Chamber music, composed for a small number of performers and a variety of musical instruments, is among the most intimate forms of classical music. Reminiscent of the past, it harkens back to a time when the Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI look-alikes of Paris would crowd into private "chambers" to listen to these groups-and eat cake.
Nowadays, classical music is not limited to the bourgeoisie, although all too often it might labeled as too cerebral, intimidating or even boring by the mere mortal and consequently thrown to the wayside. But the truth is, classical music is capable of so much more than the overplayed, one-dimensional pop song and is usually much more rewarding. The Gryphon Trio, the premiere string chamber group of Canada arrives at Duke as a testament to the versatility, excitement and passion that classical music brings to the patient ear.
Based in Toronto, the Gryphon Trio consists of pianist Jamie Parker and husband-and-wife string duo violinist Annalee Patipatanakoon and cellist Roman Borys, all virtuoso performers on their respective instruments. The Gryphons, who are all faculty members at the University of Toronto School of Music, recently won a Juno award-the Canadian equivalent of a Grammy.
The trio is currently celebrating its 15th season together, though it took a while for the three of them to connect as chamber musicians. Patipatanakoon and Borys met at Indiana University, where they played and studied trio repertoire together, and got married a few years ago. After all three musicians surreptitiously met while studying at the Banff Centre in the Canadian Rockies, the Gryphon Trio was born.
The group has recorded 10 records on the Analetka label to date. In their 15 years together, the Gryphons have grown into seasoned veterans of the chamber music circuit and are as well rounded as "classical" musicians come.
"We enjoy playing Haydn and the Romantics to the 20th century composers like Shostakovich," Parker said. "We've also commissioned 50 new works, so we enjoy the challenges of modern music."
Interestingly enough, the Gryphon Trio is named after the mythical half-lion, half-eagle creature regarded as "a guardian of treasures and a symbol of the connection between psychic energy and cosmic force." The Trio's repertoire seeks to project this inherent energy and force into the audience by performing their treasure trove of pieces ranging from the classical to the modern eras. The program will begin with the last Brahms piano trio, a "very dramatic and concise work." The night will also include the American premiere of a modern work written by Ukrainian composer Valentin Silvestrov, of which the Gryphons already played the World Premiere in Kiev this September.
"The work is a lovely, dreamy reminiscence of Mozart-as if heard through veils and memories," Parker said. "So there's no need to be afraid of this piece of modern music."
Lastly, the Trio will perform the Schubert B-flat major piano trio and maybe even tantalize the audience with a tango encore. The Gryphons have high expectations for the performance.
"We hope that the audience enjoys the intimacy and excitement of chamber music. There's only the three of us, so we're busy passing melodies and rhythmic energy back and forth constantly," Parker said.
Let's face it-classical music can sometimes get a bad rap. But on Saturday night, the Gryphon Trio is sure to stun the non-believers with a show that asks as much of the listener as it may demand of the performer, but will reward manifold.
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