CD828: Cynthia Koledo DeAlmeida, Oboe; William Caballero, Horn; Rodrigo Ojeda, Piano.

W.A. MOZART, Trio for Oboe, Horn, and Piano; ROBERT KAHN, Serenade in F Minor, op. 73; CHRIS MASSA, Scenes from Lake Chautaugua; ERIC EWAZEN, Three Rivers Trio; HEINRICH MOLBE (Heinrich von Bach), Air Arabe, Op. 77.

Cynthia Koledo DeAlmeida, William Caballero, and Rodrigo Ojeda are Principal Oboe, Horn, and Piano with the Pittsburgh Symphony, positions they have held since 1991, 1989, and 2006, respectively. All have been featured frequently as soloists.

THREE RIVERS TRIOS: The title of this album and Eric Ewazen’s piece are a tribute to the city of Pittsburgh, where the Allegheny River and Monongahela River converge to form the Ohio River. The photograph on the cover is of the three soloists on Mt. Washington overlooking downtown Pittsburgh.

“a unique chamber CD…refined individual playing and stunning tonal blend between the oboe and horn…the three are extremely well-matched in style and create a playful dialogue reminiscent of Mozart’s operas. Hearing these masterful musicians perform Mozart is a delight. While every track on the album is a gem, two other stand-out performances are the newly-commissioned works depicting bodies of water: Chris Massa’s “Scenes from Lake Chautauqua,” (2020) and Eric Ewazen’s “Three Rivers Trio” (2023). The “Barn Dance” movement in Massa’s piece is particularly fun, with playful rustic rhythms laid down by the horn and piano. Above the rhythmic background, triumphant horn lines ascend and the sensual tone of the oboe joins in a countermelody.

“DeAlmeida, Caballero, and Ojeda have produced a joyful and optimistic album featuring classic and tonal contemporary works. On a deeper level Three Rivers Trios it is a beautiful celebration of partnership.”IDRS “The Double Reed” Journal, Issue 47-3, Fall 2024, reviewed by Meghan /Woodard.

Gramophone magazine wrote, “Pittsburgh’s first horn (William Caballero) is as spectacular as any on disc.” 

Fanfare Magazine has called Cynthia DeAlmeida “hands down, one of the best oboe players in the world”.