On behalf of the Friends of Chamber Music of Reading (FOCM), I want to thank you and provide a recap of your hosting the Aeolus Quartet’s outreach presentation to your 30 middle and high school orchestra students who sat with rapt attention to the lively and upbeat presentation.

First violinist, Isabelle Durrenberger asked a question to the audience to gauge their knowledge of the art form of chamber music.  Music students including string players studying violin, viola, cello, bass and even guitar responded positively and became immediately engaged for what was to come.  She asked them to consider the question of what is unusual about this piece before she and her colleagues launched into the beginning movement of Quartet No. 3 by Polish composer Grazyna Bacewicz, written shortly after the end of WWII and the beginning of the Space Age.  Rhythmic, driving sounds of a working machine were first brought to mind and the audience also described hearing “western and folk melody tunes”, aggressive and mysterious and even seductive sounding passages, and some reminiscence of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony!

Isabelle described her discovery of this piece on YouTube, becoming entranced by its momentum among other features and knew Aeolus should bring it to the public’s attention and added it to their varied repertoire. 

Second violinist, Rachel Shapiro posed a question regarding the difference between chamber music and orchestral music making to which the audience noticed each musician on stage playing its own part  so “therefore, complete accountability for the individual musician” Rachel exclaimed, indicating the required responsibility, attention and dedication to both music and colleagues in the ensemble.  Also noted was the absence of a conductor in a chamber music ensemble.

Momentum of a different type from the Bacewicz piece, velocity and rhythm were elements to listen for in a short excerpt from Mozart Quartet in D minor, Op. 10, No. 2, K. 421, eliciting comments of “lots of movement” while Ari Evan, the cellist commented on the witty fun Mozart always enjoyed, in this instance by changing the “emphasis” on simple rhythms in a clever noticeable way. When instructed to imagine scenes while listening to the theme and variations of the 4th movement, students described a “huge journey” and some heard “sounds of a fanfare”.

Returning to the III. Vivo movement of Bacewicz’s Quartet No. 3, with its momentum and velocity, violist Caitlin Lynch asked the audience to imagine as she would also do while performing ….. is this the motion of hang-gliding or driving a fast car?  Feelings the music conjured were “…like you’re on a roller coaster, or caught up in a chase of various sorts, or Quiddich swooping, both frantic, nimble and fleet”.  There were no wrong answers and all enjoyed hearing each other’s imaginative descriptions!  Speaking on the music’s varied moods, Caitlin alluded to the composer’s life experiencing WWII German occupied Warsaw and the horrors of WWII, to life in lively Paris, her life experiences inspiring her “travelogue” composition, the journey emotionally growing from chaos to joy.

Ample time was purposely allotted for a question and answer session, the questions both serious and hilarious – and all were entertained in every sense of the word!  Musicians eagerly responded to questions: “What other instruments do you play?” Isabelle – violin, piano; Rachel – “as of late, bass drum, triangle, finger cymbals, violin with two strings” heard in Aeolus’ recent performance of Steve Mackey’s composition, “Memoir”; Caitlin – piano, percussion, voice.  When asked, Ari decided his favorite animal was the dog, despite the meaning of his Hebrew name, lion.  Other music the musicians also enjoy include: Ari – jazz, funk, Snarky Puppy, Pink Floyd, Queen, classic rock, Eastern Asian music; Caitlin – jazz, rock and country, influenced by her cowboy father; Rachel – music of all kinds and unique performance opportunities with stars such as Billie Eilish, and not Taylor Swift who was a fellow student at Wyomissing HS; Isabelle – K-Pop, music from Coachella, the Beatles and various other genres.  Isabelle expressed her appreciation for the special opportunity to perform alongside her revered, illustrious violin teacher, Donald Weilerstein, guest artist on viola in tonight’s Aeolus Quartet performance at the WCR.    

An astute student volunteered her experience enjoying the musicians’ obvious camaraderie and listening to their performance as, “looking at emotion – watching facial expression and body language – just as if they  were talking”, a grand and accurate summary of the special, intimate quality of chamber music and a confirmation that the Aeolus Quartet had truly connected with their audience! 

Thank you again, Angela, for nurturing and encouraging fine, respectful music students in their studies and all your efforts to ensure a worthwhile outreach presentation at Hamburg Area High School!

