Poetry and music, two of the most evocative art forms, are often intertwined to create an interdisciplinary experience called art song. German, English, and Persian poetry are the inspirations for songs by Johannes Brahms and world premiere songs by CMNW Protégé composer Kian Ravaei. Both composers added obligato string instruments to add color to the traditional voice and piano in art songs. The program is capped by one of Brahms’s grandest and most glorious works of all, his second Piano Quartet. Mezzo-soprano Fleur Barron returns to CMNW after her dazzling performances last summer, poetic pianist Ieva Jokūbavičiūtė makes her CMNW debut, and brilliant string players Benjamin Beilman, Hsin-Yun Huang, and Peter Stumpf celebrate the opening of the 2023 festival.