flex ensemble – In Search of Identity

Who am I? Who are you? Who are we?

With “IN SEARCH OF IDENTITY,” the Flex Ensemble kicks off its new “IDentities” series and embarks on a musical journey of discovery exploring the themes of identity, cultural influences, and change. To what extent does our background determine who we are? What happens when we encounter other people and new soundscapes? And to what extent can we change without losing ourselves?

Works by Brahms, Honegger, Janáček, Bosmans, and Kurtág meet McCartney’s “Blackbird.” The result is a polyphonic dialogue spanning different eras, cultures, and genres, inviting listeners to hear the familiar and the unfamiliar from new perspectives—and perhaps even to discover their own musical identity in the process.

Dr. Jana Kammerhoff, a licensed psychologist, will guide the audience through the concert and, with her psychological perspective, offer a unique approach to the program’s themes.
Who am I? Who are you? Who are we? A concert about origins, encounters, and change—and about how identity is constantly being reshaped through dialogue with others.

Program:
Arthur Honegger – Sonatina for Violin and Cello, H. 80, I. Allegro non tanto
Leoš Janáček – In the Mist (V mlhách), I. Andante
György Kurtág – Signs, Games and Messages, Op. 30a (selection)
Paul McCartney – Blackbird (arrangement based on Brad Mehldau’s version)
Henriëtte Bosmans – Nuit calme
Johannes Brahms – Trio for Piano, Violin, and Cello No. 1, Op. 8, B-flat major (1891 version)

Flex Ensemble:
Kana Sugimura, violin
Martha Bijlsma, cello
Johannes Nies, piano

Host: Dr. Jana Kammerhoff, licensed psychologist