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Zachary West — Clarinet
Diane Yang — Violin
Michael Romans — Violin
Ivan Mendoza — Viola
Katie McCarthy — Cello

From Hungarian Hills to Viennese Halls –

Chamber Music of Kodály and Mozart

PROGRAM

(CANCELLED!!)

Zoltán Kodály (1882-1967)
Serenade for Two Violins and Viola, Op. 12 (1920)
Allegramente – Sostenuto ma non troppo
Lento ma non troppo
Vivo


W.A.Mozart (1756-1791)
Clarinet Quintet in A Major, K.581 (1789)
Allegro
Larghetto
Menuetto
Allegretto con variazioni

About the Music

Serenade for Two Violins and Viola

Zoltán Kodály composed the Serenade for Two Violins and Viola, Op. 12, in 1920, shortly after World War I, during a formative period in his career. At this time, Kodály was deeply involved in the systematic study of Hungarian folk music alongside Béla Bartók, traveling to rural villages to collect and transcribe traditional songs. Although the Serenade does not quote specific folk melodies, it reflects this research through its modal language, rhythmic flexibility, and distinctive melodic contours.

The choice of instrumentation—two violins and viola—is unusual and gives the work a light, transparent sound, avoiding the darker weight of a cello. Kodály exploits this texture with great imagination, often allowing the viola to assume a leading or grounding role rather than functioning purely as inner harmony. The title “serenade” suggests an informal, lyrical character, and the music often feels conversational and intimate, as if intended for close listening rather than grand display.

Overall, the Serenade stands as an early example of Kodály’s mature voice, blending modern compositional techniques with national identity. It offers insight into his broader artistic goal: creating concert music rooted in the spirit and sound world of Hungarian folk traditions while remaining accessible and expressive.

Quintet for Clarinet and Strings in A Major

Wolfgang Amadeus 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.

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, theContinuum 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 AnniversaryInternational 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. Additionally, he holds a Post-Graduate Certificate from the Interlochen Center for the Arts and serves as Co-Principal and Eb Clarinet in the Capital Wind Symphony in Washington, D.C.

Violinist Diane Yang is a multifaceted performer who lives for chamber music. Praised for her “lusty” sound by the TexasClassical Review, Diane made her international recital debut at age 9, first soloed with an orchestra as a competition winner at age 12, and has since performed across the States, the UK, Canada, and China. She has shared the stage with musicians such as Laufey, Yo-Yo Ma, Yuja Wang, Chris Thile, Rufus Wainwright, the Dover Quartet, and many others. 

2025-2026 engagements include multiple performances at Carnegie Hall, DROM NYC, “The Between”Exhibition by Taylor Byers (NYC), and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. 

Recently, she has recorded works by Kaija Saariaho with the Glass Clouds Ensemble (NYC), performed a full run of Beauty and the Beast at Northern Stage theatre (Vermont), and premiered multiple new works in New York City, Chicago, and Washington, DC.

Diane believes everyone is an artist at heart. She has taught privately for over 15 years as well as in Baltimore, Chicago, and New York City public schools. Diane completed a Fellowship at the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and served as a representative on the Audience Development Committee of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. She is a graduate of the Pre- Conservatory Violin Program at the Peabody Institute and holds degrees from the University of Michigan and Northwestern University.

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. 

Praised by The Strad Magazine for his “warm sound [and] much joy”, violist Ivan Mendoza began his musical studies at the age of ten in his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland. He received his degree from John J. Cali School of Music under the tutelage of Honggang Li and Kathryn Lockwood. Recent notable engagements include a recital at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, Felix Mendelssohn’s Octet with the Shanghai Quartet, the music of Charles Loeffler with soprano Barbara Dever and pianist Ron Levy, and performances at Encore Chamber Music Festival, Intersections Festival, and Bargemusic NYC. 

An avid chamber musician, Ivan was a recipient of the Oscar Ravina Talent Grant and held chamber music residencies at Montclair State University, Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance, and Shenandoah Conservatory. He is a founding member of the Continuum Chamber Collective—an ensemble dedicated to performing works from underrepresented groups in classical music. In addition, Ivan regularly appears with the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, Reading Symphony, and the Virginia Symphony. Ivan is currently based in the Greater Washington DC/Baltimore area and is on the viola faculty of the Artsahimsa Chamber Music Festival in Lenox, Massachusetts.

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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