FOR YOUR GRAMMY® CONSIDERATION
BEST CHAMBER MUSIC / SMALL ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE
CONTRASTS:
Bartók, Ives, Khachaturian, Schoenfield, and Stravinsky –
Trios for Clarinet, Violin and Piano
“Virtuosity, at the highest level.” —Richard A. Kaplan, Fanfare
“The ‘pillars’ of the violin, clarinet, piano genre; essential for any library of chamber music.” —Dominic Hartley, Fanfare
Contrasts unites some of the most celebrated talents in classical music. Ilya Kaler remains the only violinist ever to win first prize at all three of the world’s most prestigious violin competitions—the Paganini, Tchaikovsky, and Sibelius—and serves as professor at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Jonathan Cohler is a world-renowned clarinet soloist, conductor, and record producer, honored with BBC Music Magazine’s “Best CDs of the Year” award. Lithuanian pianist Rasa Vitkauskaite is a Steinway Artist and principal pianist of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra.
Contrasts offers a vivid journey across cultures, reflecting the ensemble’s own diverse roots. Together these works unite folk heritage with modernist craft and personal expression, illuminating the universal search for identity and belonging in a fractured world. Amid today’s turbulence, this music reminds us that “home” is not just a place but something carried within.
Engineered by four-time Grammy® winner Brad Michel and recorded at the beautiful Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport, MA, this album presents a truly exceptional listening experience.
Producer Jonathan Cohler
Recording Engineers Brad Michel, Luke Damrosch
Mix Engineer Jonathan Cohler
Mastering Engineers Brad Michel, Jonathan Cohler
