Release Date: May 24, 2019
Catalog #: NV6231
Format: Digital & Physical
Romantic
Chamber
Piano
Violin

Duo Fantasy

Heitor Villa-Lobos composer
Arnold Bax composer
William Bolcom composer

duo526
Kerry DuWors violin
Futaba Niekawa piano

It all began in 2011, when DuWors and Niekawa, then students at Eastman School of Music, were assigned to perform Mozart’s last Sonata for Violin and Piano K. 526 together. The magnificence of the piece not only unlocked a profound musical rapport between the two young musicians, but also inspired their name as a collective.

Perhaps it is not surprising, then, that there should be something timeless in the manner in which duo526 interpret their chosen works – and be they from the 20th century, like the compositions on DUO FANTASY. The selection itself is already superb, exploring the fantasia aspects of each piece through improvisatory style and free form. Villa-Lobos, Bax, and Bolcom each have a unique compositional voice, but heard together, they share the common thread of fantasy. Not only does this greatly contribute to the immense listenability of DUO FANTASY; more artistically, it also mirrors the relationship of the two musicians performing it.

Violinist DuWors’ audacious martelé, bold dynamics, and immense spectrum of tone are perfectly complemented by Niekawa’s ever-sensitive musical command and uncompromising precision on the piano. Together, they achieve what most duos strive for in vain: a perfect homogeneity in interpretation. There is a great joy in risk-taking to be found here, but most importantly, the two musicians are impeccably in agreement at all times.

DUO FANTASY is a wonderful example of how the sum of music is greater than its individual parts. No doubt that DuWors and Niekawa are formidable virtuoso musicians in their own right. But together, they are simply stunning.

Listen

Hear the full album on YouTube

Artist Information

duo526

Ensemble

duo526 was founded in 2011 by violinist Kerry DuWors and pianist Futaba Niekawa at the Eastman School of Music (Rochester NY) where they worked extensively with professors Jean Barr and Charles Castleman. Invited to the Banff Centre for the Arts four times as Artists-in-Residence between 2011-2018, they worked with Henk Guittart, Roger Tapping, Lafayette String Quartet, Hardy Rittner, and Mark Steinberg. They have been featured on radio broadcasts including “Backstage Pass” WXXI (Rochester NY) and Classic 107 “Morning Light” (Winnipeg MB).