MAY 8-9: CONSECUTIVE CONCERTS

Lincoln Center dress rehearsal

Within a twenty-four hour window on May 8^th and 9^th, David and Wu Han’s performing careers merged with both the Schubert trio ensemble (with Philip Setzer) and the Emerson Quartet, in performances at Duke University and on Lincoln Center’s Great Performers Series at Alice Tully Hall.

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in David’s words…
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Saturday evening’s concert for the Chamber Arts Society of Durham marked our final performance this season of the two Schubert piano trios with Philip Setzer. It was an unforgettable journey during which we never tired of rehearsing and re-examining the myriad of musical details whose intelligent execution, or neglect, can result in either a magical or mundane performance.

The trio at the University of Richmond

Beginning in last November, the Schubert Trio season took us to an astonishing selection of chamber music venues across the United States.  We are thrilled and honored that so many had faith in our basically unknown ensemble to have invited us, and I’d like to share their names with you here to give you a sense of what we experienced:  South Mountain Concerts, Pittsfield, Mass; Stony Brook University; Asheville, North Carolina; Chamber Music Columbus; University Musical Society, Ann Arbor; University of Chicago; University of Richmond; Celebrity Series Boston; Spivey Hall, Atlanta; Society of the Four Arts, West Palm Beach; Savannah Music Festival; Cleveland Chamber Music Society; Chamber Music Northwest; Orange County Performing Arts Center; Coleman Chamber Music Association, Pasadena.

Before the blizzard (and the concert) in Asheville

Wu Han and I cannot thank Phil enough for the tireless devotion, the enormous artistry, and the selfless good will he has contributed to this project, beginning with the strenuous recording sessions of the Schuberts for ArtistLed more than two years ago.  We now cannot imagine hearing these works without the presence of his magical sound and his deep sensitivity to the music.

Post-performance champagne at Tully Hall

Sadly, family circumstances prevented our close colleague, pianist Jeffrey Kahane, from joining us on Sunday afternoon to inaugurate the Emerson’s Czech series at Lincoln Center.  Fortunately, Wu Han, who has played with us many times (including the Schumann Quintet at the Hartt School, our first concert together) was able to step in, to the relief of the group and to Lincoln Center.  She helped us close the program with the ever-beloved Dvorak Quintet, which was preceded on the first half by a selection of Dvorak’s Cypresses, the Op. 51 Quartet, and Janacek’s 1^st Quartet. The series includes two more concerts this month.