Faculty members at the University’s School of Music do more than teach music — they also create it.
Trio Pacifica, a musical ensemble composed of Kathryn Lucktenberg, associate professor of violin, Steven Pologe, associate professor of cello, and Victor Steinhardt, professor of piano, recently released their first CD, entitled “The Call of the Wild.”
Using an innovative mix of narration from several novels and their own music, the trio hopes to heighten the excitement of classical music.
The trio received funding from the University and from the Aaron Copland Foundation, from which they received a grant in 1999. The CD was released on the CRi music label after three years of work and preparation.
“The CD-making process itself is very humbling and purifying,” Lucktenberg said. “You’re in a different place in terms of how you play and how you think.”
Composer Jon Deak created the music for the CD, which is based on four novels: “Steppenwolf,” “1984,” “Call of the Wild” and “My Antonia.”
“Jon’s music was immediately appealing because of the theatrics required of the performers,” Lucktenberg said, adding that one unique aspect to this music is that the performers try to speak the text of the novels while playing, so there are a lot of added sound effects woven into the music.”We narrate and play the music simultaneously, so it all tells a story,” Lucktenberg said. “This was a challenge because we all had to learn this new technique.”
The professors came together as Trio Pacifica in 1993 after husband and wife, Pologe and Lucktenberg, interviewed for faculty positions at the University. The couple, who formerly performed with the Honolulu Symphony as full time musicians, met Steinhardt during their music auditions when he was assigned as their piano accompaniment.
“We decided to try out this academic world,” Pologe said, “and we felt an instant connection with Steinhardt.”
“We formed our group and have performed concerts throughout Oregon, Hawaii, Washington and we toured Taiwan in the spring of 1998,” Pologe said. “But we had not made a CD yet.”
Pologe also said the CD making process was intense work, but he was amazed by the way recording technology made the group sound.
“Everything in the studio was set up to maximize the greatest potential of each instrument. You could never put on a concert like that,” he said.
Steinhardt agrees that while making the CD was a lot of work, overall he enjoyed the rehearsals. It was exciting to speak and make sound effects while playing, he said.
Steinhardt said he has talked with the other members of Trio Pacifica about future projects and looks forward to continuing the ensemble’s work.
“I hope we have many more occasions to play together because I truly enjoy working with them,” he said.
Trio Pacifica is holding a concert at Beall Concert Hall on Thursday, Nov. 9, where they will perform one of the pieces from their CD, “The Wager at El Dorado Saloon.” The trio will also be performing other well-known classical works from Mozart and Brahms. General admission is $7 and $4 for students and seniors. The performance will begin at 8 p.m