Philip Payton, violin

WWCMF lifer and violinist Philip Payton is a popular guy around Walla Walla. He is friendly. That’s a fact. He also loves every aspect of this community, and attempts to visit every corner during his annual June residency.

For his Portrait of an Artist recital, he can cross one of the more scenically beautiful corners of Walla Walla off his list, that being the bucolic super-venue, Garrison Creek Cellars. Come spend an hour getting to know Phil: what makes him tick, and what he’s excited about musically.

This consummate artist enjoys a career of wide variety on Broadway, in pop culture and classical music. Concertmaster for Jay-Z at Carnegie Hall? You bet. The Late Show? Yup. What about SNL? Well, at this point you better come to the performance and find out for yourself! Featuring music by Brahms, Piazzolla and Turina among others.

Artists: Winston Choi, piano; Timothy Christie, viola; Norbert Lewandowski, cello; Christina McGann, violin; Stephen Miahky, violin; and Philip Payton, violin.

Night Music

Night Music. Brings to mind Bob Seger and his evident work regarding “night moves.” However, we at WWCMF are taking a different tack. Night means all sorts of things. For example, there are animals that only come out at night. Turns out, these animals make different sounds than those that inhabit daylight. Béla Bartók was a composer who was famously fascinated by night sounds. His Third String Quartet stands as a great example of music conceived with a nocturnal soundscape in mind.

But Bartók is modern, you say. Yes, ’tis true. However, the night occupied classicists, modernists and romantics alike. That’s why we are placing a little bit of each on this program. I don’t need to say anything about Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, do I? And what about poor Schubert? He worked on his “night moves,” too. Enter the Notturno in E Flat, D. 897, which stands as a late masterpiece by Schubert, as late as we can consider age 31 to be.

So, join us for a little bit of night music. We’ll throw in a little bit of Nachtmusik for free.

Franz Schubert (1797-1828)

Notturno In E Flat, D. 897 (1827)

I. Adagio

Béla Bartók (1881-1945)

String Quartet No. 3 (1927)

I. Prima parte: Moderato

II. Seconda parte: Allegro

III. Recapitulazione della prima parte: Moderato

IV. Coda: Allegro molto

INTERMISSION

Joaquín Turina (1882-1949)

Circulo, Op. 91 (1936) For Piano Trio

I. Amanecer

II. Mediodia

III. Crepúsculo

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Serenade In G, K. 525 (1787) Eine Kleine Nachtmusik

I. Allegro

II. Romanze: Andante

III. Menuetto: Allegretto

IV. Rondo: Allegro

Artists: Norbert Lewandowski, cello; Christina McGann, violin; Jingwen Tu, piano; and the Girsky String Quartet: Natasha Bazhanov, violin; Timothy Christie, viola; Artur Girsky, violin; and Rowena Hammill, cello.

Tonight’s performance has been made possible by the generosity of Iain and Stephanida Christie. The Steinway grand piano has been generously provided by the Walla Walla Piano Group.

James Stephenson (b. 1969)

LAST CHANTS (2015) FOR PIANO, VIOLIN, VIOLA, CELLO AND CLARINET

Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival Commission

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

VIER ERNSTE GESÄNGE, OP. 121

arr. Barnaby Kerekes

I. Denn es gehet dem Menschen

II. Ich wandte mich und sahe an alle

III. O Tod, wie bitter bist du

IV. Wenn ich mit Menschen und mit Engelszungen redete

INTERMISSION

Joaquín Turina (1882-1949)

LA ORACIÓN DEL TORERO (1925) FOR STRING QUARTET

Bohuslav Martinů (1890-1959)

LA REVÛE DE CUISINE (1927)

Jazz Suite and Ballet for clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, violin, cello & piano

I. Prologue

II. Tango

III. Charleston

IV. Finale

Artists: Timothy Christie, viola; Billy Ray Hunter, trumpet; Peter Kolkay, bassoon; Norbert Lewandowski, cello; Anna Maberry, Violin; Philip Payton, violin; Maria Sampen, violin; Kevin Schempf, clarinet; Weston Sprott, trombone; and Anna Stoytcheva, piano.

The Icicle Creek Piano Trio performs music by Turina, Haydn, Bach and Ravel. Plus, a world premiere string quartet by Washington composer, Robert Hutchinson

Opening night of the 2010 Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival Series! The program begins with the World Premiere of a new String Quartet by Washington composer, Robert Hutchinson. Then, the critically acclaimed Icicle Creek Piano Trio takes to the stage to perform works by Haydn, Turina, Bach and Ravel.

Whether it’s the Baroque poise of Bach’s B Minor Sonata for Violin and Keyboard, the classical charm of Haydn’s Trio in E Major, Hob. XV:28, or the sheer impressionist virtuosity of the Ravel Trio, you will see why the Icicle Creek Piano Trio is one of the rising stars of the classical music world. Their 2009 recording of the Schubert E Flat Trio and the Ravel Trio (Con Brio Recordings) has garnered much praise.

“The playing is warmly considered, meticulous in articulation and blend, and silken in sonority.”

—Gramophone Magazine

This is your one chance to hear the Icicle Creek Piano Trio during the 2010 Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival. Don’t miss it!