Ariel String Quartet coaches University of Florida musicians in masterclass

Trio of UF students perform the Smetana Piano Trio in
G Minor, Op. 15.

Last week, the renowned Israeli Ariel String Quartet visited the University of Florida, performing at the Phillips Center on February 12^th then hosting a masterclass for UF student chamber musicians the following day. The Ariel String Quartet members, Alexander, Amit, Gershon and Jan, were students at the New England Conservatory of Music but are now resident faculty members at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.

The first chamber ensemble, whose performance I will feature in this review, performed the Smetana Piano Trio in G Minor Op. 15 for the Ariel Quartet, which is a piece that the composer wrote after the death of his child. Fittingly, the trio conveys a harsh yet reflective sense of mourning and grief. Structurally, the work exudes this sense of tragedy through its dynamic extremes and descending chromatic lines.

The UF performing chamber ensemble played the Smetana trio with a vibrant and driving exuberance. The Ariel String Quartet seemed to have agreed for they raved about the trio’s emotional delivery of the music. However, no performance is perfect, so they did have a few critiques to give to the trio of UF students.

Ariel cellist Amit Even-Tov plays UF student's cello to
demonstrate a performance technique.

Ariel violinist Alexandra Kazovsky said to the trio, “Think of the emotional strength of the work, and make it freer.”

Cellist Jan Gruning added to this comment and told the performing violinist and cellist to, “Imitate the usage of breath in your right arm to give the line more direction.”

The trio then repeated certain sections of the work for the Ariel Quartet members and I couldn’t help but smile watching and listening to the immediate improvements in their playing.

“It’s like magic now,” Alexandra said. “It’s so nice, it gives the melody spontaneity.”