The young members of the Claremont Trio
– 25-year-old pianist Donna Kwong and 23-year-old twin sisters
Emily Bruskin (violin) and Julia Bruskin (cello) – are already
veterans of the unique experience called Bargemusic.
"We played there last season, and we’ve all certainly been
there as audience members," Kwong told GO Brooklyn by telephone
from South Dakota where the trio was on tour. "It’s a great
space for chamber music – it’s the kind of intimate place that
the term ’chamber music’ is all about."
For its Nov. 8-9 Bargemusic concerts, the trio is performing
music by composers both familiar and not: Nocturnes by Swiss
composer Ernest Bloch and trios by Mozart and the Czech composer
Bedrich Smetana.
"We like to play contrasting, interesting programs of works
we all believe in and enjoy playing," Kwong explains. "We
always want to make sure there is music from different periods."
That there certainly is as Mozart’s trio was written in 1786,
Smetana’s trio in 1855 and Bloch’s Nocturnes in 1924.
When Mozart was at the height of his powers, the piano trio was
considered a lightweight form, but – as he did with the string
quintet, the concerto and the symphony – Mozart’s sheer genius
helped elevate the genre.
His B-flat Major Trio is, as Kwong notes, one of his best-known
chamber works: "Everything you associate with Mozart is
in it – operatic-like melodies, grace and refinement."
Both Bloch and Smetana are composers who are remembered for only
a few works: Bloch’s cello concerto "Schelomo," Smetana’s
opera "The Bartered Bride" and symphonic poem "Ma
Vlast." But they were strong chamber-music composers as
well, especially Smetana, whose "From My Life" string
quartet is a cornerstone of that repertoire.
"With the Bloch and the Smetana works, we tried to find
things that are less mainstream," Kwong says. "They’re
not obscure by any means, but they’re less often played than
the Mozart piece.
"The Bloch nocturnes [or "night music"] are very
short. They are really character pieces conveying different atmospheres
and moods and are very poetic and pictorial in nature,"
the pianist continues. "They’re really cute, and fun to
play."
Smetana’s G Minor Trio (the only piano trio he composed) came
about in 1855 after the tragic death of his young daughter.
"It’s a very emotional work," Kwong concedes. "He
was grieving when he wrote this work, so there are a lot of tragic
moments in it. It starts off as an elegy of sorts, but somehow
he works through all of that pain, and by the end it’s more optimistic.
"Also, throughout the trio, he incorporates nationalistic
elements, like Czech dances and folk-tune rhythms. So it’s not
a depressing piece by any means to listen to or play."
Although they’ve only been playing together since 1999, the women
mesh as a unit with a talent and maturity beyond their years.
"We have such strong opinions and we complement each other
well, so we are rarely at odds," Kwong explains. "[Emily
and Julia] have always played together, so it’s really nice for
me to play with people who get along and are so familiar with
each other’s musical styles."
The three Manhattan residents were all students at Juilliard,
yet they didn’t meet there, Kwong says.
"I’ll just give you the short version," she laughs.
"I originally met Julia at a summer festival in Taos, New
Mexico. We ended up playing together and had a good time. So
we decided to look at some trio repertoire to play, and I asked
Julia if she knew any violinists, and she said yes, my twin sister
isn’t bad!"
In this rocky time for classical companies, Kwong insists that
the trio isn’t concerned with a lack of opportunities to make
recordings. Indeed, their on-the-road schedule is non-stop, including
another local performance: the world premiere of a piano trio
by New Haven, Conn. composer Daniel Kellogg (Dec. 4 at Merkin
Concert Hall in Manhattan).
That’s just fine with the Claremont Trio.
"Performing is the most exciting for us," Kwong exclaims.
"It’s spontaneous, in-the-moment and it’s interactive, something
we all love to do."
The Claremont Trio performs Bloch, Mozart
and Smetana Nov. 8 at 7:30 pm and Nov. 9 at at 4 pm at Bargemusic
(Fulton Ferry Landing in Brooklyn Heights). Tickets are $35,
$20 for full-time students. For more information, call (718)
624-2083 or visit www.bargemusic.org.
