Kiss on Wood by Marinus Concerts

Explore the worlds of Arvo Pärt Sir James MacMillan Robert Schumann and Franz Schubert in this gorgeous program that ranges from whimsical to blissful transcendence.

Marinus Concerts presents its own brilliant violist Rachel Kuipers Yonan for their Spring 2025 concert Kiss on Wood. In a preview recital of their new album she joins forces with her musical partner Kwan Yi a fantastic pianist and recitalist. Together they journey through a collection of repertoire that explores the polarity of light and darkness. Minimalist composer Arvo Pärt’s beloved Fratres and Spiegel im Spiegel bookend the program. It's a perfect mix for music lovers and newcomers alike!

6:15PM | *NEW * Petting Zoo. Peak backstage and meet the musicians and their instruments before the show. Perfect for children and adults alike!

6:30PM | King Family Wine* and BYOP (Bring your own picnic!) to enjoy on the vineyard grounds at sunset *available for purchase

7:30PM | Concert in the Carriage House

Revolving around the first recording of Sir James MacMillan’s Kiss on Wood for viola and piano arranged and performed by Rachel Yonan this album explores the polarity of light and darkness. Minimalist composer Arvo Pärt’s beloved Fratres and Spiegel im Spiegel bookend the program. The concept of light infuses these pieces with their intense clarity and search for transcendent meaning. Fratres (Brotherhood) evokes the struggle between good and evil with its contrasting voices. Spiegel im Spiegel (Mirror in Mirror) is pure and stable as it sonically imagines the infinite reflection between two mirrors. Pärt’s deeply spiritual music links to MacMillan’s devotional Kiss on Wood which invites the listener into a place of stillness and silence as it reaches for an essence of meaning beyond words. MacMillan sounds out the darkness of loss yet finds delicate rays of hope to fill the long spaces. Paired with these intense yet static twenty-first century works are Schumann’s miniature character pieces Märchenbilder (Fairytale Pictures) that use an emotional palette ranging from bright and playful to deeply melancholic. The programmatic title of each work—Fratres Kiss on Wood Märchenbilder Spiegel im Spiegel—hints at meaning that cannot be expressed by words alone but must be illuminated by the music.

Host or Publisher Marinus Ensemble