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Beaux Arts Trio Concert July 12 To Feature Two New Members
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Superb musicians, a distinguished history, comprehensive repertoire and an expansive discography have established the Beaux Arts Trio as a hallmark in the interpretation and performance of chamber music worldwide.
The trio will perform July 12 at 8 p.m. in the Musical Arts Center on the Indiana University campus in Bloomington.
For 43 years, the Beaux Arts Trio has consistently maintained its vitality while preserving its distinctive musical heritage. Menahem Pressler, IU Distinguished Professor of music, has been the pianist in the trio from the beginning -- when he joined Daniel Guilet, concertmaster of the NBC Symphony Orchestra, and cellist Bernard Greenhouse for three weeks in 1955 to record all the Mozart trios and to make nine recordings. Guilet was succeeded by violinist Isidore Cohen in 1969; and cellist Peter Wiley took Greenhouse's place in 1987. Violinist Ida Kavafian debuted with the trio in 1992.
Kavafian and Wiley have since changed musical directions, and the current Beaux Arts Trio features violinist Young Uck Kim and cellist Antonio Meneses.
"At this point in my life I would only want a trio with musicians of this caliber," said Pressler. "Each must be a consummate player and each must be a chamber musician."
Kim, who is considered one of the world's great violinists currently, has a full schedule of recitals, chamber music and orchestra tours. He has recorded the complete Mozart violin concerti with the London Philharmonic and Christoph Eschenbach, the Dvoák trios with Emanuel Ax and Yo Yo Ma for CBS, and the Mozart and Schumann piano quartets.
Meneses began studying the cello at age 10 and won first prize and the gold medal at the 1982 Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. He performs regularly as a soloist with the world's leading orchestras, including those of Berlin, London, Amsterdam, New York, Vienna and Moscow. He also plays chamber music works with such groups as the Vermer Quartet in Europe and Japan, the Amati Quartet, the Carmina Quartet, and each season with the Casals Hall Quartet in Japan.
The Beaux Arts Trio's IU concert will include Beethoven's Trio in B-flat Major, Op. 11; Ravel's Trio in A Minor; and Tchaikovsky's Trio in A Minor, Op. 50.
"My preparation for performance enhances my teaching," said Pressler, who is probably one of the most indefatigable teacher/musicians. He still teaches a full-time schedule of 18 students and performs full concert tours annually.
"Bloomington is the most difficult place to play because all of my students are watching," he said.
"People ask me, 'Menahem, why do you need that trio now? Why don't you take it easy?' Well, I don't like to take it easy. I struggle with my music and the struggle makes me strong."
Tickets for the July 12 concert are $10 general admission and $5 for students. They may be ordered from the Musical Arts Center box office, 812-855-7433 or from any TicketMaster outlet.
(Erik Novak, Office of Communications and Marketing, 812-855-0089 or 812-855-3911, enovak@indiana.edu)