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Dali Trio Cellist Abe Feder

BrianBaxterMusic — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:45:25 -0400

The Dali Trio will be performing at Music in the Loft on Sunday October 19^th at 3:00PM in concert featuring music by Franck, Janáček, and Schubert.  The Dali Trio came together at the Curtis Institute of Music in 2004, with the three members already having played in various pairs. Elena, Abe and Roman each enjoy a diverse career in music, and thoroughly enjoy collaborating to learn and perform the piano trio repertoire. Elena and Roman began studying at Curtis in 2003, and upon reading with Abe when he entered in 2004, it became clear that this was a group with natural chemistry. The trio has been coached by Pamela Frank, Claude Frank, Peter Wiley, and Meng-Chieh Liu.

Interview with cellist, Abe Feder:

BB: To date, what has been your most memorable musical experience with the Dali Trio?

AF:  Our very first performance was the Brahms B-major trio at Field Hall at The Curtis Institute of Music. Elena and Roman were in their 2nd year, and I was in my 1st, so I was definitely the rookie in the group and it sure sounded like it. I was so scared to play that opening solo (which is the most famous solo for the cello in the piano trio repertoire), but Elena and Roman were right there with me, and I was able to get through it.

BB: What attracts you most to the piano trio genre?

AF: Chamber music is my favorite music to play. I have been working in chamber groups regularly since I was nine years old. Over the past fourteen years, I find that I've played mostly in piano trios. I've even started working on the same pieces with different groups, which makes me feel old. To me, a piano trio can be more intimate at times than a string quartet because each person is more exposed personally and musically. The Schubert and Brahms Piano Trios are the best example of this.

BB: The program for the concert at Music in the Loft includes music from Franck, Janáček, and Schubert.  Can you discuss how you decided on this program and perhaps tell us what is most exciting to you about the music?

AF: The Franck represents our group very well and is fascinating in the sense that the composer employed the same thematic material through the entire piece.  The Janáček is a violin sonata that will feature Elena and Roman and serves as a nice balance from the Franck to the Schubert. I think Schubert's piano trios are some of his masterpieces and his B-flat trio is no exception.  It is a huge piece to tackle and requires a great amount of precision and communication in order to sound free.

BB: I understand that you have a connection to the Chicago area. Can you tell us about your ties to this area?

AF:  I was born and raised in Chicago, and it will always feel like my home. I studied with Richard Hirschl of the Chicago Symphony for seven years, and I participated in the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras for nine years. I graduated high-school from the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools in 2004. I have only performed a few times in Chicago since I left for my studies at Curtis. Last year, I played in Music In the Loft's April Fools day Concert.  I am very excited to be able to share what I've learned with people who watched me grow up as a person and as a musician.

BB: You are a very young group of musicians. What are some of the interesting challenges that you have had to overcome performing as a group of young classical musicians?

AF: This is a very tough question to answer because I can go in many different directions, but I'll try to answer it the best I can. I think that the biggest challenge that every classical musician faces is to realize that there will always be someone that is better than you. It's true. What I find most interesting is that there are never any challenges as a musician that are in the past. We strive for what we believe to be perfection in our playing, and the standards that we hold ourselves to as musicians only get higher and higher as we get better. For example: I can always play more in tune, I can always be more musical, my rhythm can always be more precise, I can always be more relaxed, and I should always be listening more carefully.

BB:  Do you have any advice for other aspiring young chamber musicians out there?

AF:  Of course I could simply say practice.  And of course practicing leads to preparation however I see three real keys to success in chamber music.  1. You should be confident in what your ideas and your playing and gain respect through this confidence.  2. You must be flexible and practice in a way that improves your ability to adapt to other performers.  3. You must always be respectful to the other musicians you work with and learn to not take things personally.  This basically amounts purely to developing your "people skills."

Many thanks to Abe Feder for taking the time to give this interview!  We hope you will join us for this exciting concert!  Please check out our website at www.musicintheloft.org for additional information and directions to the venue.

Sphinx in Chicago

Jim Hirsch — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:57:57 -0400

I normally shy away from writing blatant commercials about events that the Chicago Sinfonietta is involved with. However, the Saturday, October 4th performance of the Sphinx Chamber Orchestra at the Harris Theater at 7:30 pm is a happy exception for a couple of reasons.

First, I passionately support the mission of Sphinx, which like the Chicago Sinfonietta, works diligently to promote diversity and inclusiveness in classical music. Yes, I know this is not our field’s favorite topic – and based on the national statistics that show less than 3% of orchestral musicians being people of color – not one that most of us even want to acknowledge, much less try to do something about. Sphinx identifies and nurtures very talented young, minority musicians, and the Sphinx Chamber Orchestra is made up of the best of these players.

Second, you can attend this concert for $5. An evening of great music for $5? You can’t beat that with a conductor’s baton!

Finally, it’s great to see the Harris Theater taking an active role as a presenter of classical music. The Sinfonietta is proud to collaborate with them on this concert. You can get more information by visiting their website at www.harristheaterchicago.org.

Sneak peek at the British

Jonathan Miller — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:11:09 -0400

Chicago a cappella is performing an all-British program starting the first weekend in October. Music Director Patrick Sinozich has written a brief synopsis of the program, which premiered last weekend in Jacksonville, Illinois:

Welcome to The British Are Coming and to what has been described as “a musical romp in the hay!” We've taken five madrigals, a medieval love song, some tasteful tunes from the Baroque, added a British folk song, a 20th century masterwork and wrapped it up in some boppin’ Beatles arrangements for you to enjoy while you sit back and wonder "will she or won’t she?" The British Are Coming showcases the shimmering harmonies and sparkling diction of Chicago a cappella as they follow the story of "A Lover and His Lass."

Composer Paul Crabtree will be at the Chicago and Evanston performances on October 3 and 5 respectively; we are performing his music on this concert, and he is a delightful person to meet and a superb composer and arranger.

This program is part fun, part romantic and totally full of beautiful melodies and witty words. We hope you’ll join us for a fascinating tour of musical magic in The British Are Coming! This program is a cappella musical storytelling at its best. Come hear for yourself.