Program
Sergei Rachmaninoff - Trio élégiaque No. 1 in G minor
Reinhold Glière - Duos for Violin and Cello, Op.39 (excerpts)
Dmitri Shostakovich - Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor, Op. 67
I. Andante Moderato
II. Allegro con brio
III. Largo
IV. Allegretto – Adagio
Musicians Biography
Violinist and violist Rebecca Benjamin has made appearance around the country as well as internationally. A native of Warsaw, IN, Rebecca is an avid chamber musician and a member of the award-winning Abeo Quartet. In Houston, she performs around the city as part of DACAMERA’s Young Artist Program, and performs with Houston Bach Society and Shepherd School Chamber Orchestras. Highlights of her 24-25 season include performances in California, Florida, New York, and Texas, as well as England and Germany. She is a faculty member of the Kneisel Hall Maine Students Program and holds degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music, the Yale School of Music and the University of Delaware. Rebecca is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University studying with James Dunham.
Cellist David Dietz has performed across North America and Europe and is experienced in a variety of settings as a performer, educator, and administrator. His belief in classical music’s ability to strengthen communities and bring people together has driven his involvement in many creative projects, including the Houston Music Festival, as co-founder; the Windwood Music Festival, as community liaison; and Monarch Chamber Players, as a core member. David is a founding member of Trio Menil, a piano trio that performs extensively throughout the United States and was the Grand Prizewinner at the 2023 Plowman Chamber Music Competition. In the 2024-25 season, Trio Menil will perform a series of community outreach concerts across Houston in venues such as Talento Bilingue De Houston and Houston Public Libraries through funding from Houston Arts Alliance. Other upcoming performance highlights include appearances with Aperio, Monarch Chamber Players, the Windwood Trio, and recitals with pianist Tong Wang in Houston and Montreal. David serves on the faculty of Lone Star College as an Adjunct Instructor of Cello and maintains a robust private studio in Houston, Texas.
Tong Wang (tong-wang.com) is a Canadian pianist recognized for her innovative contributions to performance, research, and community engagement. Her work investigates the intersection of art with identity, culture, and contemporary issues. Tong’s performance highlights include collaborations with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, Red Deer Symphony Orchestra, and ensembles throughout North America and Europe. In 2022, she co-founded the Windwood Music Festival in Airdrie, Alberta to bring classical chamber music to rural communities. In 2024, she performed with Barbara Hannigan, Lyrica Baroque, and Xenia Concerts. In the upcoming seasons, Tong will be touring her solo recital “Towards the Flame” with Debut Atlantic, as well as the new Canada Council commissioned work by Alice Ho, “Four Impressions of China” with the Dietz-Wang duo in China. Tong is a graduate of the New England Conservatory and the Schulich School of Music.