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Sunday, July 19 2026, 7:30 PM

Continuum Chamber Collective

Zachary West — Clarinet
Diane Yang — Violin
Michael Romans — Violin
Rachel Halvorson — Viola
Katie McCarthy — Cello

The Magic of Mozart!

PROGRAM

Duo for Violin and Viola, K.423 (1783)
W.A.Mozart (1756-1791)          
I. Allegramente – Sostenuto ma non troppo
II. Lento ma non troppo
III. Vivo
Michael Romans, Violin
Rachel Halvorson, Viola

Quintet for Clarinet and Strings in B-Flat Major, K.Anh.91 / K.516c (c.1787)
I. Allegro (fragment)

Quintet for Clarinet and Strings in A Major, K.581 (1789)
I. Allegro
II. Larghetto
III. Menuetto
IV. Allegretto con variazioni

Zachary West, Clarinet
Diane Yang, Violin
Michael Romans, Violin
Rachel Halvorson, Viola
Katie McCarthy, Cello

About the Music

Duo for Violin and Viola, K.423

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed the Duo for Violin and Viola in G Major, K.423, in the summer of 1783, during a transitional and highly productive period in his career. While visiting his hometown of Salzburg, Mozart discovered that his friend and colleague, Michael Haydn, was too ill to complete a commission of six duos for the local Archbishop. Although Mozart secretly wrote this piece to be submitted under Haydn’s name to save him from financial ruin, the music is quintessential Mozart, characterized by its sophisticated contrapuntal language, rhythmic vitality, and elegant formal balance.

The choice of instrumentation—just a single violin and viola—is restrictive and gives the work a lean, transparent texture that lacks the grounding bass register of a cello. Mozart exploits this minimal pairing with great imagination, refusing to relegate the lower instrument to a purely accompanimental role. Instead, drawing on his own experience as an avid violist, he treats the two instruments as absolute equals, echoing the precedent set in his Sinfonia Concertante of 1779.  Through the clever use of double-stops and overlapping dialogue, he fills out the harmony, often making the duo sound like a complete string quartet. The music feels intensely conversational and intimate, unfolding as an egalitarian debate rather than a solo showcase with accompaniment.

The Duo in G Major stands as a prime example of Mozart’s ability to elevate a modest, utilitarian genre into a profound artistic statement. It offers insight into his broader compositional ethos: transforming a piece born out of practical necessity and professional camaraderie into concert music of enduring depth, wit, and expressive brilliance.

Quintet for Clarinet and Strings in A Major, K.581

Mozart composed the Quintet for Clarinet and Strings in A Major, K.581, in 1789, during the final decade of his life—a period marked by extraordinary creativity despite growing personal and financial difficulties. The work was written for his close friend Anton Stadler, a virtuoso clarinetist whose warm tone and expressive playing inspired Mozart to explore the instrument’s full lyrical and technical potential.

At the time, the clarinet was still a relatively new instrument in concert music, and Mozart was among the first composers to recognize its unique expressive voice. Rather than treating the clarinet as a soloist set against the strings, Mozart integrates it seamlessly into the ensemble of two violins, viola, and cello. The result is a richly balanced texture in which the clarinet often converses with the strings, sometimes blending into the harmony and at other times emerging as a gentle leader.

The quintet’s four movements display a remarkable range of character, from the graceful elegance of the opening Allegro to the serene beauty of the Larghetto, one of Mozart’s most tender slow movements. The Menuetto combines courtly dance with rustic warmth, while the final set of variations allows the clarinet to sing, sparkle, and reflect in turn. Throughout the work, Mozart emphasizes long, vocal-style melodies and a sense of intimacy rather than virtuoso display.

The Clarinet Quintet stands as one of Mozart’s finest chamber works and a cornerstone of the clarinet repertoire. It reflects his late style at its most refined—music of clarity, balance, and emotional depth—while showcasing his unparalleled ability to write for instruments in a way that feels both natural and profoundly expressive.

Quintet for Clarinet and Strings in Bb Major, K.Anh.91 / K.516c

The surviving fragment of a Clarinet Quintet in B-flat Major is a tantalizing “what-if” in Mozart’s output for the clarinet. Composed around 1787, the manuscript contains a beautifully polished, complete exposition that flows smoothly into the development section before abruptly stopping after just 93 bars. Unlike a rough sketch, this surviving autograph contains virtually no corrections or erasures. It is quite possible that Mozart completed the entire movement but only this portion survives. 

Mozart was clearly fond of the musical ideas he formulated for this work. A few years later, he directly recycled these exact themes—in the very same chronological order—to form the first movement of his Prussian String Quartet No. 2 in B-flat Major, K.589.

Although modern completions of the work exist – most notably by pianist and music historian Robert Levin – the ensemble presents the work strictly as Mozart left it, offering a tantalizing glimpse into this lost work.

About the Artists

Equally at home in both traditional and contemporary ensembles, clarinetist Zachary West has performed throughout the United States. A devoted chamber musician, he has been featured in intimate performances with members of the award-winning Belka and Cavani String Quartets, the Continuum Chamber Collective, and the orchestras of Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Toronto.

