Chamber Music

I am in the midst of some great chamber music making. It is truly one of my favorite things to do. I feel blessed to have the wonderful opportunities to perform amazing music with treasured friends and colleagues.

I think that what enamors me the most about chamber music is the ‘team spirit’ involved. Most musical decisions are made as a group; including larger issues such as tempo, structure, character...as well as finer details like articulation length and dynamic shadings. At the same time, thousands of decisions are made by the individual in any given rehearsal or performance. I love that you can hear every line at all times; the blending of phrase, intonation and color is so fantastic. These decisions, both group and individual, come together for the greater good, so to speak. It is truly a case of the final product being greater than the sum of its parts. Gestalt. Love it.

I would love to hear some of the chamber music you are all playing these days! For those interested, here are some of the pieces I am currently involved with:

Rage against the machine, Scott Stinson. An exciting, new quartet for two Bb’s and two Bass clarinets

Sextet for Strings, Clarinet, Horn and Piano, Dohnanyi

Two, Scott Flavin. A brand new, beautiful duo for Clarinet and Violin

Quintet for Winds and Piano, Mozart

Suite for Clarinet, Violin and Piano; Milhaud

Trio for Clarinet, Violin and Piano, Khatchaturian

Trio for Clarinet, Horn and Piano; Gustav Jenner

Trio Pathetique, Glinka