Online Program Book

Trio for Flute, Cello, and Piano, Op. 45
by Louise Farrenc (1804-1875)

I. Allegro deciso
II. Andante
III. Scherzo. Vivace
IV. Finale. Presto

Albatross Trio
María José Milano, flute
Joanna Frank, cello
Nano Beraia, piano

When Will We Meet (2026)*
by Siyuan Kang (b.1999)

[……] (2026)*
by Jingyu Luo (b. 1997)

Trio No. 1 for Flute, Cello, and Piano, Op. 83 (2002)
by Lowell Liebermann (b.1961)

I. Allegro
II. Moderato
III. Largo
IV. Presto

*indicates Glow Music commissioned pieces and its world premiere
+At Glow Music, we respect the creators behind the music you love—this program is presented under license from Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI).

Program Notes

Trio by Louise Farrenc

Jeanne-Louise Farrenc was one of the most accomplished and celebrated piano virtuosos and composers of her era. Farrenc served as Professor of Piano at the Paris Conservatory: she was the only woman to hold such a prestigious position in the whole of the 19th century.

As a composer, Farrenc was prolific, writing in many genres, from symphonies to solo piano miniatures. Her most significant output, though, was probably her chamber music. The E-minor Trio for Flute, Cello and Piano – an ensemble with few precedents then or since – was the last of a series of her chamber music between 1839 and 1862.

You’ll hear how she gracefully melds Classical form with a flair for the Romantic. From the brief chordal fanfare that opens the sonata-form Allegro to the animated coda with which it ends, the momentum never flags. Seductive lyrical melodies combine with dramatic broken chords and brilliant scalar runs that pass from instrument to instrument to keep the movement moving propulsively forward. Farrenc’s affection for wind instruments is evident in the Andante, where the flute takes center stage with a gentle melody that only briefly gives way to an agitated middle section. The exuberant, rhythmically striking Scherzo features a lovely cello line in the trio and virtuosic turns for everyone. A spirited, harmonically colorful Finale splendidly combines bravura with lyricism – a most satisfying end to this gem of a Trio.

Edited notes of Jonathan Blumhofer and Barbara Leish

When Will We Meet by Siyuan Kang

The sudden passing of a close friend in 2023 left me entirely unprepared. The core motif of this piece is derived from the last time I heard him play live, a descending fourth, I chose to invert this into an ascending fourth, aiming for a transparent quality of sound, like a crystal. The melodies are scattered across the high register; to me, these high-frequency lines are like starlight. Through these sounds, I want to reach toward that invisible “beyond”, the place where he has become a star. Every star follows its own path, but they are destined to meet eventually.

Notes by Siyuan Kang

[……] by Jingyu Luo

Music does not convey meaning directly; rather, it acts as a medium or a channel, connecting the experiences of each individual. When different people hear the same piece of music, it evokes their own unique feelings and associations—it may bring new insights or stir memories long forgotten. Amid the many pressing matters of daily life, people rarely have the chance to reflect on the distant past. My music simply offers a space in which one can calm down and listen—perhaps to enjoy a moment of emptying the mind, thinking of nothing, or perhaps to let certain associations arise through the music.

Notes by Jingyu Luo

Trio by Lowell Liebermann

This trio is in four movements, and all three instruments participate equably in Liebermann’s deft textures, though the flute is clearly the first among these equals, leading the conversation. Liebermann opens with a propulsive and darkly dramatic Allegro, developed through motivic extension and points of imitation. A contrasting section is more lyrical, with a passionate tune shared by flute and cello over rippling piano motion.

A-B-A forms are sometimes called romanzas or song forms, and Liebermann’s Moderato movement is indeed full of instrumental song. The precisely pointed piano accompaniment drops out in the middle, for a quiet flute and cello duet.

The Largo begins as a pensive instrumental recitative. The underlying pulse may be slower than that of the Moderato, but the surface movement is often not. It comes close to the sound world of Dmitri Shostakovich, though hardly as bleak, rising to an intense climax, then ending as it began.

There is much of Shostakovich also in the vehement and bristling Presto. Quick and full of fire and fury, it dashes to a brilliant close.

