Composer Kay Rhie releases Cereus, a portrait album of chamber works, two including voice, featuring soprano Leela Subramaniam, Winsor Music and the Aperture Duo. Rhie's music draws on her experience as a South Korean born artist living in Los Angeles, responding to the lived environment in outward ways through text setting and thematic context, as well as inward impacts on her compositional process.
Kay Rhie’s compositions pay special attention to musical behaviors, curating the interaction between instruments, phrase length, motivic contour, and other salient characteristics to reinforce larger aesthetic goals in her music. In this collection of chamber music with and without voice, Rhie’s decisions surrounding process and how the musical material develops are often embodiments of something essential to the expression of the piece itself. As a listener, one senses this cohesion in her music between micro detail and macro intention is something one senses as a listener even before investigating the nature of their link. This integration of local and large scale elements never obscures Rhie’s engaging material on a moment to moment level, and she cultivates this fine balance between compositional design and instinct expertly throughout the works on this recording.
Cereus (Night Blooms), performed by the Winsor Trio, is dedicated to her late father, In-young Rhie, who was an active writer in his native South Korea in the 60s through 80s before immigrating to the United States. In the last months of his life, Kay Rhie ruminated about how this creative part of her father’s life had been dormant since the family’s move, and fashioned the musical content of the piece around the idea of a flower that blossoms only at night, despite resistance. Disjunct, imitative gestures in the instruments of the trio that are separated by silence at the opening of the piece gradually become more extended, as arrivals in one line connect with sustained pitches in another, skittering lines coalesce and diverge, and fragments flower into fully formed phrases. The last several minutes of the piece diffuse its charged energy into a series of contemplative, peaceful exhalations.
The five part song cycle I Hear the Sound of Trees for voice, alto saxophone, and piano, sets a collection of poems by by Walt Whitman and A.R. Ammons that celebrate nature’s power to reconnect us with our inner quietude. The first three songs of the set travel through the smooth urbanity of “After the dazzle of days” (Whitman), the wry humor of “Reflective” (Ammons), and the cascading, word-painted narrative of “Cascadilla Falls” (Ammons). In “Perfections (Whitman), Leela Subramaniam’s crystalline soprano covers wide leaps over the irregular percolation of oscillating figures in keyboard and saxophone. “Love Song” (Ammons) is the most introspective song in the set, capturing the beguiling mystery of nature’s enveloping embrace with ethereal vocal lines over gentle accompaniment.
…in the dreams of another… for violin and viola, performed by the Aperture Duo, grew from Rhee’s observations about interactions over Zoom. Inadvertent interruptions, clumsy apologies, and quick stops and starts abound on online communication platforms, especially early in the pandemic when many people were acclimating themselves to that format for the first time. The piece’s five movements each examine a different kind of dialogue between the two instruments: the motivic imitation of “After You,” the rounded contours in “Circular,” the jump-cut contrasts of dynamic, expression, and timbre of “Game,” and the truncated gestures of “If I don’t see you, I feel you.” The title movement is the emotional center of the work, scored for viola alone playing a mournful melody, revealing the alienation that lies beneath our awkward efforts at connection.
The final piece on the recording involves its largest instrumentation; scored for soprano, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and piano, the four movement Suite from Quake is compiled from material from Rhee’s operatic homage to her adopted home city of Los Angeles, Quake. Rhie magnifies the sextet to occupy an orchestral sonic footprint, drawing out vibrant colors and creating layers of activity that suggest section playing even though the performers are playing one to a part. It is also a treat to hear Rhie’s musical voice in a more lush, dramatic frame as she leans into supporting the theatrical narrative, sometimes highlighting the stage action (conjured in the listener’s imagination on this recording) with emphasized musical events in the voice and ensemble.
- Dan Lippel
Recorded at Evelyn & Mo Ostin Music Center
Recording producers: Sergey Parfenov, Jose Carrillo (for Cereus)
Sound engineer: Sergey Parfenov
Editing, mix and mastering: Sergey Parfenov
Cover Image: Photo by Hà Nguyen on Unsplash
Kay Rhie photo: Joy Cha
Design, layout & typography: Marc Wolf, marcjwolf.com
Proofreader: David S. Lefkowitz
“After the dazzle of day,” and “Perfection” from Walt Whitman’s poetry collection Leaves of Grass in the public domain.
