The Verdehr Trio has performed all over the world, but it won’t have to travel far for tonight’s show at the Wharton Center. That’s because the trio was founded right here at MSU.
Clarinetist Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr and her husband, violinist Walter Verdehr, first met in the 1970s when they were faculty members at MSU’s School of Music.
They married in 1971, and later founded the trio so they could spend more time together.
“We just wanted to travel together, and music seemed a great way to do it,” Elsa said.
The Verdehrs have continued to perform for almost 30 years, with pianist Silvia Roederer, a Western Michigan University faculty member, who completes the trio.
The trio has played throughout the United States, Europe and Asia and has become a world-renowned concert group with original music, which it commissioned from some of the world’s finest composers.
It’s produced more than 10 albums, a video series called “The Making of a Medium,” and is involved in publishing sheet music for the pieces it performs.
As well as performing in the trio, the Verdehrs continue to teach at MSU as professors in the School of Music. Despite offers from other schools, they’ve never really considered leaving the university, Elsa said, adding the university has been very supportive of her and her husband during their tenure.
MSU has played a large part in the commission of the original works the trio performs, as well as the sheet music it publishes through the Michigan State University Press.
The couple began commissioning original work shortly after it started playing together, because of a lack of music for trios to perform, Walter said. So far, the trio has commissioned more than 130 pieces and hopes to reach 150 soon.
One of the original pieces being performed Thursday, “Trio,” was written by Western Michigan Professor C. Curtis-Smith, who will also be holding a pre-concert discussion at 7 p.m.
While Curtis-Smith has composed other works for trios, he said the Verdehrs’ violin and clarinet was an unusual combination.
“But,” Curtis-Smith said, “it helped to shape the musical elements of the piece.”
The Verdehr Trio has performed in some of the most prominent theaters in the world, including New York’s Kennedy Center and the Sydney Opera House, but it still enjoys performing locally.
“It’s important to play for students, faculty and residents,” Walter said. The violinist stressed the importance of giving back to the community and school, adding, “it’s a long-term commitment for us.”
The trio regularly performs at the Burcham Hills Retirement Community, 2700 Burcham Drive, where the couple has friends who they enjoy seeing and performing for.
The Verdehr Trio also performs July 10 at the Wharton Center, before leaving for a three-week tour of Australia.
