FARMINGTON – The Nordica Trio will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 10, in Nordica Auditorium at the University of Maine at Farmington. The trio features violinist Graybert Beacham, clarinetist Karen Beacham and pianist Cheryl Tschanz.

The featured piece on the program will be the world premiere of a trio by award winning Maine composer Gia Comolli, which was written especially for the Nordica Trio. Comolli’s works have been performed in Maine by the DaPonte Quartet and the Portland Symphony Orchestra.

The program will also include music written by the winners of the Nordica Trio Composers Competition and two trios by Armenian composers Aram Khachaturian and Alexander Arutiunian.

Arutiunian’s Suite for Trio was written in 1992. It features movements that are light and lyrical in nature. The finale contains Armenian dance rhythms.

Aram Khachaturian wrote his Trio in G minor for clarinet, violin and piano in 1932. Khachaturian’s music is known for its folk roots: the diversity of Transcaucasian folk-dance, and the inspired improvisations of folk musicians.

Graybert Beacham is the director of string studies at the Emery Community Arts Center String Program in Farmington and conducts the University of Maine at Farmington Community Orchestra. He is also adjunct lecturer and a member of the applied faculty at UMF. He performs with the Nordica Trio, Portland Symphony and serves as concertmaster for the Maine Chamber Ensemble and Atlantic Chamber Orchestra.

Karen Beacham serves as principal clarinet with Atlantic Chamber Orchestra, Portland Ballet Orchestra and Maine Chamber Ensemble. She also performs with the Portland Symphony Orchestra. She is the band director and music theory teacher at Mount Blue High School and also is a lecturer and a member of the applied faculty at UMF, where she also conducts the UMF Band.

Tschanz is assistant adjunct professor of music at Colby College. She has appeared as guest soloist with the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra and in recital at Carnegie Recital Hall, Alice Tully Hall, and the Tanglewood Festival. Besides her performances as part of the Nordica Trio, Tschanz is known to Farmington music lovers for her past performances with Sarah Geller and Mary Jo Carlsen.

The concert is sponsored by the Arts Institute of Western Maine. Tickets will be available at the door at $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, and $2 for children. For more information, visit the AIWM Web site: www.artsinstitute.org or call 778-7136.

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