Steinway & Sons is excited to present the debut album of the one-of-a-kind chamber music collective ensemble132. A Steinway Ensemble of artists who have performed around the world to great acclaim, ensemble132 (e132) excites the imagination of audiences with its uniquely genre-defying programs, artist-crafted arrangements, and unparalleled artistry.

A single from the album, Stravinky's "The Shrovetide Fair" from Petrushka, is now available.

On October 2, 2026 STEINWAY & SONS releases ensemble132's debut album, Masques and Marionettes (STNS 30254). The program showcases the group’s electricity and dynamism in their original chamber arrangements of Igor Stravinsky’s enchanting Petrushka and Two Poems of Balmont arranged for piano quintet, Clara Schumann’s intimate Three Romances, and Robert Schumann’s boisterous Carnaval arranged for piano quartet.

In his program notes for the album, ensemble132's Co-Artistic Director Zachary Mowitz writes:
The works on this album capture vivid stories and characters from the imaginations and lives of their authors, all unified by universal experiences of love, longing, celebration, and friendship – with a touch of mystery and humor. Each piece is also inextricably linked to the piano and its most magical qualities, which Co-Artistic Director Sahun Sam Hong’s visionary arrangements explore through the endless possibilities of texture and color of the piano and string instruments. Masques and Marionettes combines ensemble132’s richness of character and nuance with the exhilaration of retelling each of these musical narratives.

Igor Stravinsky’s Petrushka (1911), arranged for piano quintet by Sahun Sam Hong, was originally performed as a large-scale ballet by Diaghilev’s Ballet Russe. It tells the story of a puppet magically brought to life by a mysterious sorcerer, naïvely navigating intensely human emotions and dynamics as he adoringly pursues the Ballerina – also under the sorcerer’s spell. Petrushka revels in Russian folk melodies and stories, but it also signals Stravinsky’s growing desire to experiment and push the boundaries of Western music. The arrangement is a faithful re-working of the intricate textures and boundless energy of the original large-format 1911 orchestration, expressed with the versatility of the piano quintet.

Stravinsky’s Two Poems for Balmont, written the same year as Petrushka, was originally a diptych of two short but moving songs setting the poetry of Konstantin Balmont. «Незабудочка‑цветочек» (Nezabudochka‑tsvetochek, “Forget‑me‑not blossom”) and «Голубь» (Golub, “The Pigeon”)  turn seemingly mundane snapshots from nature into vividly emotional vignettes centered around a pigeon and a flower. If you listen carefully, you may find musical fragments from Petrushka, which Hong illuminates in this piano quintet rendition.

Clara Wieck-Schumann wrote her radiantly intimate Three Romances, Op. 22 (1853) in dedication to violinist Joseph Joachim, her life-long friend. Schumann, one of the most remarkable pianists of the Romantic era, premiered it herself with Joachim. To honor her artistry and legacy, we recorded each of the three movements as a different duo combination, featuring the  violin, viola, and cello paired with piano, exploring the many shades of Clara Schumann’s great artistry and humanity.

Robert Schuman’s Carnaval, Op. 9 (1835) is one of the most well-loved pieces in the solo piano canon. With this set of colorful and animated character pieces, Schumann manifested a unique vision: a musical exhibition of scenes depicting both real-life and imaginary characters, transformed into masked revelers at a Carnival celebration. Like Petrushka, many of these characters derive from the Commedia dell’arte, although just as many come from Schumann’s own relationships, including Clara Schumann. In this new version, the original piano solo part has been expanded to the ensemble of piano quartet, affording newfound hues of humor, sparkle, and intensity.

While Masques and Marionettes explores the entrancing worlds that each of these composers creates, it also tells the story of our collective. We first found our footing as an ensemble as we developed these arrangements and explored great chamber music together as friends. As we have lived with these pieces, we have found ways to breathe new life into each one of these four works, hopefully giving them new homes in the chamber music repertoire.

—  Zachary Mowitz

“Ensemble 132’s performance of this impossibly complex reduction of full orchestra instrumentation to that of five feverishly skilled musicians [Petrushka] is a remarkable achievement both for the players and their fellow pianist/arranger.”

