For clarinetist Vladislav Gorbich, it’s all about the tune.
“We’re always looking for a great melody,” said Gorbich, a member of the Kat Trio, which includes his wife, violinist Victoria Gorbich, and pianist Joseph Ross.
The trio will perform Nov. 19 in Waukegan as the season opener for the Lake County Community Concert Association’s series.
Originally known as the Ekaterinbrug Classical Trio, the Gorbiches graduated from the Ural State Conservatory in Russia and have traveled the world playing their unique arrangements of classical and contemporary music.
The trio was formed in Ekaterinburg, Russia in 1998 with Vasil Galiulin as pianist. The Gorbiches have remained part of the ensemble since the beginning, with various classical pianists joining at different times. They now tour with Ross, who has a master of music degree from the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, Hungary.
The trio takes melodies they love – from diverse composers including Antonin Dvorak, Johannes Brahms, Scott Joplin and George Gershwin – and arranges them for the ensemble.
“It’s a very unusual combination – clarinet, violin and piano,” Gorbich said.
“We have been playing together for over 15 years,” he said.
Gorbich said the clarinet and violin blend together well because the ranges and overtones are similar.
But, he added, “You also have to have good chops.
“We are playing what we like. We like a melody and we look for piano transcriptions and we incorporate the voices. This is how it works. We are classically trained musicians. We love playing classical music and not many pieces are written for this combination.”
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The trio began performing Joplin and Gershwin music when it came to the United States. The players now live in Madison, Wis.
“Back then, in Russia, we had limited access to this music, but when we came to the U.S in 2000, we discovered so many new pieces and genres,” Gorbich said. That music includes Joplin rags and Gershwin tunes.
Gorbich said Joplin’s “music is always uplifting – there’s no sadness there.”
Over the years, they’ve released several albums and served as touring artists-in-residence with the Wisconsin Public Radio and the Chazen Museum of Art.
Gorbich said he and his wife play all the music from memory so they can better communicate with the audience. “They can see our eyes, our expression. We prefer to have the house lights on so we can see the faces (in the audience). People like it. We personalize it.
“The most important part for us is to make the audience relax so they have a good evening and a good uplifting spirit when they leave. It’s great fun to do it especially when you’re going to different places, countries. It’s so wonderful to see different people and their different cultures. You can unite all these people with different backgrounds and make them happy.
“We love to play for Americans,” he added. “They’re very open. They’re very sincere.”
The Lake County Community Concert Association, established in 1952, is a non-profit educational organization run by local volunteers who bring live performances to the region.
Sheryl DeVore is a freelancer reporter for the News-Sun.
Live on Stage: Kat Trio
When: 7:30 p.m., Nov. 19
Where: Orlin Trapp Auditorium, Waukegan High School, 2325 Brookside Ave.
Tickets: $30
Information: 847-323-6999; www.lakecountyconcerts.org