Notes by LA Phil

Artist Bio

María José Milano is a Venezuelan flutist whose career spans orchestral, chamber, and solo performances. She was awarded the prestigious Gifted Tuition Scholarship from the Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation in 2021 and won the William H. Grass Memorial Prize at the 42nd James Pappoutsakis Flute Competition.

Her performances have taken her around the world, collaborating with musicians from diverse backgrounds and reflecting her belief in music’s ability to connect cultures and foster meaningful exchanges.

María José holds an Undergraduate Diploma degree from the Longy School of Music of Bard College in Boston, Massachusetts, and is currently pursuing her Masters degree at the College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) at the University of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Joanna Frank is a second-year undergraduate at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, studying with Professor Alan Rafferty. Originally from Rochester, NY, she studied with Christopher Haritatos for 11 years, and in 2024 received an honors diploma from the Eastman Community Music School. A former member and two-season principal of the Hochstein Youth Symphony Orchestra, Joanna performed on the HYSO tours to Germany, the Czech Republic, and Italy. She is a recipient of the Douglas Lowry Award in partnership with the Rochester Music Hall of Fame. Joanna has also appeared as a soloist with several ensembles, including HYSO, the Finger Lakes Symphony Orchestra, and her former high school orchestra. Chamber music is one of Joanna’s greatest passions. She has played in chamber groups since the age of nine and currently plays in the Albatross Trio, a piano trio formed at CCM. Her festival experience includes Point CounterPoint, the Ascent Cello Festival, and the Ascent International Chamber Music Festival.

Pianist Nano Beraia is an award-winning artist from Tbilisi, Georgia, known for her expressive musicianship and thoughtful interpretations. She made her orchestral debut at the age of six, performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 8 with the Tbilisi Chamber Orchestra, and has since appeared in solo and chamber performances throughout Europe and the United States.

Nano has received top prizes at numerous international competitions, including the Grand Prix at Music Without Borders in Lithuania and first prizes in Finland and Georgia. She holds degrees from the Tbilisi State Conservatoire, the Norwegian Academy of Music, and Bowling Green State University, where she won the Concerto Competition performing Prokofiev’s Third Piano Concerto. She is currently a Doctor of Musical Arts candidate at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. In addition to her solo work, Nano is an active collaborative pianist and passionate educator.

Jingyu Luo is a Doctor of Musical Arts candidate in Composition at the College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), University of Cincinnati. He holds a Master of Music from The Hartt School of Music and a bachelor’s degree from Shandong Normal University. As a composer-performer, his creative practice spans a wide range of genres, including concert music, computer music, theatre, film scoring, jazz, and large-scale multimedia events. His works have been featured in performances such as the “Sonic Explorations” concert at CCM, theatrical music productions, including those for The Hartt School’s musical theatre program, and commercial commissions for brands like Buick. Recently, his piece “Motif for Ono” was selected for the CCF China Computational Art Conference and advanced to the finals of the International Electronic Music Competition. He has also received recognition for “Jasmine” in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Modern Music Performance remix category (2024). Furthermore, he has been selected to present his work this year at six festivals and conferences: EMM, MOXsonic, NYCEMF, ICMC, SEAMUS, and CCF 2025.

Siyuan Kang was born in China, and composes music inspired by folk songs and arts. She considers music to be a unique language and rarely sets program notes for her music, unless it is required. Influenced deeply by folk music, she obsesses with gaining energy and original musical elements from multitype folk music and arts, and through her own way, creates new music. Her work was recently performed by Mingfei Li in Chicago, and a cello solo work was performed in Cleveland by She Scores artist Jeffrey Singler. Her orchestra piece was premiered by CCM Concert Orchestra.

Pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, she was guided by Prof. Michael Fiday and Prof. Miguel Roig-Francoli. Now she’s a second-year DMA student in composition, first year MM in theory in CCM.

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Acknowledgement

First Unitarian Church of Cincinnati, Lisa Yunker

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Yeon-Kyung Kim, Director
Bill Lindsay, Secretary
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