Kassia Ensemble returns to the Resonance Chamber Series at Bar Marco on Tuesday, February 11th, 2020 at 7 pm.  In a program of primarily women composers from the 20th and 21st centuries, Kassia offers a listening opportunity different from any in Pittsburgh!
In a nod to Kassia’s namesake, the program begins with a cello solo by Margarita Zelenaia, a Russian composer, who has based her composition off of Byzantine chants.
Next up is a piece by French composer Ida Gotkovsky for clarinet and harp.   Taking her inspiration from the Aeolian scale, this four-movement work, Eolienne, compels the listener to take a journey from a lush soundscape to a piquant stuttering waltz and beyond.
Two transcriptions pair the clarinet with string quartet, the lovely Reverie by Germaine Tailleferre and Seven Popular Songs from Manuel Defalla.
Concluding the program is American composer Jennifer Higdon’s Southern Harmony.  From soaring string writing reminiscent of Barber’s Knoxville, Summer 1915 to Appalachian dances this three-movement work speaks directly to Pittsburgh’s musical roots.
All proceeds from this concert will be donated to Kassia’s bassist, Amanda Rice-Johnston, who is currently recovering from a brain aneurysm.  

The Union Hall is accessed through the back entrance and up the stairs.
* We regret that this 2nd floor space is not wheelchair accessible