The Ahn Trio purveys imaginative artistry, glamour and confirmation that mainstream classical music continually evolves. Their concert celebrating Wolf Trap’s Founder’s Day is a scintillating evening of BraziliAHN, a co-commission Wolf Trap shares with Notre Dame University and the University of Florida. Angella, the violinist of the sisterly ensemble that includes twins Lucia at the piano and Maria on cello, enthused about the program of works inspired by the sounds and scenes of the largest country in South America.
“Maria had this idea for a long time,” she said. “She loves bossa nova and every kind of music coming out of Brazil, so we traveled there and met with their famous musicians. As the idea evolved, we worked with Brazilian singers and composers. When you listen to ‘Landscapes,’ a work Nelson Ayes wrote for us, you’re transported to Brazil and its picturesque countryside. This is one of our most fun programs.”
| Onstage |
| The Ahn Trio |
| Where: The Barns at Wolf Trap |
| When: 8 p.m. Friday |
| Info: $40 at 877-965-3872 or wolftrap.org |
The suite Ayes composed for the Ahn Trio has three movements. The first, “De bubuia,” evokes the feeling of traveling down a river, perhaps the Amazon, listening to surrounding sounds. The second, ‘Mantiqueira,” was inspired by an enormous mountain range, home to a lush environment, while the third movement, “Agreste,” depicts the hot, dry region of northeastern Brazil through energy and rhythm. The centerpiece of the concert, it shares the evening with arrangements of Brazilian folk songs and works infused with bossa nova, samba and other rhythms native to the country.
Born in Korea, the sisters moved to New York City in 1981 to attend the Juilliard School’s pre-college program. Once they arrived, they were exposed to jazz and other styles of music that caught their fancy and opened new horizons. As teenagers, they never intended to become a trio. It was not until they were working on their master’s degrees that the idea finally clicked.
“We didn’t come from a particularly musical family,” Angella said. “Our mother enjoyed music, but she was a writer and our father had a publishing business. Lucia was the leading force. She saw a piano in her kindergarten class and wouldn’t leave it alone, so the teacher encouraged our mother to get her a piano. Afterward, Marie and I picked our instruments at random and began practicing.
“We’re excited about going to Washington. The night before our Barns concert, we’ll perform a short program for the Korean president and his wife at a White House state dinner. The Wolf Trap audience knows us and what to expect, so we hope both audiences will be transported by the music and join us vicariously on stage.”
