Prima Trio launches concert season

A season of classical music at the First United Methodist Church in Yuba City begins Monday as the Prima Trio kicks off the Tri County Concert Association's season.

"The one thing I love about this trio is that they're able to interpret such wonderful literature with their instruments," said Joaquina Johnson of the concert association. "This literature isn't something most people hear often because it takes just the combination of instruments (the trio uses)."

The Prima Trio consists of Boris Allakhverdyan on clarinet, David Bogorad on viola/violin and Anastasia Dedik on piano. The group began in 2004 when all three members were studying at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio.

Since then, the group has performed throughout the United States and has won numerous awards, including the grand prize in the 2007 Fischoff Chamber Music Competition and a Midwest Winner's Tour at Italy's Emilia Romagna Festival.

Among the pieces the trio is scheduled to perform at Monday's concert are "Kegelstatt," a trio for clarinet, viola and piano in E-flat by Mozart; five pieces from "Eight Pieces" by Max Bruch; the suite from Igor Stravinsky's "A Soldier's Tale"; and "Serenade for Three" by Peter Schickele.

"Their repertoire is excellent. They have a wide variety of songs, wtih a lot of color," Johnson said. "This is a great opportunity to hear these instruments in a concert setting."

The trio also plans to do a musical outreach for the students at Franklin Elementary School on Monday.

"They're all young and enthusiastic. They're good role models," Johnson said.

Three more concerts are scheduled for the Tri County Concert Association's season. These concerts include the operatic quintet The Homecoming on Jan. 23; the Quarteto Vivace Brasil on Feb. 4; and pianist Jens Elvekjaer on April 23.