Music ensembles to perform chamber pieces in bi-annual concert

A semester’s worth of work by student musicians will be revealed to the public this Sunday as music majors, minors and non-majors alike perform in “An Afternoon of Chamber Music” at 3 p.m. in Murphy Recital Hall. Ten students enrolled in different levels of chamber ensemble courses will play various instruments.

“If you want to see the craziest piano duet ever, you should come to this performance. It’s wild,” said junior music major Justin Ramos.

Ramos will perform alongside senior music and psychology major Yvette Arañas. The duo will play “Paganini Variations for Two Pianos” by Polish composer Witold Lutoslawski. Ramos and Arañas will each be playing on their own grand pianos while facing each other on the stage. One can imagine how much coordination and teamwork it takes for these musicians to keep their individual parts in sync.

“I love playing music with another person. It’s like having a fun and interesting conversation with someone else, except instead of talking, the dialogue is through music,” Ramos said.

In addition to piano duets, there will be music for soprano and piano, as well as a piano trio which includes violin, viola and piano. Sophomore music and communications major Romina Huerta has been playing the violin for nine years. Huerta will perform “Piano Trio No.1, Opus 83, 1st movement” along with Mary-Gen White, viola and Hannah Bredberg, piano. Like Ramos, Huerta clearly enjoys the ensemble experience.

“I really enjoy playing in an ensemble because I always feel some support whereas in solo work you are completely exposed. Also sometimes I kind of get the sense that I’m jamming out rather than performing, and it makes it more enjoyable for me,” Huerta said.

Huerta also stated that her professor, Dr. Tania Fleischer, helps her to develop a different set of musical skills while learning how to be an expressive performer.

Fleischer coaches the majority of the chamber ensemble students. She explained that she matches her students together based on their ability, repertoire, and of course, makes sure that they have a good personality fit.

“Playing in an ensemble for me is one of the most satisfying ways to make music; there is great joy in playing music that you cannot find with soloist music,” Fleischer said.

Admission to the concert is free and open to the public.