Classical Rising Stars – The Ahn SistersRead Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com To read this entire feature FREE with photos cut and paste this link: http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/classic/vegas/rising/rising.html
was treated to both, thanks to
Ahn Trio and baritone vocalist Christópheren Nomura. Tonight's performance at Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall was part of UNLV's Charles Vanda Master Series of fascinating performers.
Gee, nobody ever wrote music for me! Of course, these ladies were studying at Juilliard School at an age when a swing set interested me more than my saxophone lessons. Darned prodigies. The Ahn Trio performed several compositions written especially for them, and these pieces showcased enthusiastic, expressive performance that has earned these ladies rave reviews for years now.
The first piece, challenging 'Swing Shift' by Kenji Bunch, was intended to depict nightlife in New York. Too modern! Clunky and repetitive, it was like a bumpy ride on subway. After this odd start, I was relieved to hear somber, melodic 'Lullaby' by Ronn Yedidia and especially musical variety of 'Diamond World' by Eric Ewazen. This third piece featured wonderful harmonies and chord progressions that sounded freshly un-classical but not weirdly modernistic like Bunch piece.
A trio is perfect for allowing listener to pick out individual instruments while also enjoying ensemble sound. Since tonight's music was written for Trio, music was well suited to this way of listening. Maria's cello, Angella's violin, and Lucia's piano constantly overlapped in their parts, one handing melody off to another and picking up background harmony. Body language was used for coordination, and I knew a change in music was usually imminent whenever Maria glanced over her shoulder to see exactly when Lucia would strike her next note or chord.
Okay, not every piece was actually written for Ahn Trio. The Doors' song 'Riders on Storm' is a favorite of Lucia's, and Czech composer Michal Rataj had transcribed tune for Trio to play. I was skeptical at first, but it really worked! It also explained tennis ball sitting on piano: while other two ladies depicted rising winds at beginning with quick, nervous tremolos on their strings, Lucia bounced ball on grand piano's wires to simulate thunder. Betcha never saw Horowitz do that. It was clever and quite convincing, and following it was a marvelous intro of eighth notes on cello backed by beautifully cascading keyboard notes. Angella carried melody in first verse and later provided some very stylish 'garnish' as Maria and then Lucia took melody, latter playing jazzy, syncopated chords. The song ended with more storm sounds that trailed off quietly but with surprising intensity. It was better than original! You can hear this song on trio's "Groovebox" CD.
The last programmed piece was 'Primavera Portena' by Astor Piazzolla. This was genuine Argentine tango music: tricky rhythms carried by instruments rather than percussion, and great energy combined with old-world romance and sensuality. A couple I later visited with agreed that you could almost hear accordion that usually is an integral part of such music.
