Ensemble Illume – Friday, June 7 at 8 pm

Ensemble Illume

Jessica Chang, viola; Laura Gaynon, cello; Allegra Chapman, piano

Mozart Duo for Violin and Viola (arr. for viola and cello), K. 423
Johannes Brahms Trio in A minor, Op. 114 for viola, cello, and piano
Kaija Saariaho Je sens un deuxième cœur

After the Mozart duo appetizer, the two works featured on this program focus on the unusual ensemble of viola, cello, and piano. Originally written for clarinet, cello, and piano, Johannes Brahms’ trio has been adopted by violists as a treasure of their repertoire. In her own words, Kaija Saariaho’s Je sens un deuxième cœur depicts “the secret relationship between a mother and an unborn child. Musically, the two heartbeats and their constantly changing rhythmic polyphony have already served as an inspiration in my music”.

Known for their powerful sound and profound unity of ensemble, Ensemble Illume is dedicated to sharing the rich character of the viola, cello, and piano trio with audiences of all ages. With its unconventional instrumentation, Illume’s mission is to nurture and expand the repertoire for the ensemble by identifying rarely-heard work and working with contemporary composers, while also pursuing collaborations with fellow musicians to perform quartets, quintets, and larger chamber ensembles.

The musicians of Ensemble Illume have made their passion for chamber music the core of their varied and busy performing careers, which have included performances on the stages of Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Walt Disney Hall, Davies Symphony Hall, the New York City Center, the National Theater and Concert Hall of Taiwan, Auditori Teulada-Moraira in Spain, and through the airwaves of American Public Media, WNYC, WHYY, WQXR, WFMT, WAMC, and KALW.

For more information, please visit ensembleillume.com