YCA turns 50 - Free Performances tomorrow at Symphony Space in NYC!

50 years ago, Susan Wadsworth created Young Concert Artists to help young musicians begin their performing careers. 10 years ago we were lucky enough to be chosen as winners of the YCA auditions and we are so grateful to Susan and the whole YCA family who helped us turn our love of chamber music into a viable career!

I remember how intimidated I felt, looking down the impressive list of YCA alumni on the day of our final audition back in 2001. With musicians like Emanuel Ax, Richard Goode, Shmuel Ashkenasi, and Donald Weilerstein as well as ensembles like the Tokyo String Quartet, the Borromeo String Quartet and the St. Lawrence String Quartet, this is an extremely illustrious group and we are honored to be amongst them!

This Saturday, Feb. 19, over 100 of YCA's alumni and current artists will be performing a free marathon concert at Symphony Space in New York to honor YCA's 50th anniversary. The music will go from 11am-11pm and we Claremonts will play at the end of the 8pm hour (probably around 8:30). For a full schedule of musicians and repertoire, go to the YCA website: www.yca.org.

CD Review from allmusic.com

Here's another review of our Beethoven & Ravel disc, this one from allmusic.com...

"Though their composition is separated by an expanse of more than a century, both Beethoven's Op. 1 Piano Trios and Ravel's Piano Trio sought to reinvent and revitalize the genre. Unlike his predecessors, Beethoven envisioned the piano trio as a nearly symphonic medium, freeing the strings from constantly doubling the piano and instead casting them as full partners in the chamber music-making. Ravel also had orchestral ambitions in his piano trio, incorporating a variety of textures, timbres, and extended techniques to expand the ensemble's sound capabilities. Performing the Beethoven Op. 1/3 and Ravel trios is the Claremont Trio who, interestingly enough, programmed the same two compositions for its first performance together at the Juilliard School. Claremont's exuberant, robust sound goes a long way toward emphasizing the orchestral visions of the two composers. They also prove themselves to be a highly diverse ensemble by contrasting Beethoven's clean, crisp precision with Ravel's softer hushed sonorities and more fluid tempo. The trio plays with an obvious sense of connection and communication in its nicely matched articulation, organic rubato, and careful management of balance. In addition to its keen interpretive sense, Claremont brings an impeccable technique and precise intonation to the studio. Tria Records' sound quality is warm, spacious, and clean."

by Mike D. Brownell

http://www.allmusic.com/album/beethoven--ravel-w261937/review

WFMT broadcast - Feb. 10 at 12:15pm (Central Time Zone)

We had the great fortune to be in Chicago last week during their Groundhog Day blizzard! Despite nearly two feet of snow in 24 hours, 50 mph gusting winds, thunder snow(!), and grim weather predictions, our concert for the Dame Myra Hess series at the Chicago Cultural Center went on as planned. We had a small but enthusiastic audience who braved the elements to come, and now the performance will be broadcast on Chicago's WFMT tomorrow at 12:15pm (Central Time). We performed one of my favorite pieces, Beethoven's "Archduke" Trio in B flat Major, Op. 97.

Illinois fans can tune to 98.7, or everyone can listen to the streaming broadcast online at www.wfmt.com.

Enjoy!