Dream House Quartet Brings Minimalist Artistry, Thorvaldsdóttir World Premiere to YSC

The stage was set—two grand, gleaming Steinway pianos and two guitars waiting to be played. The minimalist scene was about to come alive as Yale alum composer and guitarist Bryce Dessner, sister pianists Katia and Marielle Labèque, and guitarist David Chalmin took command of their instruments and transformed the air around Commons at Yale Schwarzman Center into pointillistic sound. On May 5, 2023, Dream House Quartet captivated the audience revealing masterful works by Meredith Monk, Steve Reich, Thom Yorke, Philip Glass, and a world premiere by Anna Thorvaldsdóttir.

With Dan Bora’s skillful audio mix, each instrument’s distinct melody melded into the broader piece, punctuating the swells of the music often with Dessner and Chalmin creating layers of sonic effects. This was a concert full of technical precision, synchronicity, and energy with a juxtaposition of physicality from Katia and Marielle Labèque. Dream House Quartet seemed to construct various moods with each collaboration, transporting the audience “into the personal movies in their minds,” noted one audience member. Throughout the show the musicianship of the world-class artists and their innate command of their instruments and connections with each other was on full display.

While one piece featured only guitar (“Electric Counterpart” by Steven Reich) and two were just for piano (“Don’t Fear the Light” by Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and “4 Movements for 2 Pianos” by Philip Glass), the most anticipated piece was the world premiere of "what things become” by Anna Thorvaldsdóttir, a co-commission of the Schwarzman Center in collaboration with Dessner, ArKtype, and Southbank Centre, London. This collaboration marked a first for Dessner and Thorvaldsdóttir, and this new work will be released on Dream House Quartet’s new album in the fall of 2023.

Before playing the final piece, “Sonic Waves,” Dessner acknowledged his friends in the audience as well as the Yale professors who helped shape his musicianship. As the last note reverberated throughout Commons, the packed house erupted into applause and gave Dream House Quartet a standing ovation. “I was impressed by the power and elegance of the pieces, the chiming of the pianos, the engulfing trains of sound tapering away in unison,” remarked one audience member.

This one-night-only performance was part of Dessner’s multi-year residency as the inaugural Artist-in-Residence in Music at Yale Schwarzman Center, produced in partnership with ArKtype / Thomas O. Kriegsmann. As a feature of the multi-project residency, Dessner curated and commissioned new multi-disciplinary works from a roster of creators — including Thorvaldsdóttir, Julia Bullock, Ash Fure, Nathalie Joachim, and Kaneza Schaal.