MUSIC lovers in Melrose will welcome in the New Year with one of the finest trios in the country.

Celebrated Indian pianist Fali Pavir and his highly-talented cellist wife Naomi Boole-Masterson will be joined for the performances in Melrose Parish Church Hall by British-American clarinetist Jean Johnson.

The trio will perform works by Beethoven, Brahms and John Mayer.

Pavir was recently described by The Herald as ‘… understanding the soul, the secret and the balance of good chamber music'.

Born in Mumbai, he graduated from Moscow Conservatory then studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London before embarking on a career of performances at prestigious venues across the world.

He has played with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and accompanied many great soloists including Nicola Benedetti and Mstislav Rostropovitch.

Now professor of piano at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, he often plays chamber music with his wife, cellist Naomi Boole-Masterson.

Their performance of a recent Beethoven cello trio in Perth was described as ‘heartfelt’.

The trio’s clarinettist in Melrose is Jean Johnson, who studied in Massachusetts and Indiana before a career as lead clarinettist with major orchestras across the world.

Her recording of Brahms’ clarinet sonatas was lauded as 'a fine recording by a poised clarinettist. Beautiful renditions of Brahms’s Clarinet Sonatas Nos. 1 and 2 round off this lovely album'.

The concert opens with Beethoven’s trio in B flat major, Opus 11, in three movements - the third inspiring the name sometimes given to this work, the ‘Gassenhauer’ trio.

Literally translated as ‘street songs’, it refers to a popular contemporary melody which Beethoven used as the theme for a set of variations.

Brahms’ Sonata for Clarinet and Piano in E flat major, Opus 120, no. 2 was composed for a friend and gifted clarinettist, Richard Mühlfeld, in 1890, shortly before Brahms’ death.

It also comprises three movements and is considered to be one of the greatest pieces in the clarinet repertoire.

Pavri has a reputation for his interpretation of contemporary music.

And the third and final piece will be by John Mayer.

Mayer, born in India, studied music in Calcutta and the Royal Academy of Music, composes in fields of jazz, progressive rock, and fusion world music.

His Prabhanda was written for cello and piano.

Concluding the programme is Brahms’ Trio in A Minor, Opus 114, a four-movement work that is both romantic and sombre, and was described by a musicologist '…as though the instruments were in love with each other'.

The classical trio will perform in the Parish Church Hall from 7.30pm on Friday, January 12.

Tickets at the door, are £14 for adults and free for accompanied children.