“Reflective” © 1990 from The Really Short Poems of A.R. Ammons
“Cascadilla Falls,” and “Love Song (2)”. © 1986 from A.R. Ammons, The Selected Poems, Expanded Edition. Used by the kind permission of W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Kay Rhie is a composer of contemporary classical music who often explores the issues of belonging and the science of acoustics. Currently Assistant Professor of Composition and Theory at UCLA, she finds her experience of living in Los Angeles and previously in Ithaca, New York, as well as growing up in South Korea to be continuously influencing her voice as a composer. Her musical studies began in South Korea on the piano from the age of seven, and continued at the University of California at Los Angeles and Cornell University. Her composition teachers include Steven Stucky, Roberto Sierra, Paul Chihara, Ian Krouse, David Lefkowitz, John Harbison, Samuel Adler, Stephen Hartke, and Donald Crockett. She received her Doctorate of Musical Arts in Composition from Cornell University in 2009.
Rhie was a recipient of the Charles Ives Fellowship given by the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 2008, which said her music has “vehemence and reticence,” where “intimacy and plainness co-exist.” She was awarded the Grand Prize for Student Compositions at the Ojai Music Festival in 2001. Residences have included the Aspen Music Festival (2003), the Chamber Music Conference and Composers’ Forum of the East (2004), and Banff Centre for the Arts (2005). At the Tanglewood Music Center, she was the Otto Eckstein Composition Fellow and the winner of the Geffen-Solomon New Music Commission in 2007. From 2008-2009, she was a Rieman and Baketel Music Fellow at the Radcliffe Institute of Advanced Study at Harvard University. The recently completed orchestral work, H’on, commissioned for the Los Angeles Philharmonic premiered in June 2025.
Her music has been performed at the London Festival of American Music, Banff Centre for the Arts, the Hear Now Festival, Seal Bay Festival of American Chamber Music, Tanglewood Music Center, Tongyeong International Music Festival, the Ars Nova Series in Korea, Composers Conference at Avaloch Farm Music Institute, and Berkeley Symphony Chamber Series. Performers include the BBC Singers, Ensemble TM+ (Paris), Ensemble X, In Mulieribus, the Moscow Contemporary Music Ensemble, the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, TIMF ensemble, Winsor Music, Left Coast Chamber Ensemble, Brightwork Newmusic Ensemble, Aperture Duo, New Thread Saxophone Quartet, and Opera UCLA.
http://www.kayrhie.comGabriela Díaz and Rane Moore are Co-Artistic Directors at Winsor Music, contributing significantly to its mission of fostering community through innovative chamber music. Gabriela, known for her dynamic performances, has brought her rich musical heritage to Winsor Music, enhancing its repertoire with her family’s traditional and contemporary pieces. Her work extends beyond performances, engaging in educational initiatives and community outreach to connect music with healing and social discourse. Rane Moore complements this with her versatile musicianship and dedication to new music, often collaborating in the creation and premiere of works that challenge and inspire. Together, they’ve helped Winsor Music become a beacon for diversity in music, offering scholarships, mentorship, and concerts that resonate with audiences across Boston, making the organization a hub for cultural and musical exchange.
Georgia native Gabriela Diaz began her musical training at the age of five, studying piano with her mother, and the next year, violin with her father. As a childhood cancer survivor, Gabriela is committed to sup- porting cancer research and treatment in her capacity as a musician. In 2004, Gabriela was a recipient of a grant from the Albert Schweitzer Foundation, an award that enabled Gabriela to create and direct the Boston Hope Ensemble. This program is now part of Winsor Music. A firm believer in the healing properties of music, Gabriela and her colleagues have performed in cancer units in Boston hospitals and presented benefit concerts for cancer research organizations in numerous venues throughout the United States.
A fierce champion of contemporary music, Gabriela has been fortunate to work closely with many significant composers on their own compositions, namely Pierre Boulez, Frederic Rzewski, Alvin Lucier, Unsuk Chin, Joan Tower, Roger Reynolds, Chaya Czernowin, Steve Reich, Tania León, Brian Ferneyhough, and Helmut Lachenmann. In 2012 Gabriela joined the violin faculty of Wellesley College. Gabriela is co-artistic director of the much beloved Boston-based chamber music and outreach organization Winsor Music. Please visit winsormusic.org for more information!
