St. Mary's Episcopal Summer Series Debut!

Over the last year or so, a few fellow musicians and I have been meeting to play chamber music together, organized by violist, Sophie Parker. This started out as just a fun thing to do some weekends. However.. we were been invited to perform as part of a Summer Concert Series at St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Cypress, Texas, Friday, July 18, 2014.

This was pretty exciting news, as we had been having a great time reading together, but now we had an opportunity to put together a full program and really hone our performance. We were ready for an opportunity to take our show on the road.. and now the Universe had provided.

As such, we decided to maximize our resources and prepare a program of various chamber works, utilizing many chamber genres, and bringing in guests. The program was billed as "an evening of music with Sophie and Friends", and included performers Sophie Parker, violin/viola; Celeste Booker, piano; Melisa Rose, cello; Adam Vincent Clay, piano, Ikuko Qano, flute, and Karoline Humphries, viola.

The program opened with Sophie Parker performing an piano reduction of the Fantasie for Viola and String Orchestra by Johann Nepomuk Hummel. She was accompanied by Celeste Booker on piano. Then Sophie and I performed the Beethoven Duet with Two Obbligato Eyeglasses for Viola and Cello, woO32.

Upon first hearing this piece, I swore up and down that it could not really have been composed by Beethoven. However, description from Peter Bates does a bit more to convince me of the authenticity.

The story behind the naming of this early piece is almost as charming as the music. Biographers surmise that Beethoven and his friend, the amateur cellist Nikolaus Zmeskall, may have played the duet. Beethoven then wrote Zmeskall a letter containing these lines: "Dearest Baron Garbage-truck driver, I am obliged to you for the weakness of your eyes." Perhaps Zmeskall lent Beethven his eyeglasses. Who knows? One thing is certain: the piece exudes a sense of sheer playfulness, similar in spirit (if not style) to Mozart's Duo for Violin and Viola in B-Flat. The dialogue between the two instruments is so jocular that it seems improvised. Like the Unfinished Symphony of Schubert this piece is incomplete. Did Beethoven suddenly get more pressing work, a march, perhaps, or a trio? No matter. What we have is delightful enough.

Anyhow, here's a sampling of our performance.. You can judge for yourself. :)

[Recording Sample Forthcoming]

Later, I performed the Beethoven Cello Sonata in A Major, Op. 69 with my friend and collaborator from the Houston New Arts Movement (HNAM). Flukishly, Adam was in a car accident just the week before, totaling his car, and requiring stitches in his forehead. Unfortunately, this meant that our practice time directly leading up to the concert was limited. For goodness sakes, he had the stitches removed from his face on the way to the concert! All things considered, we had a decent performance. Perhaps we'll get another stab at it sometime soon.

The second half of the program was where the quartet finally received its big debut. This half opened with the Beethoven Serenade for Flute, Violin adn Viola, Op. 25, with performers, Ikuko Qano, flute, Sophie Parker, violin and Karoline Humphries, viola. Next, a beautiful performance of the Krzysztof E. Penderecki Sarabande for viola solo, by Sophie Parker.

The program closed with the Mozart Flute Quartet in D Major with Ikuko Qano, flute, Sophie Parker, violin, Karoline Humphries, viola, and Melisa Rose, cello. (Pictured below).

Left to Right: Ikuko Qano, flute; Sophie Parker, violin; Karoline Humphries, viola, Melisa Rose, cello.

As our first performance together, I think the concert went well overall. The program was diverse and interesting, there was a good-sized audience present, and the music was well-received by all. Thanks to Celeste Booker, Sophie Parker, and St. Mary's Episcopal Church for the organizing a great concert. Looking forward to performing at St. Mary's again soon!