Trio Sponte: NEC Honors Ensemble
Each year, an audition committee of professional musicians and faculty selects a few exceptional student ensembles to represent the NEC Honors Ensemble Program. The ensembles work with a faculty coach and are given an opportunity to perform a spring recital in NEC's Jordan Hall.
The members of tonight's Honors Ensemble are Nicholas Hammel (violin), Yi-I Stephanie Yang (cello), and Charles Berofsky (piano). Their coaches are Kim Kashkashian and Vivian Hornik Weilerstein.
This is an in-person event with a public live stream: https://necmusic.edu/live
Ludwig van Beethoven | Piano Trio in E-flat Major, op. 1 no. 1
Allegro
Adagio cantabile
Scherzo: Allegro assai
Finale: PrestoAstor Piazzolla | from The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires
Spring
SummerINTERMISSION
Changjin Ha '24 | Leaves Fall Like Snow
World Premiere
Program note
Leaves Fall Like Snow is a seven-minute piece for a piano trio that portrays the last leaves falling onto the ground along with snow on the final day of winter. The piece predominantly stays in the extremely high register to depict the floating journey of the leaves and snow until they touch the ground. Its floating movement is enhanced by the extensive use of grace notes and calligraphic glissandi. At several moments when the leaves touch the ground, they release the memories of the entire year they have cherished, which never last long enough. The climactic point washes away the last bits of reminiscence with a sudden gust of rich harmony and pleasing dissonance. At the request of the trio to respond to Piazzolla’s Four Seasons on the program, the last minute of the piece incorporates a melodic quotation from Piazzolla's Winter to signify the complete arrival of winter. As the snow melts, heralding the arrival of spring, the piece concludes with the melody of Spring from the same work by Piazzolla.
-Changjin HaFelix Mendelssohn | Piano Trio No. 2 in C Minor, op. 66
Allegro energico e con fuoco
Andante espressivo
Scherzo: Molto allegro quasi presto
Finale: Allegro appassionato