Nostalgia and melancholy opens Songs my mother taught me with Dvořák’s second piano trio, imbued with his personality and Slavic folk elements. The trip around the globe continues with a set of miniatures by American composer Daniel Temkin, with a chance to pay homage to five 20th-century composers who celebrated folk-music in their masterpieces: Britten, Bartok, Copland, Dutilleux and Ligeti. The spirit of Aotearoa is reflected in Eve de Castro-Robinson’s newest commission before we enter into the soundscape of the emotional struggles of humankind in Weinberg piano trio – a product of WWII. Even through the stark turbulence, there is a sense of optimism and hope as we wind down with a poignant tune from Dvořák’s Gypsy Songs, telling a story of a mother’s tears, memories and influence – encapsulating the essence of folk-music being passed down through generations.