Chamber Music Pittsburgh Presents: The Cowboy Evolves — Journeys Through the Music of the Americas

Photo Courtesy: Chamber Music Pittsburgh

Chamber Music Pittsburgh marks the US Semiquincentennial by celebrating the histories, voices, and viewpoints of pan-American creators, performed by artists from throughout the Americas who have made Pittsburgh their home. Featuring music by composers from the United States, Uruguay, and Brazil, concert curator Carlos Clark, Paul J. Ross Fellow at the Pittsburgh Symphony, interweaves storytelling and performance, illuminating the complex and evolving identities of the featured composers. This concert offers a colorful, vibrant vision of hope and discovery, and provides a uniquely personal reflection on our complex history.

Miguel del Aguila’s “Malambo” explores the cowboy’s mindset, a powerful tool that has helped shape this country’s image. This introspection extends into the private life of Heitor Villa-Lobos, through works that analyze the contrasting influences of the two most pivotal women in his life: his mother, Noêmia, and his first wife, Lucília Guimarães, who was instrumental in his rise as a national icon. Through the power of love, their closing piece, “Meeelaan” by Wynton Marsalis, will give a realistic path to American survival, envisioning a more emotive and connected journey for men.

This program is a part of Pittsburgh Performs, a four-part concert series hosted by Chamber Music Pittsburgh in four different venues. Pittsburgh Performs highlights innovative local and regional musicians and is a central part of Chamber Music Pittsburgh’s mission to celebrate the diverse range of genres, instrumentation, and eras that chamber music represents. 

Program:

Florence Price

Adoration

Fantasy #1

Miguel del Águila

Malambo

Preludio No. 2 (1913)

Villa-Lobos

Divagação (1946)

Preludio No. 2 (1913)

Wynton Marsalis

Meeelaan

Featured Musicians:

Amaury Morales: piano

Dylan Naroff: violin

Omari Abdul-Alim: violin

Sean Juhl: viola

Bronwyn Banerdt: cello

Carlos Clark: bassoon

About the Curator:

Carlos Clark is a bassoonist from Belleville, MI. Along with being principal bassoon of The Atlanta Opera, Carlos plays frequently with orchestras throughout the Midwest and Southeastern US. Mr. Clark studied under William Buchman, Keith Buncke, and Miles Manor of the Chicago Symphony. He also earned his bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University under MaryBeth Minnis.

About Chamber Music Pittsburgh:

Since 1961, Chamber Music Pittsburgh (CMP) has provided Pittsburgh audiences with the opportunity to hear the world’s finest chamber music artists. CMP serves Pittsburgh’s many communities through a variety of series and programs, including its MainStage Live subscription series; its Pittsburgh Performs series featuring Pittsburgh artists in unusual venues outside of the traditional concert hall setting; and its free, need-based musical instrument lending library, administered in partnership with East Liberty’s Hope Academy of Music and the Arts. Each CMP season features a carefully balanced menu of acclaimed chamber ensembles and brilliant emerging groups, performing traditional musical masterpieces as well as contemporary, intercultural, and crossover compositions. Chamber Music Pittsburgh remains a vital element of cultural life in Pittsburgh and is recognized throughout the classical music world. The 2026–2027 MainStage Live Season is entitled “Revolutions: A Radical Returning” and takes as its inspiration from the music of Ludwig van Beethoven, a revolutionary of his time who helped reshape classical music. 

About Your Visit: 

The in-house restaurant, Cucina Alfabeto, is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.