The Morgenstern Trio has spent the last six days hopping across the country, taking its chamber ensemble sound from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to the Kalamazoo music festival in Michigan, on to Naples, Fla., and finally, making its Washington debut Thursday at the Kennedy Center. “Thanks to winning the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson International Trio Award in 2010, we get to many great places throughout the U.S.,” said cellist Emanuel Wehse. The trio has already made a name for itself touring throughout Germany, Austria and Finland. “Now, it is such a great honor to be playing at the [Kennedy Center] and we are so looking forward to playing in this wonderful hall.”
Wehse, pianist Catherine Klipfel and violinist Stefan Hempel named themselves for German poet, author and humorist Christian Morgenstern when they formed in 2005 at the Folkwang Academy in Essen. After two years of intensive work, they began collecting a cache of prestigious awards in their homeland. Numerous worldwide radio broadcasts followed, and in 2008, the ensemble made its debut recording, playing works by Beethoven and Brahms.
| Onstage |
| The Morgenstern Trio |
| » Where: Terrace Theater, Kennedy Center Concert Hall, 2700 F St. NW |
| » When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday |
| » Info: $32; 800-444-1324, 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org |
“We are delighted to present the Morgenstern Trio at the Kennedy Center,” said Jamie Broumas, director of the Fortas Chamber Music Concerts series. “As part of our charter, the Fortas Concert series is committed to presenting and nurturing the finest emerging chamber ensembles.The Morgenstern Trio is a brilliant example of the excellence of young talent on the world stage today.”
For its Kennedy Center debut, the trio will present Ravel’s Piano Trio in A minor, Bernstein’s Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano, and Brahms’ Piano Trio
No. 1 in B major, Op. 8.
With copious works written for trios such as theirs, choosing works is always a challenge. However, there are criteria the musicians follow.
“We are looking for the musical sense, for the expression that comes out of it and for the composer’s intention,” Wehse said. “If we find a good piece that should be played, then we can make it a great deal.”
Wehse promises to bring new insight to the pieces that audiences have heard before.
“I think audiences will hear how we understand the music,” he said. “We are just happy that we have the opportunity to bring it to the people.”