Sincerely,

Ellen Kitagawa Shapiro, Outreach Committee member, FOCM 

The post Hamburg Area High School Outreach with Aeolus Quartet first appeared on Friends of Chamber Music Reading.

On behalf of the Friends of Chamber Music of Reading (FOCM), I thank you for hosting the Daedalus Quartet including their guest pianist, Wyomissing native Matt Bengtson.

The Auditorium was set up as requested with Steinway piano on stage, music stands, chairs, piano bench for the cellist’s seat, hand held microphones available and approximately 100 interested music students in attendance from orchestra (60), music theory (10), show choir (30) and wind ensemble (40).

Min-Young Kim, first violinist, introduced her colleagues, Matilda Kaul, second violin, Jessica Thompson, viola, Thomas Kraines, cello and Matt Bengtson, piano after performance of the first movement of Brahms’ Quintet for Piano and Strings in F minor, Op. 34.

Contrasting with the serenity and familiarity of Brahms, “Measure”, a piece composed for Daedalus by their friend, Luke Carlson, commanded listener attention. The musicians explained that each of the four movements is a metaphor for the craft of composition. In the composer’s words, “Composing music consists of marking time, constructing sonorities, delineating form and contemplating proportions…” , revealing the “measure” of the piece. The first movement, “Dimensions – Line” employs different rhythms happening simultaneously, lots of repetitions performed intentionally not together, and echoing sounds. Min aptly described passages from it saying, “The scales in this piece will help us warm up!”

The second movement, entitled “Mechanics – Object” was described as a “breakdown” of an apparatus – in this case, the piano? We were asked by Tom to figure out the time signature while listening to rhythmic bow stick and snapping sounds created by both the stringed instruments and from inside the piano. The intrigued students heard time signatures of 8/4, 5/4, 4/4 and one said the music sounded like that of “Studio Ghibli”.  We learned that the rhythms of this movement mimicked those of Maurice Ravel’s Piano Trio, where the strings use 4/4 against the piano’s ostinato 7/8 even with irregular rhythms within its 7/8 meter.  If one attends this evening’s full length performance at 7:30pm at the WCR, they will be treated to the piece’s world premiere with the composer in attendance!  

The artists welcomed and encouraged students’ questions and impressions of what they were hearing and feeling.  One asked how the musicians worked together without a conductor. Matilda told of the knowledge each of them had of their own part plus those of their colleagues, including their body language and personal habits enabling all to subconsciously move together to feel the pulse of the piece. Accessing music on their IPads has become a bonus to easily locate passages for rehearsal.

We were treated to a “joke”, as Jessica explained the translation of “Scherzo”, the entitled third movement of the Brahms Quintet heard at the beginning of their presentation.  Characteristic of a “scherzo”, it is a quick movement. It began quietly with rhythmic cello plucks introducing a calm melody before a sudden eruption into a triumphant sounding theme that returns to calm but ends with a repeated, insistent two note figure that is unresolved.

A student asked a good question about the musicians’ body movements during performance – are they necessary? what do they add? what is their “language?” The musicians described the physical necessity of moving their bows which communicates much information to their colleagues – intent, timing, emotion, all necessities to “be on the same page”. While paying attention to their own part, they constantly watch each other to further insure their “ensemble” and sound and how they want to portray the music.  They demonstrated the drama of being together musically and emotionally performing the ending passages of a movement (“Dimensions”? “Tessellations”?) from “Measure”, which led to raising their bows in unison and triumph. 

Because the world premiere of the work “Measure” for Piano Quintet will take place at tonight’s full length concert at the WCR, Tom questioned the audience if they had ever been part of a “world premiere”, as performer, composer, audience member.

A few had responded as composers and performers.  Tom spoke of performance as individual and unique to the time, saying “this is what the piece means to me at this time”.  Matt expounded on musicians’ interpretation of music stating that “music notation can’t cover it all” and that musical interpretation is expected and inevitable and that composers want their music to be performed and enjoyed by both performer and listener. 

After the generous, informative presentation, students were eager to meet and converse with the performers and they, likewise, welcomed their enthusiasm and interest. 

Thank you again, Chris, for nurturing and encouraging your attentive, astute students and their musical interests and for ensuring everything in place for this memorable presentation at Boyertown Area High School.  

Sincerely, 

Ellen Kitagawa Shapiro, Outreach committee member, FOCM 

The post Boyertown High School Outreach first appeared on Friends of Chamber Music Reading.

