The Washington and Lee Concert Guild Series welcomes acclaimed classical performers from across the country in a concert on Saturday, Nov. 1, at 7 p.m. in the Wilson Concert Hall.
The recital features crowd favorites by the German Romantic composer Felix Mendelssohn and the young Argentine-Spanish composer Ana Leia Carnero, as well as a world premiere of a piano trio commissioned by the Concert Guild.
The commissioned work is titled “Three Midnights” and was created by Houston-based composer Marcus Karl Maroney. Maroney studied composition and horn at the University of Texas at Austin and Yale University, and has been the recipient of numerous grants by prestigious institutions such as the Tanglewood Music Center and the Chicago Symphony.
The program will begin with a fiery opening duo by Ana Leia Carnero, “Carnavalito XXI” for two violins, with guest violinist Nurit Pacht and faculty violinist Jakob Hofer.
“Audiences are going to love the Carnero,” exclaimed Pacht, an award-winning violinist and faculty artist at the Kaufman Music Center in New York City.
Hofer agreed that the work balances “the conversational nature of two with the soloistic nature of one” and explained how the string duo medium can “create space for an extra virtuosic flair to be engrained in the fabric of the music.” He described the interplay of the two violins as “simultaneously chaotic and expressive” in a style that is “joyful, captivating, and sometimes sensuous.”
The program continues with Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio No. 1, Op. 49 in D Minor. Described as “the greatest musical genius since Mozart” by his contemporaries, Mendelssohn is widely known for iconic works such as his violin concerto, incidental music to “Midsummer Night’s Dream” and the “Wedding March.”
Both the Mendelssohn and Maroney trios will be performed by violinist Nurit Pacht, cellist Caroline Stinson (Duke University), and W&L pianist faculty Akiko Konishi.
“It’s an honor to work with these remarkable performers who are equally at ease with playing classical standards and new music commissions,” Konishi commented. She is certain that this program will appeal to audience members with its accessibility as well as its intensity in all three selections. The program duration is 60 minutes, and a reception will follow the performance.
Tickets are required. Tickets prices are $18 for the general public, $11 for seniors, $10 for W&L faculty/staff and W&L students and other students free with ID. Online ticket sales are available at https://my.wlu.edu/lenfest-center/ concert-guild-maroney-trio.
