Elements III: Rebecca Clarke

Next up for Friday’s Virtual the Incidental Chamber Players concert Elements III is Rebecca Clarke’s Duo for Clarinet and Viola. A virtuoso violist herself, Clarke wrote comparatively few works under her own name (at times she would submit works in competitions under both hers and a male pseudonym, with the fictional male composer’s works being selected) and stopped composing entirely in her later decades. She was believed to be the first professional violist in a major orchestra in both the UK and USA. Today, her work is more celebrated, especially amongst instrumental musicians. I first learned of her when my teacher in high school mentioned playing her duo with his professional chamber music partner-if this is your first time hearing the piece, I guarantee you won’t be disappointed. Key to IC Players’ mission is to present composers and works unjustly forgotten or otherwise not programmed enough-you won’t hear exclusively dead white European males. Check it out Friday, for free, at our virtual concert!