Con Amore: A Love Letter in Sound

Duo Oenomel, featuring saxophonist Sarah Hetrick and CSU faculty pianist Jooyeon Chang, presents a program shaped by connection, memory, and love — a musical letter written not in ink, but in sound. The name Oenomel comes from an ancient Greek word meaning “a mixture of wine and honey” — or more poetically, “something combining strength with sweetness.” This reflects the duo’s artistic identity: music that balances emotional depth with warmth, intimacy, and sincerity.

The program opens with Time Unfolding (2024), a concerto for alto saxophone and wind ensemble by Alexander Gardner. Inspired by imagery from space, the piece explores the vastness of time and the invisible threads that bind souls across distances. Next is Three Apartments in Houston (2024), composed by Nicky Sohn. This piece is a reflection on personal spaces and shared memories — a quiet love song to the homes we’ve lived in, especially in Texas, where our story began.The program concludes with César Franck’s Violin Sonata (arranged for saxophone and piano), originally composed in 1886 as a wedding gift for violinist Eugène Ysaÿe. A masterwork of cyclical form and emotional resonance, it carries the spirit of con amore — “with love” — in every phrase. Its themes return and transform throughout.

Each work in this concert is performed con amore, and in the spirit of Oenomel.