The Travel Preludes are three short pieces ideally conceived for opening a concert. The first, Urgent Call, is like a bell calling the audience and stressing the importance ­— and at times the urgency — of making music.

The second prelude, The Art of Taking a Seat, has to do with that carefulness, kindness and attention the attendance of a concert requires from the audience. Because to take a seat, to concentrate and to open heart and mind to the music is an art everybody should practice.

The third piece, In Praise of Discretion, is an homage to all those musicians, who enter the stage without pretensions or theatrics, being able to concentrate on nothing but the music itself.