Gabriela’s recording of Lou Harrison’s Suite for Violin and American Gamelan was highlighted in the New York Times Article “5 Minutes That Will Make You Love Classical Music.” Critics have acclaimed Ga- briela as “a young violin master,” and “one of Boston’s most valuable players.” Lloyd Schwartz of the Boston Phoenix noted, “...Gabriela Diaz in a bewitching performance of Pierre Boulez’s 1991 Anthèmes. The come-hither meow of Diaz’s upward slides and her sustained pianis- simo fade-out were miracles of color, texture, and feeling.” Others have remarked on her “indefatigably expressive” playing, “polished technique,” and “vivid and elegant playing.” Gabriela can be heard on New World, Centaur, BMOPSound, Mode, Naxos, and Tzadik records. Gabriela plays on a Vuillaume violin generously on loan from Mark Ptashne and a viola made by her father, Manuel Diaz. Gabriela is proud to be a core member of the team that created Boston Hope Music, bringing music to patients and frontline medical workers during the pandemic. More info can be found at bostonhopemusic.org
https://www.eurekaensemble.org/boston-hope-musicClarinetist Rane Moore is well-regarded for her thoughtful, provocative interpretations of standard and cutting-edge contemporary repertoire. Fiercely devoted to the new music communities of the East Coast and beyond, Moore is a founding member of the New York based Talea Ensemble which regularly gives premieres of new works at major venues and festivals around the world. Ms. Moore has joined the award winning wind quintet, The City of Tomorrow, for the upcoming season, and is also a member Boston’s Callithumpian Consort and Sound Icon.
Hailed as "superb," “incisive," and "sonorous and panoramic” (Boston Globe), David Russell maintains a vigorous schedule both as soloist and as collaborator in the U.S. and Europe. He was appointed to the teaching faculty of Wellesley College in 2005 and currently serves as Lecturer and Director of Chamber Music. He has served as Principal cello of the orchestras of Odyssey Opera and Opera Boston since 2010 and performs regularly with many ensembles based in New England such as Cantata Singers and Ensemble, the Worcester Chamber Music Society and Emmanuel Music. A strong advocate of new music, Russell has performed and recorded with contemporary ensembles such as Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Firebird Ensemble, Ludovico Ensemble, Callithumpian Consort, Music on the Edge, Dinosaur Annex, Collage, the Fromm Players at Harvard, and entelechron. Recent projects include recordings of cello concertos by Chen Yi and Lukas Foss, recordings of solo and chamber works by Lee Hyla, Eric Moe, Tamar Diesendruck, Donald Crockett, Andrew Rindfleisch and Roger Zahab as well as premieres of music by David Lang, Barbara White, Marti Epstein, Daron Hagen, José-Luis Hurtado, Robert Carl, Gilda Lyons,and Jorge Martin. Russell has also recently premiered works for cello and orchestra by Laurie San Martin and Samuel Nichols, as well as works for solo cello by Tamar Diesendruck, Andrew Rindfleisch, and John Mallia. Russell has recorded for the Tzadik, Albany, BMOPSound, CRI, Centaur and New World Records labels.
Leela Subramaniam, a “gleaming soprano” according to Opera News, has performed with major opera houses like the Metropolitan Opera and LA Opera. Passionate about new music, she has been featured in five world premieres, notably by women of color. She’s a first-prize winner of the Joan Taub Ades Competition and a finalist in several prestigious competitions. Her recent roles include Annu in Thumbprint and Turan in Threshold of Brightness. A Los Angeles native, Leela holds degrees from UCLA and Manhattan School of Music, and continues to perform and teach in LA.
Rachel Wolz, a Los Angeles-based musician and educator, has graced stages with groups like the UCLA Philharmonia and The Colburn Orchestra. As the alto saxophonist for the Gold Line Quartet, she’s committed to community engagement in LA. Her accolades include third prize at the 2023 International Artists Competition and the Eugene V. Cota-Robles Fellowship at UCLA. Rachel has also toured with the Zoto Saxophone Quartet, offering educational clinics and masterclasses across Arizona.
