Borrowing virtuoso violinist Joseph Joachim’s life motto as its title, the second evening concert at the Agassiz Chamber Music Festival features all three of Brahms’ violin sonatas — music written with his close friend and near lifelong collaborator in mind.
“Basically everything Brahms wrote for the violin was dedicated to Joachim,” says violinist Karl Stobbe.
Rarely heard in the back-to-back-to-back triptych, this performance marks a first in the accomplished career of Stobbe — who has neither witnessed nor played all three together in an evening — making for a unique chamber music experience.
“I think that all three works are amazing, remarkable — they are Brahms at his very best and his most luxurious, says Stobbe. “Clearly he loves the violin and the piano and he loves them together.”
Joining Stobbe in the marathon performance will be pianist Paul Williamson.
“Obviously it’s a big privilege to play with Karl,” says Williamson, who reunites with the violinist after first performing together in last year’s Agassiz: Connected! virtual festival.
An emerging star in the classical music world, Williamson completed an undergraduate degree at the Desautels Faculty of Music, studying with Dr. David Moroz, before continuing his studies at the prestigious Colburn School in Los Angeles.
This past year, Williamson returned to the city to fill in for his former teacher who was on sabbatical. Teaching a mix of undergraduate and graduate students, Williamson called the experience “incredible” and “fulfilling” while noting it was “very different from being a student.”
Monday night’s performance takes place at the Canadian Mennonite University’s Laudamus Auditorium and features a pre-concert “Among Friends” performance by Miona Milovanovic and Luis Almeida.
For tickets and details, visit: www.agassizfestival.com