Husband and wife Roberto Diaz and Elissa Lee Koljonen will perform during the Quad City Symphony Orchestra (QCSO) Masterworks IV concert, a Valentine’s Day ode to love.
The internationally praised couple will perform Mozart’s “Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola” on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Adler Theatre and on Sunday at 2 p.m. in Centennial Hall.
“It is when (my husband and I) are performing that I most realize our mutual ability to read each other’s cues, almost like a form of telepathy,” violinist Koljonen said,  “This really makes for a most thrilling experience, especially with such incredible music as this Sinfonia Concertante.”
Koljonen said that while Diaz has performed with the QCSO before, this is her first experience with the symphony. However, she attended the Curtis Institute of Music with conductor Mark Russell Smith and looks forward to working with him.
“They are old friends from way back,” Smith said, “I went to school with Elissa and have known her husband. They are world class musicians, and their marriage adds a bit of intrigue to the performance.”
“Thankfully, we have great respect for each other and also a similar viewpoint of our overall musical direction and intention,” Koljonen said of working with her husband, “As for the little things, we try to practice what we preach to our kids: compromise. No point in fighting over an up-bow.”
Koljonen said she has performed the Mozart piece before, but finds something new each time she plays it, especially when playing with her husband.
“Roberto and I have performed this work together a lot, and we also have the advantage of knowing each other quite well after almost 20 years of being together,” Koljonen said,  “It is always exciting to approach it from ground zero and share new thoughts and ideas. Personally, I always try to begin my preparation of any piece like it is new for me.  It’s amazing how much more there always is to discover.”
The concert will also feature a set of music inspired by the tragic romance of Pelleas and Melisande and Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony, performed by the QCSO.
“It’s themed around Valentine’s Day a bit,” Smith said, “It’s a warm, approachable concert with beautiful music. There is a romantic nature in that the first piece is about a pair of lovers, the second is played by a pair of lovers, and the third is about Italy, the land of love.”
Tickets for the concert are available on the QCSO website.