Outreach Event with the 3Esprit Trio at Edgewood Fine Arts Academy January 27, 2025
On Monday, January 27 just before 9:00AM, violinist Joseph Lin, cellist Raman Ramakrishnan and I arrived at the Edgewood Fine Arts Academy on the west side of San Antonio. At the parking lot, we were greeted by the smiling orchestra director Michael Borroel, who ushered us into the building: “They’re super open, they’re quick, they’re going to be excited to hear anything you have to tell them…” he said eagerly about the high school music students we were about to encounter. We walked down the long hallway until we reached a room with a small stage and an upright piano. The 40 or so students were already waiting. “Give us just a minute to get out our instruments and tune, and we’ll get started!” I belted out.
They were already attentive, politely observing us as we set up quickly on stage and began to tune – I knew right away that this crowd of students would be appreciative. We began with the Scherzo and Finale movements from Beethoven’s Piano Trio in G major, op. 1 no. 2. Playing some brief examples of the moody Beethoven we all know and love (the 5th symphony, the “Moonlight” sonata), I explained that this earlier work from Beethoven is actually light and humorous. His Scherzo movement is a more fun, adrenaline-filled version of a Minuet, with plenty of playful dialogue between the instruments and a goofy middle section that pretends to be in a serious minor key. “Listen for the sudden changes in character or mood, and see if you can tell how the melody is passed around between the instruments,” I suggested. “In chamber music like this, the conversation between the performers is unfolding all the time.”
After that tongue-in-cheek dance, we launched into the more raucous Finale movement, which emulates the carefree style of Beethoven’s mentor Haydn. The main melody is hilariously simple: a single note repeated as fast as possible 10 times before rising in arpeggiation. Flowing between the instruments, it’s a nonstop ride from beginning to the end, with the except of a false slow-down that lulls the listener before one final celebratory barrage. This elicited enthusiastic applause from the students.
Violinist Joseph Lin took over for an explanation of Kodaly’s Duo for Violin and Cello, inviting the students to notice a surprising connection to the Beethoven: that repeated 10-note motive from the finale they had just heard (on the note G) is exactly how the finale of Kodaly’s Duo begins with the cello. “It’s amazing,” he explained, “how separate composers can take the same musical material and do something very different with it.” Joseph and Raman then proceeded to play Kodaly’s finale, which is a dramatic, heavy and virtuosic dance that leaves the performers emotionally and spiritually exhausted. This music is raw and primal, based on folk music from Eastern Europe. After their performance, Joseph invited the students to express how they felt. “Intense … Dramatic … I thought you were going to damage your instrument!” were some of the responses. “Do you think this music was written after the Beethoven, or before?” Joseph asked. “After!” several students replied.
An engaging Q&A to cap off the event led to some interesting discussion. Among the questions was, “I know you guys have played all over the world… what is your favorite place you’ve ever performed?” Raman’s response was a personal one. He explained that while he’s certainly performed in some very special recital halls across Europe, Asia and the United States, the most moving place for him was his old high school on Long Island, where the audience included some of his old teachers from his childhood. Something about returning to a place where he grew up, performing for people he knew had a long-term investment in him and cared for him, was more special than any professional acoustic or architectural beauty could achieve.
The faculty and students at the Edgewood Fine Arts Academy were a gracious, attentive hosts, and the impact this musical event had on them was clearly felt. This school deserves another visit, and I look forward to it.
– Submitted by Daniel Anastasio
