Leah Hollingsworth attends a concert of Nokuthula Ngwenyama, David Serkin Ludwig and Dvořák at the Elley-Long Music Center, Colchester, VT, US, on 28 August 2026, taking place as part of the Lake Champlain Music Festival
Nokuthula Ngwenyama’s Joy Steppin’ was expertly performed by the Espressivo! Piano Quartet to open the Lake Champlain Music Festival’s ‘Songs Across Cultures’ programme. Fragments of melodic material periodically emerged from trills and scales in the opening, highlighting Milena Pajaro-Stadt’s rich and soulful viola tone and pianist Anna Polonsky’s delicate, sparkling touch. As the piece developed, various duos grew into longer and more soulful melodies that finally converged in a rhythmic section filled with tremendous warmth and a sense of invitation.
David Serkin Ludwig, the Festival’s composer-in-residence, gave a brief introduction to the US premiere of his Five Songs after Dimitar Peshev, describing it as ‘a story about conviction and commitment and belief’. It received an exceptional performance from soprano Hannah Yu, violinist Bella Hristova, cellist Edward Aaron and pianist Jeewon Park. This piece makes an important statement both musically and culturally and I hope to hear it again.
Dvořák’s E flat major Piano Quartet (no.2) closed the programme with the return of the Espressivo! Quartet. It proved at one with the composer’s distinctive sound world, from the triumphant opening via a memorable Lento – with a beautiful solo from cellist Sharon Robinson – plenty of grace in the third movement and a finale full of rustic energy, replete with several terrific solos from Pajaro-Stadt.
LEAH HOLLINGSWORTH
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