2026-2027 Concerts Series
Program
Alyssa Morris Brushstrokes
Julius Röntgen Trio opus 86
Bill Douglas Three Lyrical Pieces
featuring world premieres by Michael Shun and Joseph Kayan
student performance by Apollo Moon, piano
This imaginative chamber music program brings together lyrical storytelling, stylistic variety, and fresh creative voices across generations. The concert opens with Alyssa Morris’s Brushstrokes, a vivid contemporary work inspired by visual art that transforms color, motion, and texture into sound. Julius Röntgen’s Trio, Op. 86 offers a richly crafted example of late-Romantic chamber writing, shaped by elegant interplay and expressive warmth. Bill Douglas’s Three Lyrical Pieces adds a contrasting voice, blending classical lyricism with hints of jazz and folk influence in music that is intimate, direct, and deeply melodic.
The program also features world premieres by Michael Shun and Joseph Kayan, offering audiences the rare opportunity to experience brand-new works at the moment they enter the chamber music repertoire. In addition, student pianist Apollo Moon joins the stage, bringing an emerging artistic voice into dialogue with professional musicians in a tradition of mentorship and shared performance. Together, these works create a program defined by discovery—connecting past and present through music that is expressive, accessible, and alive with creative possibility.
The Artists
Principal Winds Trio
Aubrie Dionne, flute
Sarah Krebs, oboe
Melissa Grady, bassoon
Michael Shun, composer
Joseph Kayan, composer
Apollo Moon, piano
What Makes This Concert Special?
- Brush Strokes by Alyssa Morris is directly inspired by visual art, with the music designed to feel like sound translating the act of painting—color, motion, and texture expressed through chamber music. Morris is both a composer and oboist, giving her a performer’s perspective that makes her writing especially idiomatic and vivid for winds. Her music often emphasizes rhythmic energy and shifting instrumental colors, and this piece connects to a long tradition of works inspired by painting, such as Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition.
- A prolific Dutch-German composer, Röntgen wrote an extraordinary body of chamber music that reflects both late-Romantic richness and clear classical structure. His Trio Op. 86 showcases elegant interplay between instruments, combining lyrical lines with refined harmonic writing. Though less frequently performed today, Röntgen’s chamber works are admired for their craftsmanship, warmth, and conversational musical style.
- Known for blending classical, jazz, folk, and contemporary influences, Bill Douglas creates music that is accessible, expressive, and deeply melodic. Three Lyrical Pieces highlights his signature gift for memorable melodic writing and emotional directness. The music often feels intimate and reflective, emphasizing tone color and simplicity of expression rather than technical display.
- World premieres by Michael Shun and Joseph Kayan emerge from close collaboration between composer and performers, meaning the music may be uniquely tailored to the artists on stage. With no performance tradition behind them, these works are heard without expectations—audiences experience them exactly as they enter the world for the first time.
- Apollo Moon, piano, is a student at Portsmouth High School and was a recent finalist in the PSO’s 2026 Young Artist Competition. Moon’s appearance highlights the next generation of musicians, offering audiences a glimpse of emerging talent at an early stage in their artistic journey.
What You'll Hear
Take A Closer Look
The Details
- The concert will last approximately 1 hour.
- Join us after the concert for a reception at the church.
- We recommend arriving 30 minutes in advance to allow ample time for parking and finding a seat.
