A Grammy winner coming to Grosse Pointe South isn’t exactly something you hear every day. Therefore it caught the attention of many, including myself, when finding out about Melissa White, a violinist with a Gramophone trophy under her belt, was playing a six-piece performance in South’s auditorium. Accompanied by pianist Pallavi Mahidhara, White performed both at South and at the WSU Industry Innovation Center in Detroit. Each of the six pieces played were carefully selected by the duo, some reasons being more personal and some strictly for the crowd’s enjoyment.
Starting off the performance, the two played “Fratres (Brothers)” by Arvo Pärt, a dramatic and heavy piece with a repetitive nature, which in White’s eyes represented the weight and movement of life. Inspired by his religious faith and the sound of church bells ringing, the Estonian composer was able to produce a liberating piece that was a jarring and attention-grabbing opener to say the least, engaging and shaping the audience for the performance to come.
After the statement made with their first piece, White and Mahidhara played Johannes Brahms’ “Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor” before the short intermission. “Sonata No. 3” is just as lengthy and substantial as it is iconic, displaying contrasting and adapting sounds and themes as Brahms’ chaotic story told throughout the piece evolves. The opening two pieces certainly made quite the effect on the crowd, but the second half of the performance was where the originality and personality in the show hit to its most effective extent.
Starting “act two” was Amy Beach’s “Romance for Violin and Piano”, which was one of my personal favorite pieces of the night. The story behind the choice to play this piece felt the most sincere, being written by Beach for fellow violinist Maud Powell. White and Mahidhara felt that their relationship represented that of the Beach and Powell, which was similar to the story behind of the next piece they played, that being Reena Esmail’s “Jhula, Jhule”, which was inspired by a song that Esmail’s grandmother sang to her as a child. The final two pieces of the night were George Gershwin’s “Selections from Porgy and Bess” and William Grant Still’s “Suite for Violin and Piano”, which ended the performance with the same energy it started with.
At the end of the night, the show met the standards that would be expected by someone capable of winning a Grammy. Not only were White and Mahidhara energetic in their performance and captivated the crowd seemingly effortlessly, but the themes of resilience and empowerment shown through Beach and Esmail’s pieces paired with the heavy-hitting Pärt and Brahms anthems made for a well-rounded and grand musical experience.
