Ensemble Les Six perform Claude Debussy's Piano Trio in G major (1880)

Описание: Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

Piano Trio in G major (1880)
Scherzo-intermezzo
Andante espressivo
Finale appassionato

Ensemble Les Six
Catalina Barraza, violin;
Katie Youn, cello;
Ihang Lin, piano

Composed in 1880 when Claude Debussy (1862-1918) was only 18 years old, the manuscript of his Piano Trio in G major was long thought to be lost.

In summer 1880, while employed by Tchaikovsky's Russian patroness Madame von Meck as a piano teacher for her children and as a pianist for chamber music concerts in Fiesole, Italy, Debussy had the opportunity to perform chamber music by various composers every evening in a salon setting. It was under this environment that young Debussy started the sketches for his own trio for violin, cello and piano. Modeling upon composers such as Cesar Franck (1822-1890), Robert Schumann (1810-1856) and Frederic Chopin (1810-1849), Debussy infused elements from the Romantic period and chromaticism into his piano trio while searching for his own creativity and personal statement in Impressionism at the same time.

The first movement, titled Andantino, is straightforward with Debussy's early harmonic endeavor from G major—through F major, C major, B major and D major—to the home key of G major again in a tender, relaxed salon manner. For the second movement, titled Scherzo (Italian term for joke or jest), Debussy imbues oriental exoticism, which he had been fond of since the 1880s. Such early traces of Asiatic influence continue to pave their way into Debussy's later works for piano solo music, including Pagodes from Estampes (French term for engravings or prints) in 1890s and Poissons d'or (French term for golden fishes) from Images, livre II in 1907. The third movement, titled Andante espressivo, is a lyrical statement that illustrates intimate conversations amongst piano, cello and violin. The finale, titled Appassionato (Italian term for passionate), is fast, with unleashed emotional outpouring from the young Debussy.

Dr. Catalina Barraza has extensive experience as a professional violinist, orchestral conductor, and pedagogue. She currently holds the position of Assistant Professor of Violin/Viola at San Jose State University, California. An active pedagogue in the Bay Area, she regularly coaches the San Jose Youth Symphony Orchestra and the San Jose Youth Chamber Orchestra. Dr. Barraza is also an orchestra conductor and has served as the Mason Youth Philharmonic Conductor in the mid-Michigan area as well as the orchestra conductor of the New Horizons chapter in East Lansing, Michigan. In past summers, Dr. Barraza has been a violin faculty and orchestra conductor at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. Dr. Barraza holds a doctorate in violin performance from Michigan State University. She pursued her Master in Music at the University of Arkansas and her bachelor in music at Javeriana University in her home city of Bogota, Colombia.

Cellist Katie Youn has been praised for her passionate, imaginative, and colorful sense of artistry. Katie has appeared in concerts throughout North America, South America, Europe, and Asia, in venues such as Boston's Symphony Hall and Jordan Hall, Japan's Suntory and Minatomirai Hall, Vancouver's Orpheum Hall, and Vatican City's St. Peter's Basilica. Born in Korea and raised in Canada, Katie began cello lessons at the Vancouver Academy of Music at the age of 7 with Judith Fraiser. She moved to Boston to earn her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees at the New England Conservatory under the guidance of Yeesun Kim. In 2013, Katie graduated from Boston University with a Doctoral of Musical Arts degree under the guidance of Michael Reynolds. Her doctoral thesis was on Exploring the Balinese Influence in Benjamin Britten's Suite for Cello, Op. 72. Katie plays Oreste Martini's cello made in 1935 and a custom-made bow by Benoit Rolland in 2019.

Dr. Ihang Lin is currently the pianist and senior teaching artist at San Francisco Opera Guild. Since 2020, she has worked at San Jose State University as a guest pianist. Dr. Lin has performed piano solo works in Carnegie Hall and won the special recognition award in 2012 San Antonio international piano competition and 1st prize in 2009 Aaron Richmond Piano Competition. At the age of 18, she made her soloist debut performing Mozart's complete Piano Concerto in C major, No. 21 with Kaohsiung Youth Symphony Orchestra in Taiwan. In 2021, She performed as a soloist for Stephen Hartke's contemporary piano concerto Ship of State. As a chamber musician and collaborative pianist, Dr. Lin has performed in US, Canada, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Taiwan, Switzerland and Italy. Dr. Lin holds her Bachelor of Music degree from Taipei National University of the Arts, Master of Music from New England Conservatory, and Doctor of Musical Arts from Boston University.

Recorded live 20th February, 2026 at Old First Concerts, 1751 Sacramento St, San Francisco, CA 94109. For more upcoming concerts please visit oldfirstconcerts.org