The Fine Art of Chamber Music

Although cellist Sharon Robinson and violinist Jaime Laredo have never played a concert at Oberlin, their ties to the school run deep.

“I feel a real connection to Oberlin—I really do,” Robinson says. “I’ve known so many people who taught there or went to school there.” That list includes not only friends and former students, but also the couple’s eldest granddaughter, who graduated from the College last year.

This year, that chance for an on-campus performance has finally arrived. Robinson and Laredo will spend a week in Oberlin as Distinguished Artists in Residence, April 2–9; giving masterclasses, private lessons, and coachings in both chamber music and their respective instruments. Their residency kicks off with a recital on April 2 at 7:30 p.m. in Warner Concert Hall, which will include a collaboration with Conservatory faculty.

“I’m delighted to welcome Sharon Robinson and Jaime Laredo to Oberlin Conservatory this spring. Sharon and Jamie are among the most important chamber musicians of our time, and our students will benefit tremendously from the opportunity to work with and learn from their decades of experience as global performers and dedicated coaches," says William Quillen, Dean of Oberlin Conservatory of Music.

Chamber music is essential to both musicians, who spent decades touring with pianist Joseph Kalichstein as the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio. Together and apart, they’ve received worldwide acclaim, including multiple GRAMMY nominations for both and a win for Laredo. As a solo cellist, Robinson has appeared with premiere American and European orchestras, while Laredo is recognized as a leading performer and conductor on both sides of the Atlantic. These days, they’re touring with their piano quartet ESPRESSIVO!, a collaboration with pianist Anna Polonsky and violist Milena Pájaro-van de Stadt.

As pedagogues, the pair are dedicated to connecting with younger generations. “The best thing about working with young people is that they keep us young,” Laredo says with a laugh. Robinson agrees.

“It’s a two-way street, these lessons and coachings,” she says. “I’ve gotten an awful lot of great ideas from my students along the way, and it’s always great to see things from a new perspective.”

The couple, who live in Cleveland, are familiar faces in the area—they taught at the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM) for 12 years. “One thing I am going to miss from CIM is the long-term relationship that one develops with a student,” Robinson says. “But I’m so happy to be still involved in young people’s lives, and I hope that we can establish some wonderful relationships with the young people at Oberlin.”

They’re also excited to reconnect with piano faculty member HyunSoo Kim, who they’ve known since he was a CIM student. “I’ve been so fond of him, always,” Laredo says. Kim appears on the duo’s April 2 concert together with more Oberlin faculty: violinist Sibbi Bernhardsson, violists Kirsten Docter and Abigail Rojansky, and cellist Dmitry Kouzov.

When working with young chamber groups like those at Oberlin, the couple emphasizes the importance of relationships built on trust. “I want to make sure that everybody respects each other and treasures these moments that we get to work with each other,” Robinson says. “You have to really be ready to give and take constructive criticism—being open for good ideas but also being able to offer your own ideas and having them be accepted with respect.”

For the younger students, it’s a vulnerable position to be in, Laredo says. “As a teacher, one has to be very careful. You have to choose your words. Because the last thing in the world that you want to do is have somebody feel like they’ve been belittled in some way.”

Helping musicians connect with each other isn’t something the two take lightly. Nor is making great music themselves. “The fine art of collaboration and fine art of chamber music is really the highest calling in our books,” Robinson says. “So, if we can open pathways for people, that would be really wonderful.”

All Robinson-Laredo Residency events are listed on the Conservatory calendar, including the following that are open to the public:

• April 2, 7:30 p.m. Recital: Jaime Laredo, Sharon Robinson, and Friends in Warner Concert Hall
• April 8, 7 - 9 p.m. Violin Master Class with Jaime Laredo, Stull Recital Hall
• April 8, 7:45 - 9:45 p.m. Cello Master Class with Sharon Robinson, Kulas Recital Hall
• April 9, 6 - 8 p.m. Joint Chamber Music Master Class, Stull Recital Hall

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Stephanie Manning ’23 completed her bassoon performance degree while finding her way into journalism as a classical music critic. She recently returned to Cleveland after finishing a graduate diploma in journalism at Concordia University in Montreal. Her writing has appeared in The Montreal Gazette, Early Music America, and ClevelandClassical.com.