The sound of beautiful chamber music will fill the room this week when two old friends, musicians and world travelers, play together.
The SHSU Department of Music is hosting a violin recital with Houston Symphony member, Rodica Gonzalez, as the special guest performer this Thursday starting at 7:30 p.m. in the James and Nancy Gaertner Performing Arts Center Recital Hall.
She will be joined by associate music professor and keyboard director, D.M.A., Ilonka Rus-Edery, on the piano. Rus-Edery talked about the different concerts that the department hosts and the various locations they perform.
“We have concerts every year at Sam Houston,” Rus-Edery said. “In addition, we have other concerts in other venues throughout the country. We give concerts in Romania at festivals and fairs. We actually have another concert on November 1 in Houston.”
These musicians are both from Romania and have know each other since 1997. Rus-Edery talked about her relationship with the musician.
“Rodica’s piano teacher is a colleague with my mother,” Rus- Edery said. “My mother is a pianist as well as I. We have known each other for awhile.”
Rus- Edery and Gonzalez have performed many places together through the years. The list is long and includes anywhere from Huntsville to Carnegie Hall.
“We have concerts every year,” Rus- Edery said. “We love to travel together.”
Along with the United States and Romania, Gonzalez has traveled to Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Canada and Mexico preforming recitals. The selection of music in which they will perform is from the Chamber Music time period.
Chamber Music is a form of classical music that started in the 17th century. This type of music is performed in a small room for a more intimate feel. There are normally two to nine players performing in a group without a conductor, focusing on the conversation among the players and personal expression.
These ladies will present works from three famous composers, Beethoven, Porumbescu, and Schubert all written in the early 1800s.
“We’re performing the Beethoven Sonata for violin and piano No. 7 in C Minor, Op. 30, No. 2,” Rus-Edery said. “We are going to do Schubert’s Rondo, Op. 70 and a piece by Ciprian Porumbescu called Balada.”
The audience will be able to hear the harmony as these two musicians play together. It will be a beautiful combination of their experience together and the timeless music.
“We have a great chemistry together,” Rus- Edery said. “We work together very well. We have the same level of understanding.”
The admission to the recital is free and if you would like more details, call the box office at 936-294-2339.
