One way to put the Horszowski Trio into popular perspective is to view them as “rock stars” of the classical music scene. These are musicians at the very top of their game, playing at a level that only a handful of artists can master. And they’ll be sharing their astounding performance skills in Madison on Saturday, October 25th, at the Presbyterian church downtown at 7:00.
Maybe the best way to fully grasp the level of mastery these three musicians have attained is to take a look at the training that shaped and elevated their skills. The trio is composed of Jesse Mills on violin, Rieko Aizawa on piano, and Ole Akahoshi on cello. Let’s start with Jesse.
Jesse took up the violin when he was about kindergarten age, so his path in life was well established by the time he went to college at the preeminent Juilliard School in New York. He studied under Dorothy DeLay, notably the instructor of popular violinist Itzhak Perlman and many others. Ms. DeLay is arguably the most famous violin instructor in the world.
Reiko was a 14 year-old piano prodigy in Japan when she came to the attention of the great polish pianist Mieczysław Horszowski, who was recently retired from the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia. He literally came out of retirement, at age 97, so he could train Reiko, which he did right up until his death at age 101. Reiko graduated from college at age 18 and then attended Julliard for her graduate degree.
Ole was born and raised in Berlin, Germany. He was the youngest cellist to be accepted as a student of the legendary Pierre Fournier at the age of eleven. Later, he continued his studies with Aldo Parisot at the Juilliard School and at the Yale School of Music, and with Janos Starker at Indiana University.
The point of sharing these backgrounds is to drive home the point: these three people are the Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan and Serena Williams of the classical music world. They’ve invested that same kind of training and dedication to their craft, and their level of virtuosity and skill rivals any professional in any field of endeavor. And they are playing in Madison! For free!!
As it happens, Jesse and Reiko are husband and wife. They met playing chamber music around the New York City area, and married in 2008. “We chose to make our lives together making music, and we found a willing partner in Ole, filling out the trio,” explains Jessee.
“It’s really important that we maintain equality in our group,” Jessee continues, “with no set hierarchy. In many ways we are as much married to Ole as we are to each other. It’s truly a labor of love.
“A piano trio is a very specific mix of individual expression and teamwork. A lot is required from each of us in any given moment. You need to be able to change on a dime from lead to accompaniment. But the difficulty keeps us engaged. There’s a camaraderie to doing something so challenging and all consuming.
“The main repertoire of this historic chamber trio music is from the 19th century, so it’s only fitting that we’ll be coming to Madison, which was founded and established in the 1800’s, and playing in an historic church from the same era. It’s a chance to see and hear this amazing music as it was intended, in an original setting. It should be a very special performance and I urge everyone to come join us.”
HOT TIP OF THE WEEK:
I’ve sung the praises of Joe Breeck, owner of Rivertown Grill in the past, but it bears repeating. For sheer commitment and consistency, Rivertown Grill has the most music in Madison, every week from Wednesday thru Sunday. You can pop in there any time, there’s never a cover charge, and enjoy a wide range of musical styles. The other consistent venue, albeit only on Saturday nights, is Thomas Family Winery. They’ve been creating their magical mix of great ambience and live music for over 25 years now. A relative newcomer on the scene, but we are really happy to have them, is the Friday Jazz nights in the wine bar at Vintage Lanes. The vibe in there is so hip and so friendly, you’ll want to just sit down and stay all evening. There’s lots more going this weekend, just look at the calendar! So get out there and make the most of your experience in Indiana’s Music City.
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