As an orchestral musician, he has performed under the baton of some of the world’s finest conductors, including Jane Glover, Yoel Levi, JahJa Ling, and Robert Spano. In the summer of  2023, Zachary was chosen as one of seven finalists for the ICA Orchestral Audition Competition at the 50th Anniversary International Clarinet Association festival in Denver, Colorado, recognizing those on the cusp of a burgeoning orchestral career. In 2025, he was one of three super-finalists in the same competition.

An alumnus of both the Sarasota and Aspen Music Festivals, Zachary received a Master of Music degree from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and a Bachelor of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music. Zachary proudly plays on Buffet-Crampon clarinets, Lomax Classic mouthpieces, and Gonzalez reeds.

Praised for her “lusty” sound by the Texas Classical Review, Brooklyn-based violinist Diane Yang lives for music. 

She’s recently performed with Hillary Clinton, Yo-Yo Ma, Gil Shaham,Andrew Bird, Laufey, and many others. This season, Diane has recorded a video of original works by violinist Layale Chaker with the Riwaya Ensemble, performed live recording concerts with the band Little Kruta, recorded works for string quartet and soprano by Kaija Saariaho with the Glass Clouds Ensemble, and will soon premiere original works for string quartet by Julien Chang at the Hungarian House in NYC. Diane is a co-founder of Continuum Chamber Collective, an ensemble dedicated to thoughtful and contextual programming. The group has given multiple premieres across the US and has been performing for six years and counting.

After making her international recital debut at age 9 in China, debuting with an orchestra as a competition winner at age 12 in Maryland, Diane has since performed across the UK, Canada,and the States. A graduate of the Peabody Preparatory of Johns Hopkins, the University of Michigan, and Northwestern University, Diane aims to pay forward the music education she has received by advocating for accessibility in the arts. She has taught for over 15 years as well as in Baltimore, Chicago, and New York City public schools.

Internationally acclaimed violinist Dr. Michael Romans captivates audiences worldwide with his extraordinary artistry and magnetic stage presence. Hailed as a “fine musician and a great leader,” he commands the violin with both technical brilliance and profound musical intelligence. Dr. Romans serves as a distinguished member of the Air Force Strings ensemble in Washington, D.C., regularly performing for the President of the United States, foreign dignitaries, and members of Congress.

His international career spans Europe’s most celebrated venues, including the Berlin Konzerthaus and Hamburgs Elbphilharmonie as co-associate concertmaster of the Schleswig-Holstein Festival Orchestra, plus notable performances at Carnegie Hall and the Sarasota Music Festival. As co-concertmaster of the renowned Aspen Conducting Academy Orchestra and former concertmaster of the National Repertory Orchestra, he has led America’s finest musicians on prestigious stages worldwide. Dr. Romans earned his Doctorate in Violin Performance from the University of Michigan under renowned pedagogues Fabiola Kim and Danielle Belen, receiving a prestigious full merit scholarship for his Master’s degree. He also holds dual bachelor’s degrees from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music and Kelley School of Business. 

Rachel Halvorson, Viola

Rachel Halvorson, a versatile violist and passionate music educator, joined “The President’s Own” United States Marine Chamber Orchestra in December 2024. 

Rachel has established herself as a sought-after performer, recently serving as an acting section violist with the San Diego Symphony and performing with the Artonic String Quartet. Previously, Rachel spent four seasons as Principal Violist of the Sarasota Orchestra and a member of the Sarasota String Quartet. She has performed with ensembles including the National Symphony Orchestra, Washington National Opera, Houston Symphony, Houston Grand Opera and Ballet, Cincinnati Symphony, Baltimore Symphony and Chamber Orchestra, and Apollo Chamber Players, as well as the Boston Symphony through the Tanglewood Music Center.

During the summer months, Rachel has performed in the viola section at the Grand Teton Music Festival and as Principal Viola for Music in the Mountains in Durango, CO, where she has appeared as a soloist. She has also participated in festivals including the Britt Festival Orchestra, Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra, National Repertory Orchestra, and Spoleto Festival USA.

Rachel holds her Bachelor of Music from Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where she studied with Peter Slowik, and her Master of Music from Rice University, where she served as Teaching Assistant to Ivo Jan van der Werff and coached chamber music for the Rice Preparatory Program. Rachel plays on a viola made by Vincenzo Sannino and a bow by Vladimir Radosavljevic.

Cellist Katie McCarthy is an active teacher and arts advocate based in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. She serves as principal cellist with the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra and the Great Falls Philharmonic. She has the pleasure of regularly substituting with local ensembles, including the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, the New Orchestra of Washington, and the Annapolis Chamber Orchestra. She has performed in venues such as the the Kennedy Center, Millennium Stage, Signature Theater, Texas Public Radio, The Clarice, Maryland Hall, and the Arts Club of Washington. 

She maintains an active studio of dedicated cello students, ranging from beginners, to advanced high schoolers, to adult learners. She has served as a faculty member for the Arts Ahimsa music festival in Lenox, MA, where she coached amateur adult musicians in a variety of chamber music and performed alongside them in concert. During her studies, she was selected to play with the Piatigorsky International Cello Festival Mass Cello Ensemble at Walt Disney Hall in Los Angeles. McCarthy holds a M.M. in Cello Performance and B.M. in Cello Performance from the University of Maryland. Go Terps!

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