Spoleto Backstage

"The Book of Life" explores healing through letters written to the victims of the Rwandan genocide from widows, orphans, even the killers.

We end our 2021 season of Spoleto Backstage on a high note with a magnificent, sweeping piano quintet that has such an emotional and expressive range — Ludwig Thuille's Piano Quintet No. 2, op. 20. We also speak with the featured pianist in this performance, Gilles Vonsattel, about the piece and being a part of this year's Spoleto Chamber Music Series.

On this episode of Spoleto Backstage, we take in selections from late Classical, early Romantic composer Franz Schubert. Pianist Pedja Muzijevic joins us to talk about the logistics of performing Schubert's Fantasie in F minor for four hands, D. 940 with fellow piano player Inon Barnatan at this year's Chamber Music Series. We also chat with cellist Paul Wiancko about sitting in with the St. Lawrence String Quartet for the composer's String Quintet in C major, D. 956, Mvts. III-IV.

On this ninth episode of Spoleto Backstage for 2021, we hear chamber music works for nine musicians — selections which may have you feeling like you're on cloud nine! We're also joined by cellist Arlen Hlusko, one of the performers featured in both concerts, to discuss making her Spoleto Festival USA debut this year.

On this edition of Spoleto Backstage, we share a compilation of contemporary works performed as part of this year's Spoleto Chamber Music Series. We speak with Osvaldo Golijov about the world premiere of his piece "Milonga" as well as what Spoleto Festival USA means to him. Then, we chat with composer Paul Wiancko about his work, "American Haiku."

On this episode of Spoleto Backstage, we continue our series spotlighting the First Viennese School composers with three of Ludwig van Beethoven's works, one from each of the stylistic periods in which his works are often categorized. We're also joined by bassoonist Monica Ellis, founding member of the quintet Imani Winds, to chat about performing in one of these pieces as well as Alicia Hall and Jason Moran's "Two Wings: The Music of Black America in Migration" at this year's Spoleto Festival USA.

On this episode of Spoleto Backstage, we present a world premiere performance by oboist James Austin Smith. He joins us to share the backstory of the piece by composer Sigfried Thiele, discuss life as a musician during the pandemic, and celebrate his return to Spoleto Festival USA.

On this fifth episode of Spoleto Backstage for 2021, we spotlight the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with two his works performed as part of this year's Spoleto Chamber Music Series: Trio in E-flat major, K. 498 “Kegelstatt” and Horn Concerto No. 1 in D major, K. 412. We're then joined by hornist David Byrd-Marrow, the featured soloist in the latter, to discuss the concerto and how performing a wide range of musical styles helps him as an artist.

On this episode of Spoleto Backstage, we take another dive into the Romantic era with two richly expressive 20th century compositions for wind and string instruments. Clarinetist Todd Palmer joins us with background on these works and to discuss playing the parts of both soloist and arranger during this year's Spoleto Chamber Music Series.

On this episode of Spoleto Backstage, we speak with Jessica Meyer, violist and 2021 Spoleto Chamber Music Series composer in residence, and hear her compositions featured in this year's series. We're also joined by violinist Livia Sohn, for whom Meyer wrote the new composition "From Our Ashes," to chat about the piece and returning to public performance after personal setbacks.