AN ODE TO
FRIENDSHIP

Great music rarely happens in isolation. Behind the notes are the people who encourage us, challenge us, champion us—and sometimes change the course of our lives.

PROGRAM:
Mel Bonis Soir & Matin, Op. 76
Jessie Montgomery Duo
Brahms #1 in B Major

FEATURING:
Timothy Paek, cello
Anastasia Antonacos, piano
Tracey Jasas-Hardel, violin

An Ode to Friendship takes its title directly from Jessie Montgomery’s program notes, and the idea echoes throughout this program. Brahms’s Piano Trio in B Major is a work shaped by friendship: although it was not dedicated to his lifelong friend, violinist Joseph Joachim, Brahms made revisions in response to Joachim’s musical thoughts and kept their creative relationship alive for decades.

For Mel Bonis, friendship was even more transformative. A friend introduced her to César Franck, who recognized her talent and helped her gain entry to the Paris Conservatoire—opening the door to a life as a composer at a time when that path was anything but easy. Her luminous Soir et Matin captures the shifting moods of day and night with remarkable color and imagination.

And Jessie Montgomery’s Duo brings us full circle: music as conversation, connection, and shared discovery.

Three composers, and one simple idea: we make better music—and perhaps become better versions of ourselves—because of the people beside us. Come celebrate the friends, mentors, collaborators, and musical companions who make the journey possible. This concert will be our first at the Crewe Center for the Arts, 111 Bedford St, Portland. Reserve your tickets today!