Celebrating 30+ Years of Wild and Scenic Music

Praise for the Taos Chamber Music Group!

“One of the great treasures of Taos” -The Taos News 
“Big magic…silken ensemble playing” -Albuquerque Journal
“A remarkable concert of juxtaposed styles” -Horse Fly 
“Depth, vitality and inventiveness” -Spencer Beckwith, KUNM

Press Release

Taos Chamber Music Group presents
“Viaje Especial”
Saturday, 11/2/24 5:30 p.m. & Sunday, 11/3/24 3:00 p.m.
at the Harwood Museum of Art in Taos

The Taos Chamber Music Group presents “Viaje Especial,” an original musical journey with pieces by composers from Argentina, Brazil, Cuba and Spain on Saturday, 11/2/24 5:30 p.m. & Sunday, 11/3/24 3:00 p.m. at the Harwood Museum of Art in Taos.

This unique and eclectic program, replete with voluptuous harmonies, was crafted starting with inspiration from the closing piece on the program composed by Spanish composer, Joaquín Turina, “Piano Quintet in A minor Op. 67” (1931). Turina studied in Spain and in Paris, France and his compositional practice was heavily influenced by the Impressionist composers, Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy. Turina’s later years were spent teaching composition at the Madrid Royal Conservatory and his offerings helped to promote the national character of Spanish music.

Taos Chamber Music Group Board President Elizabeth Baker, and returning TCMG alum and pianist Vicki Ray, designed this program that they call a “tapas menu of sorts” featuring delicious musical selections. Although these compositions and their creators may be lesser known in the concert world, they are lovely works worth exploration and recognition now by our TCMG audience and the Taos community.

The “Viaje Especial” program opens with a piano quartet entitled “Oblivion” (1944) by Argentinian composer, Astor Piazzolla. It starts with a slow milonga, a dance thought to be the forerunner to the tango. Piazzolla is known, of course, as the revolutionizer of traditional tango and credited with creating a new style called nuevo tango incorporating jazz and classical music elements. Born of Italian immigrants in Argentina, he became famous not only for tango but also for his compositions for the bandoneon. Piazzolla moved to New York City with his parents as a youth but returned to his beloved Argentina several times during his lifetime. Piazzolla’s haunting and atmospheric dance piece is a rousing way to start the musical journey that Baker and Ray have crafted for this November program.

Next, we travel north in South America for the 2nd piece in the program, “Duo for Violin and Viola” (1946) by Heitor Villa-Lobos. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Villa-Lobos became the dominant figure in Brazilian 20th century music. A prolific composer, he was influenced by Brazilian folk music’s songs and rhythms and combined them within western classical music forms.

The next piece takes us to Cuba with “Suite Espagnole pour violon et piano” (1929) by Joaquín Nin, Cuban pianist and composer. Nin’s travels brought him to Spain as a child and then he studied in Barcelona and Paris. He returned to Cuba in 1910 and toured extensively as a pianist in Europe and South America. Nin was a leading figure in the renaissance of Spanish music in the early part of the 20th century. He is known for his compositions and arrangements of popular Spanish folk music.

After a brief intermission, we travel to Spain for the next part of the journey with Manuel de Falla’s, “Suite Populaire Espagnole” (1914).” He is considered Spain’s greatest 20th century composer. One of de Falla’s most famous early compositions is the one-act opera, “La Vida Breve.” He focused for some time on the music of his native Andalusia and, in particular, Andalusian flamenco, which significantly influenced his compositions. He moved to Argentina in 1939 after the Spanish Civil War where he lived for the remainder of his life.

This lively musical journey around continents ends in Spain with Turina’s inspirational piece that engendered this especial TCMG program to be performed on November 2 and 3 at the Harwood with musicians Elizabeth Baker (violin), Laura Chang (viola), Sally Guenther (cello) and Vicki Ray (piano).

TCMG’s 32nd Season will then continue in December 2024 with the 2nd Annual Holiday Season Festival with 2 different programs, “From Bach to Liszt to Schubert” and “Mindful Meditations.” For more information on artists and performances, visit taoschambermusicgroup.org. For tickets visit taoschambermusicgroup.org or harwoodmuseum.org.

Do you want to help bring wild and scenic music to Taos? Email pam@taoschambermusicgroup.org for more information on volunteer opportunities.