.A. in music from Linfield College, where she studied with Jill Timmons, and a M.M. in vocal accompanying from Manhattan School of Music, where she was a student of Warren Jones. While at Manhattan School, she also studied chamber music with Isidore Cohen and Ruth Laredo and Baroque performance practice with Kenneth Cooper. Susan has been the resident pianist on All Classical's Thursdays@Three live radio broadcast, a member of the music staff at Seattle Opera, Portland Opera, and Utah Festival Opera as well as music director and pianist for the San Diego Opera Ensemble, Off-Center Opera (Seattle), and Puget Sound Concert Opera. She teaches and accompanies at the University of Portland and Linfield College.