An injury forced Loyola’s award-winning Piano Trio to change its program and learn new music only two weeks before their scheduled performance.
H.J. MacCracken, assistant professor of piano and member of the piano trio, injured his wrist in a fall.
The original members of the trio, Valerie Poullette, violin instructor, and Allen Nisbet, associate professor of cello and string bass, asked Bruce Owen, viola instructor and Christopher Neal, member of the Houston Symphony, to join the performance and perform as a string quartet for Loyola’s Montage Performance Series. Poullette, Nisbet, and Owen teach at the Music College.
As far as changing the program on short notice, Poullette says that as musicians, they trust each other and come to a general consensus quickly on how to adjust the program as necessary. Nisbet says they are “old pros” in this field, so altering the musical line-up was not a difficulty.
The concert features music from Beethoven, to Schubert’s melodic pieces, to some impressionistic Ravel. “Each composer has a distinctive sound,” says Nisbet.
Both Poullette and Nisbet agree that playing chamber music, which involves only a few players and instruments, has a much different feel than playing in an orchestra.
According to Nisbet, “You can be heard in chamber music. It’s a chance to express yourself as an individual.” Poullette agreed with Nisbet: “Chamber music is more expressive. You get to have a personal identity and it is far more rewarding.”
The musicians say they have a wonderful time participating in the Montage Performances. They enjoy knowing that the audience has been moved in some way by the performance.
“I would want the audience to have a feeling that they’ve gone someplace, that they’ve felt something. These shows are fun for us and keep us on our toes,” Poullette said.
Poullette and Nisbet auditioned for the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) in 1975 and later both joined Loyola. Owen holds membership in the LPO.
Neal, an alumnus of the College of Music and a former student of Poullette, will be performing for the first time with his professor at Loyola University. He will also be coaching a violin masterclass in Roussel Hall on Friday at 4:30 p.m.
The string quartet will perform in Louis J. Roussel Performance Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 3 at 7:30 p.m. General admission tickets for the performance are $10. Student and Loyola faculty and staff tickets cost $5, with a valid ID.
