CD Review of Timeless by Kate Prestia-Schaub

Timeless

Kate Prestia-Schaub, Piccolo

Martin Kennedy, piano

The premise of Timeless for Piccolo and Piano featuring Kate Prestia-Schaub and Martin Kennedy is to offer the listener a broad spectrum of new music written for piccolo.

The album opens with “Air”,  a haunting melody by Barry McKimon beautifully played by Kate Prestia-Schaub and Martin Kennedy, offering a delightful and enchanting prelude of what will follow.  The following piece is “Flash!” by Daniel Dorff, a charming and exquisitely virtuosic piece which showcases the piccolo’s extremities and agilities.  Kate and Martin offer a fresh and delightful presentation that is masterfully performed.  This piece showcases Kate’s nimble and flawless technique.  Next on the album is “Slow Music for Piccolo Alone” which highlights Kate’s expressive sensitivities on the piccolo.  “The High and Mighty” offers another moving work where Kate presents both luscious and expressive lines as well as magically dramatic moments by implementing interesting uses of alternate piccolo techniques and a wonderfully brilliant finale.

“Passage” by Daniel Kelley is a haunting and lyrical piece which is exquisitely played by Kate Prestia-Schaub and Martin Kennedy. “Desplazamiento” by the pianist/composer, Martin Kennedy is a charming composition with tango and other Latin rhythmic influences.  Both Kate and Martin weave their expert enchantments with bravura and fiery  enthusiasm.  Although one does not typically associate piccolo sounds with Tango, in this performance, the performers bring spirited passion that leave the listener completely enthralled.

“Timeless” by Kenneth Benshoof is another lyrical masterpiece gracefully presented by Kate and Martin.  The grand finale is “Eurythmionics” by Steve Kujala which is where Kate demonstrates both her riveting technique as well as her bewitchingly soaring lines.  This work is the perfect closure in this enchanting and diverse menu of works for piccolo and piano.

I completely delighted in listening to the album as I found it both ravishing and alluring.  Kate Prestia-Schaub and Martin Kennedy offer a delightful assortment of exquisitely  performed works for piccolo and piano.  I hope more composers will feel inspired to continue to write works for this instrumentation.

--CD Review by Viviana Guzman