Photo Flash: The ARK Trio Returns to 'PREformances with Allison Charney' at Merkin Concert Hall

The ARK trio returned to "PREformances with Allison Charney" Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Music Center on November 27 in NYC. BroadwayWorld has photos from the concert below!

The unique sound of the ARK trio debuted at Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Music Center in the first evening concert of "PREformances with Allison Charney" classical concert series of 2017-18.

The concert reunited members soprano Allison Charney, cellist Kajsa William- Olsson and pianist Reiko Uchida for their first performance in New York City following their well-received NYC concert "Love Resounding," which premiered six new classical works February 14, 2017.

The ARK trio's distinctive sound results from its collaboration of voice, cello and piano. While most classical music "trios" - defined as a group of three solo instruments or "voices" - are commonly organized as piano trios (piano, violin and cello) violin trios (violin, viola and cello) and occasionally as a trio for clarinet, cello and piano - it is very unusual to have a classical trio composed of voice, cello and piano.

For their PREformances' appearance the ARK trio revisited Michael Ching's neo-romantic art song cycle "Arrangements and Derangements: Interpretations of Schubert." Commissioned by the ARK trio, American composer Michael Ching's witty and perhaps irreverent five composition celebrates the ARK trio's love of the art song tradition and performance risk taking. Michael Ching's witty, mock polemic on the Romantic era's obsessive, perhaps even delusional point of view, relies on the voice's expert diction and expressiveness in delivering songs to a twenty first century audience based on German texts by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Matthäus von Collin, Friedrich Rückert, and Johann Gabriel Seidl - 19th century poets, none of whom are household names today.

The ARK trio joined PREformances guests Elizabeth Mann, principal flutist Orchestra of St. Luke's, pianist Donna Weng, and New York City Opera mezzo soprano Hyona Kim in repertoire which featured in "preformance" Martinu's Cello Concerto, No. 1 performed by Kajsa William-Olsson in anticipation of her performance with full orchestra later this season; Prokofiev's Flute Sonata performed by Elizabeth Mann with pianist Donna Weng, in advance of their upcoming concert at Princeton and mezzo soprano Hyona Kim will sing the Judgment Scene from Verdi's Aida in preparation for her first Amneris at Germany's Opera Dortmund and who will sing Puccini's tragically beautiful "Flower Duet" from Madama Butterfly with series founder and curator, soprano Allison Charney.

Photo Credit: David Andrako

Host and founder Allison Charney welcomes fellow ARK trio members pianist Reiko Uchida and cellist Kajsa William-Olsson to PREformances

Fellow guests Elizabeth Mann, principal flutist for the Orchestra of St. Luke's performs Prokofiev's Flute Sonata with pianist Donna Weng in advance of their upcoming concert at Princeton

Cellist Kajsa William-Olsson perfoms Martinu's Cello Concerto, No. 1, with PREformances collaborative pianist Craig Ketter

The ARK trio performing American composer Michael Ching's reimaginings of five of Schubert's classic songs in his cycle 'Arrangements and Derangements: Interpretations of Schubert.'

Mezzo soprano Hyona Kim performs together with soprano Allison Charney, and collaborative pianist Craig Ketter