Thank you so much for working with us to host an outreach program given by Curtis On Tour on Friday afternoon, 10-31-2025, at Fleetwood High School.

The audience of music students, grades 9 – 12, participating in orchestra, band and chorus numbered approximately 80 members.  Their attention was immediately engaged when the performers, Lynn Ye, pianist, Tzu-Yi Yu, clarinetist, and Juliette Tacchino, soprano began their program with questions to their audience.

The questions of “how many are pianists?” and even “how many have considered a profession as a pianist?” set the stage for an hour of sharing music with understanding and intrigued students of music.  Juliette, a recent graduate of Curtis and now a professional soprano, added a special layer of sparkle to the ensemble.

Juliette described highlights of Franz Schubert’s “The Shepherd on the Rock”, saying its prose came from 2 poets who musically depicted the human emotions of loneliness, sadness and hope.  The combination of clarinet, piano and soprano was an unusual one for Schubert, but all parts were used effectively.  We were inspired to listen for the shepherd (soprano) singing a lonely song into a valley and hearing its echo (clarinet); then to imagine the shepherd’s sadness as tears flowing into the river carrying it away; and finally hearing the uplift of hope of the shepherd anticipating the return of springtime. Juliette’s voice was heavenly, Tzu-Yi’s clarinet was soulful and lyrical and Lynn’s piano supported the lovely song so well.

The second treat was a performance of the second movement of Leonard Bernstein’s “Sonata for Clarinet and Piano”, his only sonata for wind instruments, said Tzu-Yi, before he wowed us with his sensitive, lyrical interpretation, beginning with introspection, followed by a syncopated and jazzy section, back to quiet reflection before lightheartedness returned with a jazzy, upbeat ending. 

Juliette opened her portrayal of “Whimsical Betrothal” or “engagements of love”, noting it’s a special piece for her, because of her father’s close friendship with its composer, Francis Poulenc. He was a French poet who loved playing with words and his songs of love are emotional but never heavy; instead, graceful, funny and full of life!  The first of three songs, “He Steals – (and he flees!)” – asks the question, does he steal her jewelry or her heart?  The second song,”My Corpse is as Soft as a Glove” has strange lyrics that graphically describe one’s body as an object, but resigned and at peace. The third song, “Violin” describes a loving couple.

All were sung with beauty and grace by Juliette whose body language and movements supported her convincing portrayal of the songs’ messages.

The question and answer session were enjoyed by performers and eager students alike!

A student asked, “What’s your favorite symphony? to which Tzu-Yi replied Bruckner, Juliette claimed Rachmaninoff’s 2nd Symphony, and Lynn said she admired and was fascinated by audience reactions to the music!

“How did you end up at Curtis?” elicited responses from two of the musicians who had to audition in 2022 under the constraints of the Covid epidemic.  Tzu-Yi described his round-about way to Curtis, attending a French school on the way before his “surprise” acceptance to Curtis!

“How much daily practice do you do?”  Juliette’s non-performance days include a 25 minute warm-up with 2-3 hours of practice but on concert days she saves her voice with 1 hour of practice; Lynn practices 3-4 hours per day and Tzu-Yi spends 2.5 hours of “efficient” and “focused” practice.

All perform with the Curtis Orchestra and they have to make time to connect with other artists for concerts.  Juliette has been fortunate to connect with Yannick Nezet-Seguin, Music and Artistic Director of the Philadelphia Orchestra and Director of the Metropolitan Opera among other titles.

“Any advice for aspiring musicians?”  Juliette answered this question with sage words, “trust yourself, listen to your body, believe in yourself, work hard, study hard, listen to your teachers, most important – choose what YOU want to do.”  And finally, “If you’ve enjoyed hearing these excerpts, come to the full length concert this evening at the WCR, where we’ll be joined by our colleague, Roberto Diaz, violist and President of The Curtis Institute of Music.”

On behalf of FOCM, thank you again for hosting our Curtis on Tour ensemble and for your part in nurturing attentive, respectful and astute students of music!

Sincerely, 

Ellen Kitagawa Shapiro

Outreach Committee, FOCM

The post Curtis On Tour visits Fleetwood Area High School first appeared on Friends of Chamber Music Reading.

On behalf of the Friends of Chamber Music of Reading (FOCM), I gratefully thank you for all your efforts to host our first ensemble of our 2025-2026 season, the Amara Trio, in their hour long outreach program. It was an extraordinary event from beginning to end!

