Juilliard-trained cellist Lydia Rhea and pianist Amber Scherer bring their acclaimed duo program to Fidelio Cafe for an evening of music by female composers spanning a century of bold, boundary-crossing writing.
The programme takes its name from Andrea Casarrubios’ Mensajes del Agua — a meditative work the Spanish composer describes as an oasis, an invitation to find peace and quiet in sound. Alongside it sit two more Casarrubios pieces, the vibrant Silbo and Sonia, a tribute to Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Chen Yi’s flirtatious Romance of Hsiao and Ch’in draws on Eastern musical idioms, while Nadia Boulanger’s delicate Trois Pièces and Rebecca Clarke’s sweeping Sonata for Viola and Piano — here performed on cello — round out an evening that moves from the ethereal to the ecstatic.
Lydia and Amber are known for their thoughtful programming and dedication to underrepresented voices. Their 2025–26 season includes debuts on the Dame Myra Hess series in Chicago and a residency at the Lunenburg Academy in Nova Scotia.
Lydia is running the London Marathon on April 26, raising money for Music in Hospitals & Care, and together with Amber has generously decided to donate a portion of their concert fees to the charity as well!
Programme:
Andrea Casarrubios: Silbo – Mensajes del Agua – Sonia
Chen Yi: Romance of Hsiao and Ch’in
Nadia Boulanger: Trois Pièces
Rebecca Clarke: Sonata for Viola and Piano
Lineup:
Lydia Rhea – Cello
Amber Scherer – Piano
What you need to know:
Doors will open at 6:00 pm for drinks and snacks, with the performance beginning promptly at 6:30 pm. Food and drinks will be available to purchase on the night.