I could not have been more pleased with the
Amicizia Trio’s performances of my Piano Trio. Their deeply committed,
enthusiastic playing brought out all of the drama and emotion that I had hoped
for, with warmth and tremendous generosity. Their interpretive decisions made
complete sense, and helped to magnify the lines and arcs in the piece to
produce a listening experience that was exciting as well as viscerally
satisfying. From sweet, gentle quiet passages to full-bodied, passionate
fortissimos, the group played it like they really meant it, and engaged me from
beginning to end. I had the exquisite feeling that I had been fully understood,
and that the players had been willing to really put themselves out there to get
the best out of my piece. Listening closely revealed a lot of detail, with a
great deal of attention paid to nuances in tempo and tone color, but these were
always in perspective, in service to the whole. Their technical execution was
solid, but these were performances where you wouldn't really think about that
very much, and would instead just be swept away by the music.
In working with these players, I got an inside
view of their warm group dynamic. They are friends who love playing together,
who support each other, and work together both in mind and spirit to produce
the best result possible. This is the best case scenario for chamber music, and
it was a delight to be part of their process. The Amicizia Trio is just the
kind of group that a composer like me hopes for - excellent players who have a
natural rapport, who are willing to delve deeply into my work, and extract
every drop of blood from the music.
When great music is performed so skillfully and beautifully, one experiences a kind of musical "epiphany" because one's heart, spirit and mind have been elevated. This experience was mine this morning.
Your interaction (interplay), tonal effects (sometime biting,
sometimes (ethereal) and sheer beauty in the myriad variety of sound that your
ensemble produced created for me an extraordinary and memorable event.
Do you like the thought of "unpretentious
virtuosity"?
There are thoughts "brewing" for more
performances.
- Doris Anne McMullen
What a joy it was to hear you and your Amicizia Trio play last week! Your performances of both
the Ghost and the Dumky were full of life, polished, and professional. You captured the essence
of each movement - the joy of the first movement of the Beethoven, the heartbreak and tragedy of
the second movement, the playfulness of the third, and the capricious contrasts of drama within
every section of the Dumky. You also made the most of Dvorak's sound effects. You don't hear
that every day!
- Dr. Teresa Dybvig
What a joy it was to hear you and your Amicizia Trio play last week! Your performances of both
the Ghost and the Dumky were full of life, polished, and professional. You captured the essence
of each movement - the joy of the first movement of the Beethoven, the heartbreak and tragedy of
the second movement, the playfulness of the third, and the capricious contrasts of drama within
every section of the Dumky. You also made the most of Dvorak's sound effects. You don't hear
that every day!
- Dr. Teresa Dybvig