Upon arrival to the school, we were warmly greeted by Nicole Weaver, who ably substituted for Tonna Dieter, High School Music Director, and led us to the auditorium.  130 students from orchestra, band and chorus from grades 9 – 12, were able to sit in “the best seats in the house”, namely directly in front of the performers to enjoy their performance.  The Trio, arranged in the “pit” and not on stage, performed mere feet away from their audience who were able to clearly hear and also see facial expressions and communication between the artists – a rare glimpse into true music making by real people!

Many of the students sported colorful and artful “senior day” outfits, which added even more to the festive, youthful exuberance of the artists in their sound which belied their collaboration of just two years!  

After introducing themselves, Christina, violinist, Nagyeom, cellist and Kevin, pianist, turned the tables and asked the audience about the instrument(s) they were studying.  With delight in the show of hands for both stringed instruments and even a few pianists, the Amara Trio then began their performance of two contrasting excerpts from tonight’s program.

Mozart’s Piano Trio No. 4 in E Major, K. 542, second movement, “Andante grazioso” was performed as described by the Trio, who envisioned a story of Cinderella (piano) getting ready for a ball, but contending with many mishaps and drama along the way! The third movement, “Allegro” was pure, sweet, delight with possible piano embellishments adding to its charm.  The Trio spoke about their importance of “unity” in spirit and character, telling of their idea of creating a story as a theme that all members could relate to and effectively employ, keeping them all “on the same page” in what they wish to convey to their audience.

An entirely different mood arrived with the powerful Shostakovich Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor, Op. 67 performed minus the first movement.  II. Allegro con brio’s energy grabs the listener and doesn’t relinquish its grip!  Sharp contrast occurs in III. Largo with its somber passacaglia chords intoning grief.  Attacca unites the last movement IV. Allegretto to its previous one, but in a totally different feeling, at first.  A macabre, menacing, exaggerated dance of death is felt and heard, moving to the violin and cello performing “col legno” a percussive technique where the wooden stick of the bow strikes the fingerboard as the music quiets, then returns to its impassioned, menacing tune and then quiets again before the somber passacaglia chords of the third movement are heard under the high, soft playing of the strings, eventually ending on a major chord, offering a possible glimmer of hope. 

The question and answer period proceeded smoothly with Nicole wisely circulating the hand held microphone to the questioners for the benefit of all.  The Trio was eager to share more of their insights, beyond the music’s interesting facts, such as the Largo movement was played at Shostakovich’s own funeral.

As an attest to the performers skill, tight ensemble and communication with the audience, the students’ questions were astute and insightful, reflecting their keen interest and reverance for the Amara Trio’s artistry and outreach program.  

Upon answering the question if the musicians played other instruments, Kevin, pianist, reached over to grab Christina’s violin and proceeded to wow us all with his lively Irish fiddling! He is obviously gifted on both instruments!

A question regarding the “workings” of an ensemble, “how do you react to each other?” elicited a thoughtful response from the Trio, who said, music is a physical thing that moves you emotionally as well as physically.  We have the essential good fortune to know and love each other (for 2 years now) and we anticipate how each other feels.  We make up stories or think of characters to embody the music in a way we all agree upon – it keeps us entertained and laughing – and united!   Above all, listen and react thoughtfully – it will lead to a productive rehearsal.  Enjoy the process and have fun whereever you are!

In their youthful optimistic outlook, clearly loving and enjoying their craft, the Amara Trio advise those seeking a career in music to “follow your heart and passion”, take ownership of your creativity, trust and believe in yourself – your body, heart and mind, and overall, have fun doing so!!

Also – practice scales so you don’t have to spend precious time doing so when your life gets more busy, be sure to have meaningful practice sessions, and be patient with yourself.

 After the students clustered around the superb musicians wanting to know more and more about them and their craft, we were treated to an “after show” by Nicole who showed us her baby guinea pigs, rabbits, snakes, lizards – the most unique and truly welcome way to end a wonderful early afternoon at Twin Valley HS.

Thank you again, Nicole and Tonna, for hosting our ensemble and cultivating attentive, astute and respectful students who shine with enthusiasm!

Ellen Kitagawa Shapiro, Outreach committee of FOCM

The post Twin Valley High School Outreach first appeared on Friends of Chamber Music Reading.