Award-winning pianist Stephen Beus joins Kairos’ core members, violinist Carrie Rehkopf Michel and cellist John Michel, left to right, in concert.
By Marcy Stamper
The energetic Kairos ensemble will present a concert highlighting masterworks of the chamber music repertoire that will appeal to long-time aficionados of classical music as well as to people — including children — interested in experiencing the allure of chamber music for the first time. The concert is Friday, Nov. 3, at 7 p.m. at The Merc Playhouse in Twisp.
Kairos has selected a smorgasbord of music for the concert, with the first half devoted to short pieces by Brahms, Bach, Dvorak, Beethoven and Kreisler. After intermission, the group will perform the lively, virtuosic Piano Trio No. 1 in D Minor by Mendelssohn. The audience will get a tantalizing preview of the Mendelssohn trio during the first half of the program.
The concert features Kairos’ core members, violinist Carrie Rehkopf Michel and cellist John Michel, plus guest artists pianist Stephen Beus and violist Michelle Rahn.
In addition to performing around the country, Rehkopf Michel is a professor of violin at Central Washington University. Her fresh take on classical music includes leading a flash mob of string players during a Mozart concerto.
Cellist Michel is also a professor at Central Washington University, and he performs widely as a soloist and ensemble member. He is the founder of the Internet Cello Society, which shares the knowledge and joy of cello playing with enthusiasts from around the globe.
Beus, raised on a farm in eastern Washington, has since racked up awards around the globe, including first prize in the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition and the Vendome Prize International Competition. Beus made his debut at Carnegie Hall after winning the Juilliard School Concerto Competition.
Beus has performed all over the United States and in Portugal, Finland, China and Morocco. He has been praised for his strikingly original, interpretive voice and a richness and depth unlike anyone else’s.
Violist Rahn balances a concert career with teaching on the faculty at Central Washington. She has performed as a soloist and chamber musician in China, Italy, Germany and across the United States, and enjoys premiering new compositions.
This concert represents Kairos’ collaborative approach to music, where they work with musicians from across the country — and sometimes dancers, visual artists and storytellers — to bring a distinctive style to repertoire for strings and piano.
The concert is presented by Cascadia. Tickets are $20 for adults and $5 for students. Tickets are available at brownpapertickets.com and at the door.
High-tech preview
A preview of the program can be heard on Spotify at https://tinyurl.com/y7ma3qwb
