Cacie's Deep Fall Letter
Dear Readers,
I wanted to share a little bit about some projects I've been involved with this year, and to invite you to some upcoming performances.
Preparing Rachmaninoff's six-hand (yes, three pianists, one instrument) Romance was a short and sweet project. You can watch our live (phone) recording here if you like - I'm couched between wonderful pianist colleagues Ayse Celasun and Maya Galperin. Many thanks to Ayse Celasun for sparking and organizing this, and for hosting a concert for us to perform this at Notre École de Musique.
Another endeavor this year has been launching and curating a concert series for my employer of a dozen years, United Lutheran Church! The Second Sunday Concert Series had its first concert in September. This season pianists, vocalists, string and wind players are performing, and I look forward to seeing this develop in future years. A bit about the series and the performance schedule is posted here. If you're in the Oak Park area, come on out!
This past Friday I was invited to give the monthly presentation for CAMTA, introducing the repertoire for the Savler Contest. The preparation for this smacked of grad school seminar work, but the event was filled with dedicated pianist-teachers who welcomed me warmly, stayed with me through the harrowing pace (25 pieces in 70 minutes, yikes!), and hosted a relaxed luncheon afterward. Especially grateful to Pat Heineman Vernon, for asking me to co-chair with her, and including me in repertoire selection and contest preparation. Participating in contests like this was so formative to my musical confidence and depth as a teen in Maine, and I am looking forward to helping continue this event here in Chicago.
And now ... upcoming performances! December 14, 3PM, at United Lutheran in Oak Park, I will be playing a bunch of chamber music for flute, cello and piano with flutist Eric Leise and cellist Christopher Ferrer. I'm especially looking forward to revisiting the Weber Trio with these wonderful musicians.
December 16, 7:30PM at Experimental Sound Studios in Chicago, I'll be revisiting the Subscendental Etudes that Ben Zucker wrote in connection with the Composing the Climate 2025 project. Looking forward to joining up with Missing Piece for this performance, and re-engaging with this thoughtful work.
No event page for this yet, but mark your calendars for 2PM on January 20, 2026, because the Helia Trio (Maria Storm, violin, Christopher Ferrer, cello and ... me!) will be performing Brahms B Major Trio and Ravel Trio at the Northbrook Library.
On a personal note, this November marks the 10th anniversary of my dad's death. I will head to Maine with the kids and John next week to remember him and visit his grave. Ten years ago, the cruelty of losing my dad on the eve of a holiday bent toward gratitude really smarted. The loss of his capacious heart still feels recent, but after a decade, the joy of remembrance of his creativity, humor and deep care for me are starting to peak through the numbness of that Thanksgiving Eve in 2015.
It is truly a gift to share moments of careful attention to musical sounds in a violently careless and noisy world. I hope you are granted these moments in your life right now too.
Peace,
Cacie
