Expatrio are a trio of musicians dedicated to “promoting new classical music – to show that it can be enjoyable for audiences”. They are Adi Calef (cello), Anna Zweck (flute) and Fiona Corston (piano). Expatrio are now based in Macclesfield and Manchester but have arrived via Romania, Papua New Guinea and Australia.
Expatrio have been together barely six months but already have built an international reputation. Composers from all around the world have shown an interest in working with the trio. Australian-based composer and jazz-inclined pianist Mark Isaacs, for one, hopes to work with them in the coming year. Exciting times are certainly ahead but in the immediate future there is the matter of preparing for their performance at the Buxton Festival Fringe (July 24th, St John’s Church, 8.00-9.30pm).
The combination of cello, flute and piano is a relatively unusual one – and it is the tonal range that it opens up that excites Expatrio, audiences and composers. For the Fringe concert they are bringing three pieces. Martinu’s trio is the one that some people would have encountered already. Fiona Corston explains, “It is part of the core repertoire for this trio of instruments. It is full of Czech folk-like melodies and rhythms and Martinu’s trademark tolling bells”.
Even more accessible is Nikolai Kapustin’s Trio (Op. 86), which was published in 1998. Kapustin is Ukrainian but the piece “is very jazzy, it has elements of boogie-woogie, big band and rock ‘n’ roll and is very tuneful. Audiences have reacted very positively, they love it” says Fiona.
The most difficult piece in the concert programme for July 24th is George Crumb’s 20-minute composition Vox Balaenae(Voice of the Whale) published in 1971. “It may be helpful to know that Crumb intended the piece to represent in some way the longevity of whales and the later emergence of humans. As such, it is structured according to geological periods in the earth’s history.”
“That may make it sound difficult – and technically it is a difficult piece to play – but audiences have enjoyed watching as well as listening. We all wear masks throughout the piece – as Crumb directs. This serves to focus attention on the music rather than the performers. It does mean that because we can’t see each other’s eyes and faces very well we have to move in more exaggerated ways to communicate. It helps make the piece more theatrical”.
You can hear and see some of Expatrio if you go towww.myspace.com/expatrio. Once you have heard some of the Martinu or Kapustin you might try the chocolate advert. It could cure you of chocolate addiction.
by Keith Savage - Published 18/07/2008
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