Ella Tran of the Yolutra Trio performed brilliantly with violinist Steven Lu and cellist Danielle Yoon, performing Brahms trio no. 1 (mvt 1) and the scherzo movement of Babajanian’s riveting trio. You received a stellar review from the Dallas Morning News. AND - your performance was just broadcast on WRR. Incredible work!
From Dallas News.com: “They began with as deeply felt and warmly shaped a first movement of the Brahms B major (Op. 8) as you’ll hear anywhere.... The third movement (Allegro vivace) of the 20th-century Armenian composer Arno Babadjanian’s F-sharp minor Piano Trio couldn’t have been more different. Its rugged, rowdy music was brilliantly dispatched, without slighting lyric episodes.” Bravo! Here is the full review: https://www.dallasnews.com/arts-entertainment/performing-arts/2023/07/10/review-impressive-new-chamber-orchestra-piano-trio-open-basically-beethoven-festival/
Ella is now a freshman studying piano at TCU on a full scholarship.
———
The following performance featured a brilliant performance of Mozart’s Kegelstatt trio, featuring our very own Melody Guo. Melody was also the first prize winner of the 2023 Collin County Young Artist Competition - and gave a brilliant performance of the first movement of Rachmnaninoff’s concerto no. 1 with the excellent. Plano Symphony. Her trio was likewise praised by the Dallas News critic, Scott Cantrell:
“In the pre-concert “Rising Stars” performance it was almost incredible that the three musicians playing Mozart’s Kegelstatt Trio (K. 498) were “mere” high schoolers. But Nicole Johnson spun out the clarinet’s lines with warm tone and suave phrasing and Maanas Varma delivered the technically challenging viola part with impressive assurance. Pianist Melody Guo’s collaboration was as sensitive as it was sure fingered.”
Here is a link to the full review: https://www.dallasnews.com/arts-entertainment/performing-arts/2023/07/17/review-basically-beethoven-presents-a-lively-program-for-winds-and-piano/
———
A final solo performance by our very own Tony Lu was also highly praised for his excellent Beethoven op. 31 no. 3 and his Dutillieux sonata. Tony was recognized at the festival for ranking second at the national round of the MTNA competition just a few years before. His excellent review can be found here: https://www.dallasnews.com/arts-entertainment/performing-arts/2023/07/31/review-a-fine-finale-for-this-years-basically-beethoven-festival/
Congratulations to all!