Gilded Age Women Composers: Duo FAE Charlene Kluegel Katherine Petersen

This episode is with Duo FAE violinist Charlene Kluegel and pianist Katherine Petersen. The first part of this conversation focuses on their album Dissidents of the Gilded Age. You’ll be hearing excerpts from this beautiful program and learning about the composers Dame Ethel Smyth, Cécile Chaminade and Amy Beach. Charlene and Katherine are long-time collaborators and close friends and we got into conversations around education, what a path to a career in classical music can look like, and how they have dealt with challenges including becoming mothers. Wth hundreds of kilometres separating us, I really felt like I was enjoying a thoughtful coffee date with brilliant new friends, and I hope you feel that as well. Show notes bring you to: their websites, suggested episodes, video version, transcript, podcast merch, podcast newsletter and how you can buy me a coffee to support this independent project! Show notes with all the links(00:00) Intro(02:17) Dissidents of the Gilded Age album Amy Beach, Cécile Chaminade(06:58) Dame Ethel Smyth, Sufragette movement, clip of her anthem March of the Women complete video linked in show notes(09:08) Dame Ethel Smyth with clip Track 6 Smyth A minor sonata, op. 7, III Romanze (12:40) Cécile Chaminade with clip Track 1 Chaminade Trois Morceaux, op. 31, no. 1 and Track 3 no. 3 Bohémienne, finally clip of track 2 Romanza)(19:23) Amy Beach, linked episodes with Samantha Ege and Juliana Soltis, with clip of Track 11 Beach Sonata in A minor, op. 34, IV Allegro con fuoco(25:47) friendship started at the Aspen festival 2008(27:36) touring the program in Europe, clip of Track 9 Beach Sonata in A minor, op. 34 II Scherzo(29:28) FAE, bonding over Brahms and starting the duo, Boman Desai’s book(32:43) Charlene’s university years, baroque violin minor(34:51) other linked episodes and ways to support this podcast(35:54) Charlene’s pedagogical handbook on style considerations in orchestral excerpts(38:52) Charlene’s decision to pursue music, broader education at Cornell(40:42) Katherine’s educational path and discovering chamber music with clip Track 10 Beach Sonata in A Minor, op. 34 III Largo con dolore(45:04) collaborative pianist career, Sarah Lehman mentor(50:03) classical music career danger of burnout(52:45) next projects and past experiences(59:32) European educational differences(1:02:00) becoming parents and taking care of ourselves(01:05:44) music educatorsPhoto: Brittany Purlee