Andreas Foivos Apostolou, a versatile musician from Thessaloniki, Greece, has made significant contributions in music composition, production, and performance. After mastering violin and voice, he expanded his skills to include drums and guitar during high school. Despite pursuing Chemical Engineering, his passion led him to Berklee College of Music, where he graduated with top honors. Now based in Los Angeles, Apostolos is known for his work in film and TV, including Palm Royale and Star Trek: Lower Decks, alongside producing and arranging for various artists. His background blends classical and contemporary music.
Lauded for their “precision and interpretation” and “distinct sense of unity and independence” (icareifyoulisten. com), Los Angeles-based Aperture Duo curates fearless programs that explore new sounds, voices, and techniques through the lens of violin and viola chamber music. Founded in 2015 by violinist Adrianne Pope and violist Linnea Powell, Aperture Duo is equally at home performing old and new music. Aperture Duo actively commissions diverse new works to expand the violin and viola duo repertoire.
Performance credits include the LA Phils Noon to Midnight Festival, Tuesdays @ Monk Space, the Main Stage at the Carlsbad Music Festival, Music at Boston Court, L.A. Signal Lab, Nadia Sirota’s podcast Living Music, Brooklyn’s Home Audio Concert Series, UC Santa Barbara Summer Music Festival, and Hear Now Music Festival.
Aperture Duo is a 2021 recipient of the Fromm Foundation Commission, and is a project of the Fulcrum Arts’ Emerge Fiscal Sponsorship Program. Their self-titled debut album, released in 2021 on Populist Records, can be found on bandcamp.
Jennifer Jo, an award-winning flutist, is based in Los Angeles and renowned for her work on the intersection of traditional East Asian flutes and contemporary Western music. She has won first prizes in numerous competitions and holds degrees from Carnegie Mellon and UCLA. Her students excel in national and international competitions and prestigious orchestras. Jennifer is committed to education, serving on faculty at California Summer School for the Arts, and her teaching integrates various musical styles, enhancing student growth both musically and personally.
Sierra Allen, a Los Angeles-based clarinetist and educator, has contributed to films like Encanto and The Call of the Wild as principal clarinet. She’s performed with orchestras including the LA Philharmonic and Seattle Symphony. Sierra holds a BM from Biola University, MM from CSU Fullerton, and a DMA from UCLA, where her dissertation focused on clarinet doubling. She teaches at several universities and privately, emphasizing the clarinet as both a physical and mental practice, with a studio spanning multiple states. Her mentors include Ray Guyll, Joshua Ranz, and Boris Allakhverdyan.
Xenia Deviatkina-Loh, an acclaimed violinist, has graced stages worldwide, from Sydney Opera House to Wigmore Hall. She performs with LA ensembles like Dilijan and MEC, and is part of ECHOI. A winner of the 2009 Gisborne Competition, she’s also a radio regular. Her teaching spans across continents, currently at MSMU and UCLA. She holds degrees from Sydney Conservatorium, Royal Academy of Music, and UCLA, with her debut album Soliloquy showcasing contemporary works. She’s also active in music education leadership.
Niall Tarō Ferguson, a Los Angeles native, is a versatile cellist, composer, and orchestrator. He’s freelanced in both concert and commercial music, working with cellists like Antonio Lysy and Lynn Harrell. Niall has been featured on “The Voice” and performed at the 2019 Grammy Awards with Shawn Mendes and Miley Cyrus. He studied composition at UCLA, earning his bachelor’s in 2017 under mentors like Ian Krouse and Bruce Broughton.
Brandon Zhou, an LA-based pianist and composer, excels in both classical and contemporary music. He has collaborated with notable artists like Hilá Plitmann and organizations including American Contemporary Ballet. His piano work appears in Kerry Candaele’s documentary Love and Justice. Winning the 2020 Atwater Kent Concerto Competition, he performed Beethoven’s First Piano Concerto with the UCLA Philharmonia. His compositions and arrangements, like the acclaimed ‘Egyptian’ Concerto, have been featured in various U.S. venues. Brandon holds degrees from UCLA, studying under Inna Faliks and Richard Danielpour, and currently works as a coach, organist, and pianist in multiple institutions.
New Focus Recordings is an artist-led collective label featuring releases in contemporary creative music of many stripes, as well as new approaches to older repertoire. The label was founded by guitarist Dan Lippel, composer Peter Gilbert in 2004, and composer/engineer Ryan Streber in 2004, formed …Read More …
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