ensemble/132
Ensemble/132 is an American collective of 11 soloists and chamber musicians of the highest caliber, uniting with a shared mission to reimagine the chamber music landscape. The only group of its kind to continually create and premiere new standards in the chamber music repertoire with its artist-crafted arrangements, ensemble/132 excites the imagination of audiences across the country with its uniquely genre-defying programs.
LUTHER WARREN – Violinist and violist Luther Warren has received numerous awards and appeared as soloist with several orchestras. His playing has been featured on National Public Radio and at festivals including the Perlman Music Program’s Chamber Music Workshop, Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, Four Seasons Chamber Music Festival, Taos School of Music,and Domaine Forget International Music Festival. He has performed with such artists as David Shifrin, Colin Carr, Ida Kavafian, Steven Tenenbom, and Hsin-Yun Huang. Luther has studied at the New England Conservatory in Boston with Donald Weilerstein, Miriam Fried, and Martha Katz.
SAHUN SAM HONG – Praised as an “artist of enormous prowess” (Verbier Festival Newsletter) with “lots of clarity, confidence, and wisdom” (New York Concert Review), pianist Sahun Sam Hong brings his colorful style and energy to the solo, chamber, and concerto stage. A founding member of ensemble/132, Sam is a prolific arranger of chamber music and orchestral works. Hong was the winner of the 2017 Vendome Prize at Verbier, and received Second Prize at the 2017 International Beethoven Competition Vienna. He was also a recipient of a 2021 American Pianists Award, and finalist in the 2018 International German Piano Award and 2017 American Pianists Awards.Sam recently won 3rd Prize in the 2023 Naumburg International Piano Competition! He will return to Easton June 13-15 for the Chesapeake Chamber Music Festival.
ZACHARY MOWITZ – A native of Princeton, NJ, cellist Zachary Mowitz made his solo debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra in July 2018. An artist who wears many hats, Zach co-founded ensemble/132, Nodality Music, and Trio St. Bernard – the 2018 winner of the Chesapeake Chamber Music Competition – and has performed in halls and festivals throughout the world. These include the Marlboro Music Festival, Gstaad Menuhin Festival, Perlman Music Program, Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium, and the Berlin Konzerthaus. Zach attended the Curtis Institute of Music, Royal College of Music, and Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel, where he worked with mentors such as Peter Wiley, Carter Brey, Richard Lester, and Gary Hoffman. In 2020, he was awarded First prize in the World Bach Competition.
ABI FAYETTE – Violinist Abi Fayette is the youngest of four children in a musical family. She received her bachelor’s degree from The Curtis Institute of Music studying with Ida Kavafian and masters degree from New England Conservatory under the tutelage of Soovin Kim. During the 2019-20 season, Fayette was in residence at the Curtis Institute of Music as a Community Artist fellow where she worked alongside teachers within the Philadelphia School District to create and expand music education programs. Abi was recently appointed Artistic Director of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. She is also a member of the Catalyst Quartet.
STEPHANIE ZYZAK – Violinist Stephanie Zyzak is gaining a reputation as one of the most soulful and profound musicians of her generation. She has performed as a soloist throughout Germany, Russia, Austria, Sweden, Spain, Italy, and France. She is a deeply passionate chamber musician, performing at festivals including the Marlboro Music Festival, Caramoor, Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute, and the Four Seasons Chamber Music Festival. Stephanie has collaborated with renowned artists such as Mitsuko Uchida, Jonathan Biss, Kim Kashkashian, Danny Phillips, Marcy Rosen, and Ida Kavafian.
Three extraordinary young classical musicians performed a dynamic and varied program at Easton’s Ebenezer Theater on Sunday afternoon, February 5th, with selections ranging from Mozart’s iconic Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola to Florence Price’s recently-rediscovered two Fantasies for violin and piano.
Violinist Randall Goosby, protégé of Itzhak Perlman and Catherine Cho, is now an international star and has debuted with the world’s most important orchestras. This past summer, he gave a sensational performance of Florence Price’s two violin concertos with the Philadelphia Orchestra under the direction of Yannick Nézet-Séguin. In 2020, Decca Classics signed Randall and sponsored his and pianist Zhu Wang’s debut album, Roots, which features music by African American composers. Reflecting on the album, Randall stated, “For me, music has always been a way to inspire others. It’s part of my quest as an artist to amplify Black voices in classical music, bringing heightened recognition to this incredible music.”
Pianist Zhu Wang, a post-baccalaureate Artist Diploma student of Robert McDonald at the Curtis Institute of Music, won first prize at the 2020 Young Concert Artists International Auditions in New York. The New York Times praised Zhu as “a superb pianist” and “a thoughtful, sensitive performer,” and other reviewers have praised his “technical mastery and deep sense of lyricism.” Zhu has performed in partnership with Randall since 2019, and, as a duo, they have been acclaimed for the sensitivity and intensity of their musicianship. Zhu began the February 5th concert with Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 16 in G Major, Opus 31, No. 1.
In 2021, violist Natalie Loughran won first prize at the prestigious Primrose International Viola Competition. She has performed extensively with the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra and toured internationally with the Budapest Festival Orchestra, directed by Ivan Fischer. Natalie recounted her musical collaboration with Randall stating, “I’m inspired by him every day! He’s doing amazing things and has an important voice right now. We have been rehearsing Sinfonia Concertante together and looking forward to performing it at the Ebenezer Theater.” Natalie also performed Schumann’s Fantasiestücke with Zhu Wang.
Randall and Zhu inaugurated Chesapeake Music’s Interlude Concert series just as they were beginning their rapid ascent to international acclaim. When the February 5th program was finalized Randall commented, “It was such a joy to present a virtual program for Chesapeake Music last season, especially given that we were all isolated due to COVID. Now that we’ve all adjusted to our new normal, Zhu and I are thrilled to perform ‘live – in person, this time joined by the incredible violist Natalie Loughran.”
ABEO QUARTET
Franz Joseph Haydn
String Quartet in D minor, Opus 76, No. 2
Allegro
Andante o più tosto allegretto
Menuetto
Finale: Vivace Assai
AERO QUARTET
Salvatore Sciarrino
Pagine (1998)
Allegro L.223 (D. Scarlatti)
Madrigali: II Tu m’uccidi, o crudele (C. Gesualdo)
Who Cares? (G. Gershwin)
O Virgo splendens (Anonymous, 14th Century)
I’ve Got You Under My Skin (C. Porter)
Fughetta (J.S. Bach)
Arturo Marquez
Danzon No. 5 (Portales de Madrugada) (1997)
David Maslanka
Recitation Book (2006)
V. Fanfare/Variations on “Dutch Adam’s Fall” (Through Adam’s Fall)
Stars of the Next Generation
Randall Goosby, violin Natalie Loughran, viola Zhu Wang, piano
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat for Violin, Viola & Piano, K.364
Allegro maestoso
Andante
Presto
CALIDORE STRING QUARTET
Bedřich Smetana
Quartet in E minor No. 1 “From My Life”
Allegro vivo appassionato
Allegro moderato à la Polka
Largo sostenuto
Vivace