The Friends of Music of Stamford, New York, are welcoming back the acclaimed Balourdet Quartet, joined this time by pianist Asiya Korepanova for a concert on Sunday, October 19 at 3 p.m. in the First Presbyterian Church of Stamford.
The program opens with Johannes Brahms’ String Quartet No. 3 in B-flat major. “This is a very interesting piece, and I think pairs beautifully with the Shostakovich,” said violinist Justin DeFilippis. “Brahms’ third quartet has a lighter, more cheerful mood than his previous two, but underneath that surface there’s incredible psychological depth — a sense of nostalgia, lyricism, and spiritual reverence.”
The first half also includes a new work by composer Nikki Sohn, a close friend of the ensemble. “She’s exploded onto the scene in recent years, and we were lucky to commission her for an album project involving music and technology,” DeFilippis explained. “Her language is highly romantic — she’s a little like the Korngold of our day. This piece, Galaxy Back to You, was inspired by a galaxy named after her, and it unfolds in seven evocative sections — like ‘Supermassive Black Hole’ and ‘Gravitational Waves.’ It’s full of yearning, tenderness, and love.”
The second half features Dmitri Shostakovich’s Piano Quintet in G minor, Op. 57 — a work that became an instant classic upon its 1940 premiere. “If I said it was a huge success, that would be an understatement,” said Korepanova. “It’s one of the major war pieces, a work with incredible emotional range — from the most transparent, intimate moments to bursts of tremendous power.”
She noted that the quintet unfolds over five movements, charting a dramatic emotional arc. “It’s a path from darkness to light,” she explained. “The last movement establishes a sense of hope and then dissolves into peaceful silence. Shostakovich’s language may not be Mozart or Chopin, but it’s so emotionally obvious — it grabs you. People are often in tears by the end.”
Korepanova, who is also an accomplished composer and transcriber, relishes performing the piano part. “It’s not a solo work, but there’s an enormous variety of colors and emotions to bring out,” she said. “There’s a piercing opening movement, a fugue I love as a composer, a virtuosic Scherzo, a soaring intermezzo, and a final movement that promises new beginnings.”
DeFilippis praised Korepanova’s artistry. “Her ear as a composer and transcriber is evident in everything she plays,” he said. “The first time we worked together, she performed both Chopin piano concertos with string quartet and bass — monumental pieces — and did it with remarkable sensitivity and precision.”
The Friends of Music of Stamford present the Balourdet Quartet with Asiya Korepanova on Sunday, October 19 at 3 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Stamford, 96 Main Street, Stamford.
More information is available at friendsmusic.org