program

Duo for Violin and Cello, Jessie Montgomery (b. 1981)

Khelsey Zarraga, violin; Herine Koschak, cello

shhhhhhhhh…, Khelsey Zarraga/Mason Spencer (b.1995/1996)

Lesions, Catherine Likhuta (b. 1981)

Elizandro Garcia-Montoya, clarinet; Parker Nelson, horn; Herine Koschak, cello

Duet for Oboe and Viola, Hilary Tann (b. 1947)

Grace Hong, oboe; Mason Spencer, viola

Eslanda Dances, Adolphus Hailstork (b. 1941)

Khelsey Zarraga, violin; Mason Spencer, viola; Herine Koschak, cello

Four Flashbacks, Kenji Bunch (b. 1973)

Elizandro Garcia-Montoya, clarinet; Mason Spencer, viola

Loop, Carlos Simon (b. 1986)

Khelsey Zarraga, violin; Mason Spencer, viola; Herine Koschak, cello

Musicians

Grace Hong, oboe

Elizandro Garcia-Montoya, clarinet

Parker Nelson, horn

Khelsey Zarraga, violin

Mason Spencer, viola

Herine Koschak, cello

Program Notes

Jessie Montgomery (b. 1981); Duo for Violin and Cello (2015)

This piece was written for my friend and cellist Adrienne Taylor. The piece is meant as an ode to friendship with movements characterizing laughter, compassion, adventure, and sometimes silliness.

— Jessie Montgomery

Khelsey Zarraga/Mason Spencer (b. 1995/1996); shhhhhhhhh…

Close your eyes, and take a deep breath
Give space to the silence that surrounds you
Accept any random noise that comes
Don’t feel like you need to respond, for once, just listen.
Find comfort in nothing, just be.

At the start of the program, we thought it would be nice to begin with a score that emphasizes listening to silence without the need to respond. This is that score.

Catherine Likhuta (b. 1981); Lesions (2017)

Lesions (2017) was originally written for a trio of horn, clarinet and cello, and commissioned by Paul Dean for Ensemble Q (Brisbane, Australia). The term “lesions” refers to regions in organs and tissue which have suffered damage through injury or disease, such as a wound, ulcer, abscess or tumor. I first heard this term in 2004, when my mother (age 42 at that time) was diagnosed with an aggressive form of Multiple Sclerosis. While she had suffered from many disturbing, unexplainable and painful symptoms for sixteen years prior to that, the diagnosis of MS did not bring us any relief or closure. Virtually every family has a loved one who is suffering or suffered from an incurable illness. While this is a very heavy subject, I believe it is definitely worth talking about, for two simple reasons:

To show those who are affected that they are not alone and that there are millions of people in the world who are going through similar struggles;
To remind those lucky few who have not been affected that we have to keep looking for cures every day.

Lesions is written in four parts that represent four most common stages of dealing with incurable illness: Sadness, Anxiety, Anger and Denial, and finally Acceptance. The absence of a pause between the last two movements has an extra-musical meaning: though denial and acceptance are antithetical states of mind, many patients find themselves stuck between these two for a long time, sometimes for the rest of their lives. The new reality is too difficult to accept, yet the symptoms are just as difficult to deny.

– Catherine Likhuta

Hilary Tann (b. 1947); Duet for Oboe and Viola (1981)

The Duo was written in 1981 in response to a request from violist David Sills. It is the only piece of mine without a title having something to do with nature although natural imagery underlies much of the writing. The timbres of the viola and oboe are similar in many respects and I became fascinated by the idea of a single line being shaped by two instruments. At the opening, the viola "courts" the oboe, encouraging its moves and framing its melodies. A short viola cadenza leads from this reflective dialog to the pairing of the central section, after which an octave unison passage ushers in the fanfare-like conclusion.

– Hilary Tann

Adolphus Hailstork (b. 1941); Eslanda Dances (2013)

Adolphus Hailstork’s “Eslanda Dances” for string trio is an unfortunately underperformed work. The piece chronicles the travels of Eslanda “Essie” Cardozo Goode Robinson (a remarkably accomplished anthropologist, author, actress, and civil rights activist), as her career took her around the globe. The work is split into four movements, each depicting different styles of dance that Eslanda may have come across. The result is a fun, energetic tribute to a brilliant anthropologist and her travels.

– Mason Spencer

Kenji Bunch (b. 1973); Four Flashbacks (2014)

Four Flashbacks was composed in 2014 by American composer Kenji Bunch. The work is split into four, aptly named movements: I- With bustling energy, II-Gentle, III- Driving, and IV- Quiet, Calm. The piece is quintessential Bunch, in that it uses the natural advantages of the instrumentation (in this case, the markedly similar timbres and colors of the clarinet and viola) to create a love letter to Americana.

– Mason Spencer

Carlos Simon (b. 1986); Loop (2020)

The pandemic of COVID-19 has continued to influence my social, professional and personal life in ways that I never imagined. Day to day life has been like a continuous “loop”; a never-ending quarantine loop. This piece reflects my feelings about the mandated stay-at-home order during this crisis.

– Carlos Simon

About Fifth House Ensemble

Praised by the New York Times for its “conviction, authority, and finesse,” the Chicago-based Fifth House Ensemble harnesses the collaborative spirit of chamber music to reach beyond the traditionally-perceived limits of classical music. The ensemble’s artistic, educational, and civic programs engage theater groups, video game designers, corporate innovators, and folk bands to share stories as diverse as the communities it serves.

Reaching 17,000 students annually through its arts-integrated educational programs, Fifth House connects K-12 core curricula to vivid, custom-crafted, and interactive musical experiences which challenge students to share and lead. As an extension of this work, Fifth House enters its fourth year of partnership with Loyola University’s Center for Urban Research and Learning this season, through which the ensemble is in residence at sites serving at-risk youth and adults including Deborah’s Place, Teen Living Programs, Cara Chicago, and Nancy B. Jefferson Alternative School at the Chicago Temporary Youth Detention Center. Fifth House also partners with Storycatchers Theatre as part of its residency at the detention center to develop new curriculum culminating in a new theatrical work based on participants’ own experiences.

An established partner and resource to the nation’s top music schools and conservatories, Fifth House launches the careers of emerging artists through entrepreneurship residencies and training programs, including those at Yale College, Eastman School of Music, New England Conservatory, Indiana University, Roosevelt University, the Cleveland Institute of Music, UT-Austin, Northwestern University, San Francisco Conservatory, DePaul University, and the Colburn School. Recent creative partnerships have included those with The Cleveland Orchestra and the San Francisco Opera. In 2012, Fifth House launched Fresh Inc, a two-week, intensive training program for emerging composers and performers where Fifth House works with participants on building careers in music in line with their own unique vision and values.

Visit us at www.fifth-house.com for more information, and for videos of our latest work.

Funding Credit

Fifth House Ensemble is supported in part by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Alphawood Foundation, the MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at Prince, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Steven R. Gerber Trust, the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, the Paul R. Judy Center, a Vision Grant from Illinois Humanities, a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events, the Albert R. Pick Fund, New Music USA's New Music Organizational Development Fund, the Alice M. Ditson Fund, and by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.