Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota concluded its 2025-26 soirée program with “Lasting Impressions,” a dazzling testament to the brilliance of Impressionist music and the indelible beauty of longtime friendship.

The soiree series programs are presented in the Fischer/Weisenborne residence, a time portal to the European salons of the 18th and 19th centuries. Rarely does one encounter opportunities to experience music in close quarters and seemingly among friends in 21st century Florida. Special introductions to each piece by the musicians themselves further the intimacy of the setting and prime the listener for the journey to come.

The program presented April 5 and 6 featured Michael Turkell, principal second violin with Sarasota Orchestra; Victor Minke Huls, associate principal cello of the Florida Orchestra and Maria Parrini, pianist with the Lincoln Center Stage Quintet. They performed Gabriel Fauré’s Sonata No. 1 for Violin and Piano, Maurice Ravel’s Sonata for Violin and Cello, and George Enescu’s Sonata No. 3 for Violin and Piano.

Turkell joked that listeners are “eased” into the program with the Fauré. In the Impressionist manner, each moment sparkles and evolves. The first movement thunders by with the intense contrast of a summer rainstorm present in the flips between major and minor. We encounter an ethereal evocation of sunset hues in the second movement’s violin melody, tucked into the horizon by the piano. A speckled sun shower, patched with mist and sunshine is the third movement. Our conclusion emerges with an auditory Renoir-esque display of trills in the violin and whirls in the piano in bright splotches of color. 

The Ravel – a notorious beast of music that is nearly impossible to perform even on recordings – is certainly a challenge. But Turkell and Minke Huls took the audience on a breathtaking journey, movement by movement, and moment by moment. As the best of friends feel an immediate ease with one another, so does the audience hearing the violin and cello converse, passing the melodies in intimate conversation. 

A poignant pause before the second movement snaps into action with a heated argument ping-ponging between the two instruments. Minke Huls snatches attention with a series of almost imperceptible pizzicato notes. Does the argument resolve? It is unclear, as the third movement emerges with a regretful motif. Discord and independent soaring lines in the fourth movement suggest that, sometimes, wildly different lines – and people – are stronger when coexisting in conflict than in harmony.

It’s a difficult tightrope to walk convincingly, but Turkell and Minke Huls prove it’s possible. A sparkling finish and a high-five amongst our musicians make the Ravel a stunning celebration of friendship and musicality. Perhaps the two should be locked away on cruise ships more often. 

After a well-deserved pause, Turkell joined Parrini on the Enescu. In the manner of L. Frank Baum and Lewis Carroll, Enescu takes us through a dream. Whorls and tornadic windswept passion in the first movement transport us to another world. Haunting melodies and heart-pounding tempo changes lead us through the uncertain second movement. Here, Turkell’s artistry shines as he seamlessly merges between microtones and shimmering notes. As Parrini alludes, the fourth movement is a party. Parrini dazzled with thunderous whirling chromatic moments – it’s shocking how gracefully her hands fly. And, like any good party, the music references plenty of fun, mischief and a tad bit of regret the next morning. 

Perhaps one day this trio will reconnect for an encore. Among the hundreds of concerts I have attended, few have left such a lasting impression.

‘Lasting Impressions.’ Presented by Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota. Reviewed April 6. artistseriesconcerts.org

Emma Jo Patten is a freelance writer. She has dual undergraduate degrees in music and drama from Florida State University and a Masters in Performance Psychology from the University of Edinburgh (Scotland). She also plays flute and guitar.