A good rule of life is that, if the classical music collective Sound Impact is giving a concert anywhere nearby, just drop what you’re doing and go. About 70 Hollin Hillers did exactly that on Sunday afternoon, when the ensemble — featuring Hollin Hills virtuosos Gino Madrid on violin and Jerome Gordon on viola — presented a wonderfully imaginative program at the Unitarian Church, pairing a dark-but-beautiful string quartet by Dmitri Shostakovich with a charming performance of Bach and Piazzolla by a quartet of gifted young cellists.
The Sound Impact performance on Sunday night featured Gino Madrid and Kayleigh Kim, violins; Danielle Cho, ‘cello; and Jerome Gordon, viola
Madrid and Gordon have played a key role in the musical life of Hollin Hills for years, and they were joined on Sunday by violinist Kayleigh Kim and cellist Danielle Cho. They opened not just with a bang, but with a bazooka: Shostakovich’s searing String Quartet No. 8, from 1960. Written during a difficult part of the composer’s already difficult life, it’s almost overwhelmingly personal, using everything from a funereal dirge to a nightmarish little waltz as it probes into Shostakovich’s own anguished inner life. It’s an unblinking look into one man’s abyss, and maybe not for every ear. But by the end of its five movements, you know you’ve experienced something profoundly human, and profoundly beautiful.
The Sound Impact players gave the Shostakovich an intense, take-no-prisoners performance, and then — perhaps as balm for our slightly scorched ears — made a 180-degree turn to a cheerful and even rambunctious arrangement of the Australian folk tune “Waltzing Matilda” that you could not help but love.
But even more charming were the three student cellists — Elaine Zhang, Avril Graffe Droboniku, and Evy Glass — who took the stage with their teacher Danielle Cho to play works by J.S. Bach and Astor Piazzolla, arranged for cello quartet. It was a key part of the afternoon; part of Sound Impact’s mission is to promote and support up-and-coming young classical musicians, and the young players took turns to speak quite eloquently about the importance of their involvement with the group.
And when they played, they left no doubt about their talent, turning in a refined, elegant performance of Bach’s Sarabande (from Suite No. 6) and a driving, exuberant account of Piazzolla’s sensuous “Libertango.”
The concert was designed to raise awareness of Sound Impact’s work supporting young and often disadvantaged musicians around the world, and the group will be holding their annual fundraising Soirée on December 8, featuring a concert and sit-down dinner. To learn more about the group and their valuable work, check out their website, or reserve your tickets here for the December Soirée.
All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon — not only for the music, but for the lively reception that followed, complete with Mexican delicacies provided by Tom Voskuil and Lynn Umemoto from their award-winning Taqueria Picoso.