Trio (music)

A trio is a group of three people who are playing musical instruments or singing together. The word "trio" may also refer to the piece of music that they are playing.

This article is about a group of three musicians and about music written for three musicians.

For other uses of trio, see Trio.

For a piece of music called "trio" see also Minuet

Three people who are singing together are a "vocal trio".

Classical composers writing chamber music very often wrote trios. Usually the trio is called after the main instrument in the group. A piano trio is normally a piece for piano, violin and cello. A string trio is a piece for three string instruments, usually violin, viola and cello.

Many other combinations are possible. Brahms wrote a piece which is normally referred to as a "Horn Trio" for french horn, violin and piano. Mozart wrote a piece normally called a "Clarinet Trio" which is for clarinet, viola and piano.

A piece for three people sitting at one piano is usually called a piece for "piano 6 hands".

Trios can also apply to popular music, like Nickel Creek.