Neave Trio, from left: violinist Anna Williams, pianist Eri Nakamura, cellist Mikhail Veselov. RT Moeller photograph
The Neave Trio gets around.
Using their residency at Cambridge’s Longy School of Music as a home base, pianist Eri Nakamura, cellist Mikhail Veselov and violinist Anna Williams offer February concerts there and at Gordon College, at Brown University, and at Rehoboth’s Arts in the Village chamber series.
The group performs the characteristic repertory that they have explored since they were formed in 2010. Focusing largely on women composers, Neave Trio has made sure that audiences get repeated listenings to the often overlooked creations of Amy Beach, Cécile Chaminade, Louise Farrenc and others.
They supplement those compositions with works from the standard repertory as well—Rachmaninov, Ravel and Brahms are featured on their next disc, which the group will record this fall in England for Chandos.
“We honestly hope women can simply be recognized as composers,” says Veselov, “and we don’t have to make a special case about it. Good music is good music, and all of this is brilliant.”
The trio’s latest recording (“Her Voice,” on Chandos), released last fall, states the group’s case: substantial trios by Beach, Rebecca Clarke and Farrenc, all of which Neave have examined repeatedly in rehearsal and on the concert stage.
“It’s not a mission, we’re just bringing great music back to life,” Veselov says. “We’re lucky to have it. Being a woman composer, at the turn of the century—they overcame so much.”
Trios by Beach and Clarke will be complemented by works from Rachmaninov (the Trio élégiaque”) and Piazzolla (“Four Seasons”) on the Gordon College program Feb. 7 in Phillips Recital Hall.
“Every time you hear this Beach piece,” he says, “you wish you had heard it before.” He’s talking about Beach’s Opus 150 trio, a late in life work from the composer (1867–1944). Beach wrote the trio in 1938; she was 70 years old, and had composed many songs by then—as well as other works.
“She was a great pianist, and she quotes her own songs in this trio,” Veselov says of the work. “Because of the textures in the piano, and the amount of melodies—for fifteen minutes, it’s incredible. You wouldn’t mistake for any other composer.”
It’s a work that rewards both audience and performers.
“We rehearse it all the time,” Veselov says, “and we always find new things. It’s so loaded—the way we approach it always changes.”
The Brown University residency (Feb. 20–22) will be a collaboration with composer Eric Nathan, developing his song cycle “Missing Words.” The Rehoboth concert (Feb. 29) includes more Beach and Clarke, with works by Jennifer Higdon and Chaminade as well.
“You have to create interesting programs,” Veselov says. “It’s on the musician’s shoulders to be able to connect with the audience.”
Neave Trio performs on Friday, Feb. 7 in the Phillips Recital Hall at Gordon College. For tickets and information visit gordon.edu/neavetrio or call 978 927-2300. The trio also has upcoming concerts at Longy School of Music in Cambridge on Feb. 14, at Brown University Feb. 20–22, and at the Arts in the Village series in Rehoboth on Feb. 29. Visit neavetrio.com for complete schedule.
Keith Powers covers music and the arts for Gannett, Opera News and Leonore Overture. Follow @PowersKeith; email to keithmichaelpowers@gmail.com.