Mendelssohn, Menotti, and Arutiunian

Vinola Trio: Laurel Gagnon, violin; Li-Jie Yu, clarinet; Ruoyang Xiang, piano

  • Gian Carlo Menotti (1911-2007) - Trio for Violin, Clarinet, and Piano (1996) (13’)
  • Capriccio
  • Romanza
  • Envoi
  • Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel (1805-1847); arr. Armand Russell - Three Pieces, H.406/8/9 (1844) (9’)
  • Allegretto
  • Allegro molto
  • Allegretto grazioso
  • Alexander Arutiunian (1920-2012) - Suite for Clarinet, Violin, and Piano (1992) (16’)
  • Introduction
  • Scherzo
  • Dialog
  • Final
  • Program Notes:
  • Menotti: Trio for Violin, Clarinet, and Piano (1996) Gian Carlo Menotti's Trio was commissioned by the Verdehr Trio, and after a long compositional period, the first two movements premiered in 1996 for the composer’s 85th birthday in Italy. A few months later, the Verdehrs premiered the work in its entirety at Michigan State University, despite Menotti completing the piece only around noon on the day of the performance. Known for his operatic writing, Menotti’s Trio highlights the singing qualities of the clarinet and violin, engaging a dramatic and charming style of writing. The Capriccio movement features intricate interplay of the three instruments, giving equal importance to each. The slow movement, Romanza, is a heart wrenching song and is perhaps the most intensely emotional movement. The closing movement, titled Envoi, features a more virtuosic style while never losing its playful character.
  • Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel: Three Pieces, H.406/8/9 (1844) Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel wrote these Three Pieces for four hands in 1844; the Verdehr Trio later on commissioned American composer Armand Russell to transcribe the works for their trio in the 1990s. The younger sister of Felix Mendelssohn, Fanny herself was a prolific composer, despite most of her works remaining unpublished until many years after her death. The Allegretto features beautiful soaring melodies set over flowing sixteenth notes. This first piece is graceful, elegant, and retains a delicate quality. The Allegro molto is stormier, exploring darker harmonies with more virtuosic gestures. Exciting and dramatic, the outer sections are contrasted with a sacred melody chanted in unison at the center of the piece. Allegretto grazioso closes off the work with a more intimate setting of a song-like melody, traded between the clarinet and violin before being victoriously sung in unison. A final breathless passage leads to the last chord, poised and elegant.
  • Arutiunian: Suite for Clarinet, Violin, and Piano (1992) Armenian-born Alexander Arutiunian was commissioned by the Verdehr Trio to write this Suite, premiered in 1992 in Baltimore. This piece is built on traditional Armenian folk elements, featuring Armenian dance rhythms, monophonic melodic settings, and the avoidance of a strong tonal center. The Introduction begins with a melody sung alone by the left hand of the piano in a low register. The violin soon joins in with its own haunting melody, and the movement remains dark and brooding throughout. The second movement Scherzo seamlessly blends Armenian folk dance rhythms with fugato textures, where the distinct timbre of each instrument complements the counterpoint to bring the movement to a vibrant finish. In the contemplative Dialog, the violin and clarinet exchange lyrical musical motifs as if in conversation, transitioning smoothly into the finale. The Final is a dance of irregular folk rhythms, playfully flitting from one instrument to another. Virtuosic improvisatory runs are contrasted with the middle lyrical section, building into a fevered sprint to the finish.

Founded in 2021, Vinola Trio brings together American violinist Laurel Gagnon, Taiwanese clarinetist Li-Jie Yu, and Chinese pianist Ruoyang Xiang. Inspired and initially supported by the Verdehr Trio Commission Project at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Vinola Trio explores a wide range of musical styles. With an emphasis on 20th- and 21st-century works, the group focuses on deepening the study of and expanding the repertoire for the violin, clarinet, and piano trio.

Vinola Trio was awarded Grand Prize at the 2026 NOLA Chamber Music Competition and the 2025 Plowman Chamber Music Competition; The ensemble has also won prizes from both the MTNA National Chamber Music Competition and The American Prize.

Vinola Trio recently completed a guest artist residency at the University of California San Diego, working with composers and premiering five new compositions. The ensemble has also appeared as guest artists at Boston Conservatory and Truman State University, and returned for multiple alumni performances at Indiana University. Participating in several artist residencies at the Avaloch Farm Music Institute, Vinola has worked on a range of projects, including collaborations with composer Daniel Cui and Atlanta Symphony cellist Isabel Kwon, the exploration of historical works by women composers, and the study of new compositions by Asian-born composers.

Actively engaged in chamber music education, the Vinola Trio has led masterclasses at Boston Conservatory and Truman State University, and has worked with young ensembles through Bloomington, Indiana’s Bridges Musical Arts Youth Organization. Committed to community engagement, the ensemble regularly partners with local organizations to present performances and events in libraries, retirement homes, and churches, fostering meaningful connections with a variety of community spaces.

Yu is currently the Assistant Professor of Clarinet at University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point, having recently completed her doctorate at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music under the tutelage of Eli Eban. Xiang currently holds the position of Coordinator of Collaborative Piano at Truman State University, having completed her Doctor of Music degree in 2023 at the Jacobs School under the tutelage of Menahem Pressler. A recent graduate of the Yale School of Music, Gagnon is currently based in New York City and is a fellow of Carnegie Hall’s Ensemble Connect program for the 2025–2027 seasons; her teachers and mentors include Augustin Hadelich, Mauricio Fuks, and Ben Sayevich

Laurel performs on an 1809 Lupot courtesy of Canimex Inc, Drummondville (Quebec), Canada.

About the Dame Myra Hess Concerts

The concerts are generously sponsored by the Paul Angell Family Foundation, the Illinois Arts Council and by individual donors.

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