The Talbot Spy
 

“The five players evinced collegial cohesion, especially admirably in Petroushka’s fast tempi and complex rhythms... The strings played with abandon and conviction... Hong the arranger made virtuosic demands upon himself, enlarging the orchestral piano part into a constantly engaging character.”

Boston Musical Intelligencer

Album Credits

Masques and Marionettes - Stravinsky: Danse Russe / ensemble 132 • STNS 30254

Release Date: 10/02/2026

Recorded August 14-18, 2025 at Futura Studios, Roslindale, Massachusetts.

Producer: Jesse Lewis
Recording Engineer: Christopher Moretti
Mixing: Christopher Moretti
Mastering: Jesse Lewis

Executive Producers: Eric Feidner, Jon Feidner, Vivian Chiu
Art Direction: Jackie Fugere
Cover Design: Timea Kolozsvary
Booklet Design, Cover to Cover Design, Anilda Carrasquillo
Project Coordinator: Renée Oakford
Piano Technician: Paul Rattigan
Piano: Steinway Model D #512061 (New York)

ensemble132 is a recipient of a 2025 grant from Chamber Music America’s Artistic Projects program, funded through the generosity of The Howard Gilman Foundation, for this recording.

About the Artists

ensemble132 is an American collective of soloists and chamber musicians of the highest caliber, uniting with a shared mission to reimagine the chamber music landscape. The only group of its kind to continually create and premiere new standards in the chamber music repertoire with its artist-crafted arrangements, ensemble132 excites the imagination of audiences across the country with its uniquely genre-defying programs.

 At every e132 event, audiences can expect a one-of-a-kind chamber music experience characterized by ensemble132’s versatile artistry and limitless programming possibilities. Chamber ballets, transcriptions of symphonies and jazz standards, and orchestrations of solo works comprise just a few of ensemble132’s programming highlights. Each member of ensemble132’s dynamic roster, all with stellar careers and accolades, brings their unique blend of uncompromising individuality and collaborative spirit to traditional masterworks as well as unearthed gems.

The group’s arrangements have been praised by critics and renowned musicians alike as “Audacious… liberating… illuminating” (Jon Sobel), “absolutely terrific ... a delight … [they] succeed in opening up the sound of the piece in meaningful ways” (Robert McDonald), and “a fresh approach to music that is second to none” (Herbert Greenberg).

The artists of ensemble132 have collaborated closely at music festivals such as Marlboro, Ravinia, Music@Menlo, Verbier, and Taos, and they appear regularly with ensembles such as the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Catalyst Quartet, Borromeo String Quartet, and Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. They are prizewinners at major competitions such as the Paganini, Joseph Joachim, Tibor Varga, Sibelius, Primrose, Beethoven Vienna, Vendome Prize, and American Pianists Awards.

Alongside its traditional concerts, ensemble132 takes a uniquely creative approach to community engagement, sharing the joy of musical creation through interactive workshops. At these events, e132 artists guide listeners in real time through the arranging process. ensemble132 also presents cross-disciplinary programs and innovative educational programs. Most recently, e132 presented a residency at Texas Christian University where ensemble members both coached and played alongside students in mixed groups. 

In January 2026, ensemble132 is premiering a new chamber ballet production of Stravinsky’s Petrushka in collaboration with BalletX and Philadelphia Chamber Music Society. In 2025, ensemble132 became a Steinway Ensemble and was awarded an Artistic Projects Award from Chamber Music America. 

Sahun Sam Hong, Co-Artistic Director, arranger, piano
Hong is a prize winner of numerous international competitions, including the Vendome Prize at Verbier, International Beethoven Competition Vienna, and Naumburg International Piano Competition. In addition to performing, Hong is a prolific arranger and orchestrator, recognized for his innovative transcriptions that are featured in the touring programs of ensemble132, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and Mount Vernon Virtuosi. Hong’s primary mentors have included John Owings, Leon Fleisher, and Yong Hi Moon. He is currently based in New York City, and serves on the faculty of CUNY Queens College. He is a member of the Bowers Program (2024–27) at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Hong is a Steinway Artist.

