Central Vermont’s critically and audience acclaimed chamber music ensemble returns this March for a three-concert series with varied and entertaining music for piano, voice, and viola. Arioso will perform music of Granados, Ives, Saint-Saens, Shostakovich, Holby and Vermont composer Kathy Eddy. All the works on the program have an animal title or theme. The featured work is the premiere of “A Child's Book of Animals” by Worcester composer Michael Close.The success of Close’s last year's Cheese Songs, led him to create for Arioso a song cycle which includes sinuous melodies of Octopus, a rapping Swan, the Seagull's fishing expedition, and the somnolent philosophy of the Sloth. It is the mission of Arioso to highlight new works by contemporary Vermont composers in all the group’s concerts. Admission is pay what you can.

The members of Arioso, all Vermont professional musicians, are: Elizabeth Reid, viola; Alison Cerutti, piano; and Linda Radtke, voice. The group was formed in 2008, and debuted in May 2009, sponsored by the Paine Mountain Arts Council in Northfield and Cathedral Arts in Burlington.

“Deeply beautiful…simply a pleasure” –Jim Lowe, Barre-Montpelier Times-Argus