Since its debut in 2008, the Almeda Trio has quickly gained positive critical attention and enthusiastic audience response in the greater Cleveland area and beyond. As trio-in-residence at The Music Settlement in University Circle, the ensemble has dedicated itself to the three missions of performance, education, and outreach. Its members -- Cara Tweed on violin, Ida Mercer on cello, and Robert Cassidy on piano -- are all accomplished performers, and on the faculty at The Music School Settlement, as well as at the Aurora School of Music (Tweed), Case Western Reserve University (Mercer) and Cleveland State University (Cassidy and Tweed).
In terms of critical review, “impressive maturity, not to mention a terrific degree of togetherness... ” was the summation of the Almeda expressed by CoolCleveland.com in its review of the trio’s 2009 debut CD of works by Haydn, Brahms, and Shostakovich. The Almeda Trio went back into the recording studio in November of 2011 to record their next CD which will feature compositions by Paul Ferguson, Paul Schoenfield, and Astor Piazzolla. This CD will be released later in 2012.
As for musical scope, while possessing full command of the traditional repertoire, the Almeda Trio also offers insightful and energetic performances of a wide range of genres including contemporary, folk, and jazz. Further, throughout all its work, the Almeda has won acclaim with its refreshing practice of creating a tangible relationship with audiences through engaging on-stage commentary on the programs.
During the past two seasons, the trio played multiple engagements at Cleveland State University and the Settlement, performed live on Cleveland radio stations WCLV and WCPN, and gave concerts in venues including Chautauqua-in-Chagrin, St. Mary’s Church (Indianapolis), and Illinois Wesleyan University. In addition there were concerts at Southern Connecticut State University and Norfield Congregational Church (Connecticut), Ball State University (Indiana), Hiram College (Ohio), and Kent State University/Stark (Ohio), as well as Le Poisson Rouge in New York City. In May of 2011 the trio performed the Beethoven Triple Concerto with the Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra. This is an excerpt from Daniel Hathaway’s review of the performance from 5/24/11 on ClevelandClassical.com: “All three were eloquent: Ms. Tweed’s violin lines were clear and expressive, Mr. Cassidy’s piano playing was deft and crystalline, and Ms. Mercer’s cello lines were soulful and beautifully phrased."
In 2011-12, the trio is busier than ever with performances scheduled throughout Ohio, Indiana, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Georgia, Alabama, New York, and Iowa. To end their Fall tour in 2011, the trio performed a concert at The Music Settlement on November 13th. Donald Rosenberg from Cleveland’s Plain Dealer was there to cover the event and wrote: “The performance was an irresistible explosion of energy... Cara Tweed made dazzling work of the violin part, finding character and nuance in every phrase. Ida Mercer brought dusky expressivity to the cello lines and pianist Robert Cassidy was a model of balance and rhythmic clarity.” For the second year in a row, the Almeda Trio sold out their Winter Solstice concerts at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s Shafran Planeterium. These concerts took place December 17-21, 2011.
The ensemble takes its name from the early 20th century social activist, who was both the first blind graduate of an American music conservatory, and the founder of the Music Settlement, Almeda Adams. For more information on the trio, please visit www.almedatrio.com.
“The performance was an irresistible explosion of energy... Cara Tweed made dazzling work of the violin part, finding character and nuance in every phrase. Ida Mercer brought dusky expressivity to the cello lines and pianist Robert Cassidy was a model of balance and rhythmic clarity.”―Cleveland Plain Dealer, November 15, 2011