Cascadia Composers

For centuries, the piano trio has been an endless canvas of sonic experimentation. In this highly versatile ensemble, the piano, the violin, and the cello each bring their own personalities and strengths to the stage creating endless opportunities for passionate melodies, throbbing rhythms, and a hugely expansive dynamic and tonal range. In collaboration with the superb Metolius Trio—Andrew Cannestra (piano), Ben Ehrmantraut (violin), and Austin Bennett (cello)—we present new works by living Oregon composers that celebrate a vibrant spectrum of emotions, strange, quirky stories, and the sheer elemental force of nature. Come experience a fiery, fantastical current of exciting virtuosity... cubed!

Oregon is a land rich in poetic possibilities and endless landscapes: jaw-dropping mountain peaks with roots in the ancient past, roaring waterfalls aglow with rainbow mists, violent waves pounding weathered rocks, and vibrant cities that bring together cultures from all over the world. River Roads is the next iteration of the Oregon Soundscapes Project which celebrates our environmental and geographical wealth through the time-honored but endlessly fertile medium of solo piano miniatures. In this concert, composers from the Pacific Northwest will showcase their skill in crafting imaginative and concise works that capture the essence of a place in just a few minutes of vivid music performed by virtuoso pianists—all recent graduates of the University of Oregon's esteemed solo piano program. Experience River Roads: Oregon Soundscapes with us at one of these two shows!