Yoonah Kim
By Michael Johns
The 46th season of USCB Chamber Music concludes on Sunday, April 26, 5:00 pm with another one-of-a-kind, classical-to-folk, Baroque-to-Now, musical smorgasbord extravaganza as could only be imagined by Artistic Director, pianist, and host Andrew Armstrong. Joining Miss Flora to soothe the soul and raise the roof will be two instruments comfortable either inside or out, the clarinet and accordion. Known for its warm sound and liquid articulation, the clamorous clarinet will also let loose with virtuosic klezmer improvisations and wedding dance tunes. Accordingly, the accordion, a universally loved folk instrument, will add a light touch to Baroque counterpoint and summon a wistful tear. Two tremendous young talents, Clarinetist Yoonah Kim and accordionist Ryan Corbett, join Andy for an unusual and infrequently heard collaboration ranging from the familiar to the exotic.
The program begins with Johann Sebastian Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in A minor, “The Great,” BWV 543. Originally written for organ, Bach’s version requires both hands and feet; Mr. Corbett will achieve the same majesty minus the feet. The remainder of the first half features Johannes Brahms’ Clarinet Sonata, Op. 120, No. 1, his late-in-life, multi-movement summation celebrating the clarinet’s clear tone and melodious potential.
Following intermission Mr. Corbett returns with his arrangement of Phil Cunningham’s haunting Loch Katrine’s Lady and an accordion showpiece by Vladislav Zolotaryov, Rondo Capriccio for Accordion. Ms. Kim then joins him for a clarinet and accordion arrangement of Sergei Taneyev’s floating, coy and playful Canzona. Andy takes a solo turn with four short, atmospheric preludes and etudes by two twentieth-century Americans, Julia Perry and William Grant Still, and two nineteenth-century Russian composers, Anatoly Lyadov and Alexander Scriabin. The concert concludes with a trio performance of Srul Irving Glick’s riotous, exultant The Klezmer’s Wedding.
Ryan Crockett, a BBC New Generation artist (the first accordionist to be so honored) and Royal Over-Seas League Gold medalist, is a leading exponent of his
Ryan Crocket
instrument and has enlarged its repertoire by creating hundreds of new accordion arrangements without jeopardizing the music’s integrity. A multiple competition winner in the UK, Italy, Germany, and China, recent seasons have included solo performances and ensemble collaborations across Europe and North America. Ryan plays a Bugari Spectrum classical piano accordion made in Castelfidardo, Italy.
Clarinetist Yoonah Kim, hailed by The New York Times for her “inexhaustible virtuosity,” is an artist of uncommon musical depth and musicality. She enjoys a diverse career as solo clarinetist, chamber and orchestral musician, and educator. Beyond performing solo clarinet repertoire in recitals and with orchestras, Ms. Kim is devoted to commissioning and premiering new works for the clarinet. She has given masterclasses throughout the US, Canada, and South Korea, serves on the clarinet faculty at New York University’s Steinhardt School; and is currently pursuing her Doctoral degree at the Juilliard School.
Now coming to the end of his fifth season as sole Artistic Director, Andy has put his stamp on USCB Chamber Music by introducing new composers, compositions, artists, and instruments while continuing to honor the great works of the classical-music repertoire and re-engage audience-favorite artists. New patrons and decades-long subscribers have been amazed and charmed by his wit and ready smile, dazzling piano technique, and soul-searching expressive capacity. His energy is prodigious; Andy simultaneously serves as Artistic Director for multiple chamber music series in far-flung locales while maintaining an active solo, recording, and chamber-music-partnering career across the US and around the globe. An outspoken advocate for the communicative power of instrumental music to excite, soothe, educate, heal, and bring us together, Andy believes the chamber-music genre gives voice to feelings words cannot communicate and its transformative power is most deeply experienced in the communal environment of live performance.
There are three ways to enjoy each concert: in person at the Arts Center and virtually by Live-Stream and OnDemand. All virtual concerts are professionally produced; great viewing opportunities abound. On the Wednesday before each concert, live and virtual ticket holders receive an email with a link to Sunday’s concert. OnDemand is accessible four days after the concert and available to view at your leisure for three weeks. Each Friday before a concert the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) presents Inside the Music, a two-hour, general audience, deep dive into Sunday’s repertoire. Dr. Michael Johns provides multiple recorded excerpts and commentary, acclimating listeners to what they will hear on Sunday. Classes are free and open to the public. For concert, artist, event, OLLI, and ticket information, go towww.uscbchambermusic.com or call 843-521-3107, Monday through Friday. The final concert of the season is Sunday, April 26, 2026 at 5:00pm at the USCB Center for the Arts, 805 Carteret Street, Beaufort, in the downtown historic district.
