nothin The Piano Was Laughing | New Haven Independent

The Piano Was Laughing

Allison Park Photo.

duoJalal.

When New Haven’s youngest musical prodigies attended a classical chamber music performance, little did they know they were in for an hour-long program consisting of commissioned works for viola and percussion, a cello-trombone duo, and a laughing piano.

The occasion Wednesday evening was the second faculty performance of the 14th annual Elm City Chamberfest, families and elementary-aged children, at Firehouse 12 on Crown Street. The faculty performers, many with Juilliard or Yale degrees, demonstrated an array of musical techniques on their instruments. which added depth and dimension to their playing.

The evening began on a traditional note, with the mysterious third movement of Brahms’ Piano Quintet in F Minor performed by Brian Krinke and Ralph Allen, violins; Isabella Mensz, viola; An-Lin Bardin, cello; and Blair McMillen, piano. The evening took a turn to the contemporary with its next piece on the program: a commissioned arrangement of for duoJalal, an avant-garde viola-percussion duet, duoJalal.

… to think of dangerous and noble things”, performed by Kathryn Lockwood and Yousif Sheronick on viola and percussion, respectively, was reminiscent of winter, according to Lockwood. In their second piece by Enzo Rao Camemi, called a different world,” the two jumped into a gypsy-esque groove, with Sheronick establishing the rhythm on the cajon he was sitting on — a Peruvian percussive instrument shaped like a box.

The small, intimate stage allowed the students in the room an up-close view of the musicians as they toyed with creative fingerings and unique bowing techniques.

The festival, founded in 2005 by Artistic Director Fiona Murray, is a two-week intensive summer chamber festival that aims to introduce and inspire young musicians to the world of classical chamber music.

Artistic Director Fiona Murray.

According to the Director’s Note on the program, the festival gives the students an experience of a lifetime” and teaches them how to become better listeners, engage in dialogue with others, and become more aware of their surroundings, while being mindful to respect and be supportive of their peers.”

Blair McMillen, piano.

The students were both inspired and amused by the next piece on the program, performed by pianist Blair McMillen. Any Resemblance is Purely Coincidental” by prominent electronic composer Charles Dodge was introduced by McMillen as an eight-minute surrealist stew.” In a performance synced with an early 1900s electronic recording of Enrico Caruso singing the aria Vesti la giubba,” McMillen mimicked the sounds of Caruso’s laughter, crying, and singing with sounds and chords on the piano, evoking a strong humored reaction from the audience.

The program continued with another unconventional duet, between trombone and cello. Jody Redhage Ferber on cello and Alan Ferber on trombone performed three short pieces that they felt really sonically worked” with the combination of the trombone, cello, and Redhage Ferber’s voice.

Alan Ferber and Jody Redhage Ferber.

It’s a pretty exciting challenge,” said Redhage Ferber. A cello-trombone duet is rare in the music composition world; the duo played through 30 to 40 pieces until they found the few arrangements that really worked for them. Despite the very limited palette of just the two us,” Redhage Ferber said, it’s always a fantastic time.”

The evening closed out on a with the final movement of Debussy’s String Quartet in G Minor performed by Jeanyi Kim and Sascha Mandl, violins; Ellen Higham, viola; and Rebecca Patterson, cello.

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