Date: Fri 22-Sep-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Illustration: C

Location: A-11

Quick Words:

Eroica-Trio-Nickrenz-Pena

Full Text:

Classical Music Views

The Eroica Trio At Fairfield High School

(with photo)

By Vadim Prokharov

FAIRFIELD - There is no sense in crying about your hair if your head has been

cut off, goes the saying.

If music programs have been taken away from public schools in the 80s (in some

cases as early as the 60s), why cry about the lack of interest among the

younger generations and the absence of younger audiences? The only solution to

have hair again is to grow a new head; it is amazing how quickly the human

spirit and activities are able to do it.

Just a few years back, the music programs in Fairfield public schools were

rapidly evaporating under severe budget cuts. But people in the schools did

not give up. In addition, new people came who both cared and could have things

done. And look, now Fairfield has 30 music teachers, and music is taken very

seriously on every level of the administrative ladder.

Fairfield High School, for example, has three orchestras: symphony (70

students), concert (45), and freshman (50); two choruses, four bands, jazz

ensembles, two classes of music theory and composition, an electronic

instruments lab and private instrumental lessons.

As the result of all these efforts, for the last few years the Fairfield High

School students have gone to Juilliard and Manhattan Schools of Music, Oberlin

Conservatory, and Eastman School of Music, among others. In 1994, 17 students

were accepted into the music programs of different colleges, and this academic

year, four students are attending the pre-college division of Juilliard.

So it is not surprising that it was Dorothy Straub, music coordinator of

Fairfield public schools and a member of the Advisory Council of the South

Shore Music Festival, who readily responded to the appeal of its president,

Marianne Liberatore, to organize an outreach program for the local schools.

Marianne Liberatore raised money so that musicians who perform for South Shore

could be paid for playing in the district's schools.

In May, pianist Mark Anderson performed at Weston High. In June, violinist

Jennifer Koh played at Fairfield High. This program climaxed recently with The

Eroica Piano Trio from New York playing at Fairfield Woods and Tomlinson

Middle Schools on Wednesday; New Canaan and Wilton Middle Schools on Friday.

Friday evening, they gave a recital at Pequot Library, and on Saturday

morning, a concert for children.

On Thursday, Erica Nickrenz (piano), Adela Pena (violin) and Sara

Sant-Ambrogio (cello) spent five hours at Fairfield High School. They played

and conducted two workshops for those students who participate in the school's

music programs and groups which are directed by music teachers Debby Graser,

Jim Papp, Dorothy Straub and Rodger Thulin. The Trio's open style of music

presentation and equally open way of conversing easily won the students'

attention, awakening their interest and making them their friends.

The members of the Trio are themselves friends. They have known each other

from their childhood, went to the same schools, and later attended Juilliard.

They started playing at a very early age and realized quite early, too, what

was their vocation.

In their playing and short remarks on the composers and compositions

performed, the musicians managed to convey to students this sense of

friendship and devotion to their profession. But playing and talking about the

compositions are never enough when one plays in school. The listeners'

questions - this is what makes a lecture become a conversation.

The musicians answered the questions intelligibly (although sometimes

simplistically), catching but without pushing, emotionally charged but never

sentimental. The students responded to such openness with attentive listening

and sincerity in questions.

The Trio's visit to the school ended with a workshop where the advanced music

students who belong to The Modern Music Masters, the international honor

society, played the first movement of Mozart's Clarinet Quartet (K.581) . The

talk became serious and professional: about balance, phrasing, structure and

timbre. All this, with mutual trust and understanding.

For students, to play for professional musicians is always a tremendous

inspiration. It adds a positive tension, an edge to their performance. The

students' playing was quite accomplished, especially that of clarinetist

Katherine Seveer, a Juilliard pre-college student, who impressed the visitors

with the natural phrasing, mature technique and breathing of her playing.

As with any language, you need to speak musical language to understand music.

With the help of enthusiastic teachers, the students of Fairfield High School

without a doubt speak it.