Kandinski trio coming to Crosby Theater

Published 9:13 pm Wednesday, March 25, 2009

The Kandinsky Trio featuring Andy Irwin will perform at the Claudia Crosby Theater on the campus of Troy University at 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 30.

“The Kandinsky Trio is a traditional chamber music orchestra with piano, cello and violin,” said Kristi Drinkwater, president of the sponsoring Troy Arts Council.

“But the Kandinsky Trio is different from most other trios in that they are the recipients of the prestigious Chamber Music America Residency Award and are one of only six piano trios to win this prestigious award.”

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What makes this trio even more interesting is that they have started to redefine chamber music by adding people like Andy Offutt Irwin to their program.

“Andy Irwin brings a different element to the music,” Drinkwater said.

“His almost silly style of mouth music is like adding another instrument to the trio.”

Drinkwater was among the representatives of the TAC at the Performing Arts Exchange in Louisville, Ky. in 2008 and said the Kandinsky Trio with Andy Irwin was one of the top choices at the entertainment showcase.

“We decided right there that we wanted to book the Kandinsky Trio,” Drinkwater said.

“The Trio is popular with all ages and, with the added dimension that Andy Irwin brings to the group, young people find them very entertaining.”

The Kandinsky Trio with Andy Irwin will perform at Troy Elementary School on Monday and Drinkwater said many of the students will recognize Irwin as the storyteller who performed for them in January 2008. Irwin appeared at the Brundidge Historical Society’s Pike Piddlers Storytelling Festival in 2007 and 2008 and also performed for the local school systems.

“Andy Irwin is a talented storyteller, comedian, Southern balladeer and a champion whistler,” Drinkwater said.

“He will expose the students to a different kind of music that many of them will not have heard before. He reminds me of Bobby McFerrin who sang ‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy.’

“At the Exchange Andy Irwin had everybody going and it was a lot of fun. The performance of the Kandinsky Trio will be spirited and very entertaining. And, those who think that Chamber music might be boring will really be surprised because it’s anything but that.”

Tickets for the Kandinsky Trio performance are $20 for adults and $5 for students.

TAC Patrons are admitted with their season tickets.

Tickets are available at the Printing Press, the Pink Parlor and at the Troy University Music Department. Tickets will also be available at the door.

The performance of the Kandinsky Trio is sponsored by the Troy Arts Council with support from the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.