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3 May 2006 : Concert by the New Zealand Trio
The advance publicity for the concert in Napier's Century Theatre on 18 April by the NZ Trio, described the ensemble as 'comprising three of NZ’s most talented chamber musicians, violinist Justine Cormack, cellist Ashley Brown and pianist Sarah Watkins'. After hearing these fine players perform together there seemed to be no doubt as to the veracity of this claim. They perform with a balance and understanding that ensures the extra magical quality to their playing that makes it truly memorable.
This applied particularly to the glittering performance of the Ravel Trio. Sarah Watkins' playing of the fiendishly difficult piano part was exceptional, surmounting the prodigious challenge of the music with apparent ease. This was matched by the perfectly balanced violin and cello parts, combining to create the distinctive sound in each of the four movements that imbues Ravel's music with its special character.
The programme was designed in reverse chronological order, with an emphasis on works by N Z composers, whose music these players champion. The specially commissioned works, The Triumvirate by Chris Cree Brown and dirty pixels by Michael Norris, were each given authoritative and convincing performances of considerable subtlety and polish that had immediate appeal to the listener.
Both the two-movement Piano Trio by Russian composer Alfred Schnittke and the reworking of the Mozart Adagio by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, were notable for the exquisitely controlled dynamics and the blend and symmetry of the playing, providing unique listening for an appreciative audience from an ensemble of true international standing.
Peter Williams - Hawkes Bay Today
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