Sunday Talk and Recital by World Class Violist, Rachel Yonan – 9 November 2025

Music and Human Flourishing

World-class Violist, Rachel Yonan, shared the passionate connection between philosophy and her music with the Charlottesville Branch of the ESU on Sunday November 9th, 2025 at the Greencroft Club.  Her talk and performance explored how music awakens a sense of wonder in the human soul and how that wonder becomes a gateway both to experiencing the fundamental mathematical order of reality and finding meaning in that order.  Highlighting these ideas, she performed selections from JS Bach’s G Major. 

The Members were enthralled with her thought-provoking message and truly ethereal encore, Mendelssohn’s, Song Without Words, Opus 109.  Stimulated, thrilled, enchanted – all so very apt emotional and intellectual responses. The Q&A was lively and President Williams later heard from her that she found the engagement most rewarding.  What a treat in so private a setting….