An elite faculty string trio will perform a major world premiere and a celebrated contemporary work from the Kennedy Center at a free concert in La Plata this Saturday as part of the Charles County Youth Orchestra Chamber Music Festival.
The performance is scheduled for 4 p.m. Saturday, July 25 at Christ Church. The trio features celebrated instrumentalists Teri Lazar on violin, Osman Kivrak on viola and Marion Baker on cello.
The program includes the world premiere of Improvisations on a Theme, a new duo written specifically for Lazar and Kivrak by composer Rob Vuono. It also features the Maryland premiere of Hallow for string trio by young composer Bernie Walasavage. The piece won the 2025 FMMC International Composition Contest and was premiered by this trio at the Kennedy Center.
To complement these modern works, the trio will perform select masterworks by Bach, Mozart and Beethoven, highlighting the historical relationships among the legendary composers.
“It is an absolute honor to bring a program of this caliber to Charles County,” said Osman Kivrak, Director of the CCYO. “To experience a world premiere and a piece fresh from the Kennedy Center stage in an intimate local setting — completely for free — is a rare cultural moment we are thrilled to share with our neighbors.”
The festival, which opened with a spectacular weekend, enters its final week. The Saturday concert will be followed by the Grand Student Finale on Sunday, July 26 at 4 p.m., featuring seven CCYO youth quartets performing works by Dvorak, Schubert, Haydn and Mozart.
Both performances are hosted indoors with air conditioning and open general admission seating. No tickets, RSVPs or advance registrations are required. Doors open 30 minutes prior to showtime.
The Charles County Youth Orchestra Chamber Music Festival provides exceptional musical experiences for local students and the community. For more information, visit www.charlescountyyouthorchestra.org or email charlescountyyouthorchestra@gmail.com.