Zachary Mowitz, Co-Artistic Director, cello
An artist who wears many hats, cellist Zachary Mowitz co-founded ensemble132 and the nonprofit Nodality Music and is a member of the SAKURA Cello Quintet and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Mowitz made his solo debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra in 2018 and continues to perform internationally at venues like the Marlboro Music Festival, Caramoor, Carnegie Hall, and Berlin Konzerthaus. Recognized for his artistry as a chamber musician, he has collaborated with artists such as Jonathan Biss, Joseph Lin, Hsin-Yun Huang, and Ida Kavafian, and regularly plays with the Bach Gamut Ensemble. He has premiered the works of today’s leading composers, including Richard Danielpour, Gabriela Órtiz, Donald Crockett, Angélica Negrón, and Nick DiBerardino. As a teacher and guest lecturer, Mowitz has visited Yale University, the Curtis Institute of Music, Queens College, Western University, and Texas Christian University. Mowitz attended the Curtis Institute of Music, the Royal College of Music, and the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel, where he studied with mentors Peter Wiley, Carter Brey, Richard Lester, Jeroen Reuling, and Gary Hoffman.

Abi Fayette, violin
Violinist Abi Fayette, the youngest of four children in a musical family, started her violin studies at age three with her mother. She earned degrees from The Curtis Institute of Music and New England Conservatory, studying under Ida Kavafian and Soovin Kim respectively. Other principal teachers include Ann Setzer, Kyung-Wha Chung, and Joseph Silverstein. Passionate about chamber music, she has performed with renowned artists such as Jonathan Biss, Brett Dean, Kim Kashkashian, and others. As an active touring musician, Fayette’s performances have taken her all over the world with appearances spanning across the United States, Europe, and Asia. She has toured with Musicians from Marlboro, The Knights, and Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. Currently, she is a member of the Grammy Nominated Catalyst Quartet and serves as Artistic Director of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra of which she is also a member musician. Ms. Fayette performs on a violin made in 1860 by Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume generously on loan from Marlboro Music.

Maria Ioudenitch, violin
American-Russian violinist Maria Ioudenitch gained international recognition in 2021 after winning first prizes at the Ysaÿe, Tibor Varga, and Joseph Joachim competitions. In 2023, she received the Opus Klassik Award for Chamber Music Recording of the Year for her Warner Classics debut album, Songbird. Known for her imaginative programming, Maria’s repertoire ranges from Brahms, Britten, and Bernstein to Dvořák, Tailleferre, and Prokofiev.

Highlights of the 2025/26 season include debuts with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Royal Danish Opera Orchestra, Cincinnati and Detroit Symphony Orchestras, and George Enescu Philharmonic. Maria also tours with the Basel Symphony Orchestra and performs recitals at Wigmore Hall and Brucknerhaus Linz with pianist Roman Borisov. A member of ensemble132, she collaborates with leading chamber musicians internationally. Maria studied at the ICM at Park University, Curtis Institute of Music, New England Conservatory, and Kronberg Academy with Pamela Frank, Shmuel Ashkenasi, Ben Sayevich, Gregory Sandomirsky, Miriam Fried, and Christian Tetzlaff.

Luther Warren, viola
Violinist and violist Luther Warren maintains an active career as a chamber musician and educator. He has appeared alongside many esteemed musicians and at numerous festivals including Ravinia, Yellow Barn, Four Seasons, Caramoor, Prussia Cove Open Chamber Music, Olympic Music Festival, Norfolk, and Taos. Luther is a founding member of ensemble132 and has been a regular collaborator with LA-based chamber orchestra Delirium Musicum and a frequent guest with the Borromeo String Quartet. As an educator, Luther is on faculty at New England Conservatory’s Expanded Education division and serves as Director of Junior Division Chamber Music at the Heifetz International Music Institute. He has presented masterclasses and residencies at Queens College, University of Houston, East Carolina University, and Texas Christian University. Luther holds graduate degrees from the New England Conservatory where he has been a student of Miriam Fried, Donald Weilerstein, and Kim Kashkashian.

ensemble132 is a recipient of a 2025 grant from Chamber Music America’s Artistic Projects program, funded through the generosity of The Howard Gilman Foundation, for this recording.

About Steinway & Sons label

The STEINWAY & SONS music label produces exceptional albums of solo piano music across all genres. The label — a division of STEINWAY & SONS, maker of the world’s finest pianos — is a perfect vessel for producing the finest quality recordings by some of the most talented pianists in the world.