The Barre Montpelier Times Argus

Killington Music Festival’s  penultimate faculty concert, Saturday at the Pico Mountain Lodge, served  to introduce a young pianist to the festival. Reed Tetzloff performed  two solo virtuosic works with flair, but it was in a major Brahms  chamber work that he proved an artist.

Tetzloff  was joined in a truly substantial performance of Johannes Brahms’ Piano  Quartet No. 3 in C minor, Op. 60 by three topnotch string players. This  masterpiece demands plenty from its players, alone and together, and  violinist Daniel Andai (the festival’s artistic director), violist Amadi  Azikiwe and cellist Aron Zelkowicz, all veteran artists, joined in a  beautiful, though somewhat reserved but powerful statement.

Tetzloff contributed to that  statement substantially, playing with just the right mix of sensitivity  and power. He played with a clean but substantial technique that  delivered the joyful grandeur that is Brahms.

Killington Music Festival remains the area’s home of fine chamber music.

For a more unusual experience,  Tetzloff was joined by John Vaida in Amy Beach’s Romance for Violin and  Piano, Op. 23. Vaida’s violin sang beautifully as Tetzloff filled out  the structure in the beautifully lyrical work. It was an unexpected  delight, though the Brahms-like Beach is enjoying something of a  revival.

One composer needing no revival  is Mozart, and he was represented by his Piano Quartet No, 1 in G  minor, K. 478. Pianist Liza Wu, violinist Arik Braude, violist Sophie  Arbuckle and cellist Thor Sigurdson delivered a spirited and enjoyable  performance of this dramatic and lyrical masterpiece.

The program opened with an  unusual gem by Russian composer Cesar Cui (1835), his Trio for Flute,  Violin and Piano, Op. 56. Pianist Elena Lyalina, flutist Francesca  Arnone and violinist Janet Jacobson delivered the five movements of this  charmer with expertise. Particularly the Slavic-flavored Nocturne was  truly affecting.

Jim Lowe Staff Writer