Mon Jul 21 12:00

Oxbow Piano Trio

First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa | 30 Cleary Ave

The Oxbow Trio offers a thoughtful programme that reflects on the weight of challenging times while charting a path toward hope.

The journey begins with Haydn’s Piano Trio in G Minor, a work tinged with melancholy yet illuminated by moments of warmth and optimism. It sets the stage for the emotional heart of the programme: Shostakovich’s Piano Trio No. 2 in E Minor. Premiered in 1944 and dedicated to the memory of a close friend, this pivotal work deals with themes of loss, injustice, and the composer’s relationship with his Jewish identity. The final movement draws on Jewish folk themes, reportedly inspired by harrowing accounts Shostakovich read of atrocities in death camps during the Second World War.

From the shadows of Shostakovich’s trio, the programme moves into the gentle, luminous textures of the first movement of Jennifer Higdon’s Piano Trio: Pale Yellow. A quiet sense of renewal emerges, as Higdon’s music unfolds with delicate optimism. To conclude, the Trio presents Piazzolla’s beloved Verano Porteño — rhythmic, bold, and celebratory — a reminder to seek light and resilience, even in difficult times.

Violinist David Thies-Thompson, cellist Leah Wyber, both familiar faces from the National Arts Centre Orchestra, are joined by sought-after pianist Nicole Presentey deliver a carefully curated, emotionally rich afternoon of chamber music.