Soft, harmonious notes of oboe, bassoon and piano drift through the air, melting seamlessly together. Suddenly, an argument picks up. Mocking the pianist, the oboist emulates its notes, making derisive faces as the piano notes crescendo louder in retaliation. After a heated argument expressed through music, the pianist finally relents. Stark, angry chords of the piano give way to dulcet notes until the pianist mirrors the oboist and bassoonist, all three playing together in quirky harmony.

The Poulenc Trio and soprano Shawnette Sulker brought classical and playful chamber music to the Patil Theater on Feb. 28 as the finale for the Harker Concert Series.

Aleh Remezau, Bryan Young and Irina Kaplan-Lande, respectively, played the oboe, bassoon and piano. The Poulenc Trio performed solo at first, showcasing pieces by traditional composers like George Frideric Handel as well as modern ones like Viet Cuong.

Attendee Helen Gu (11) particularly resonated with the song “Explain Yourself,” which depicted the eccentricity and whimsy that the trio is known for. It featured many oboe multiphonics, a technique that produces multiple notes on a monophonic instrument.

“I like how the musicians have been interacting with each other on stage, and they’re really talented,” Helen said. “[Explain Yourself] is unconventional and playful, and that song highlights their relationship to each other and to their music.”

Classically-trained singer Shawnette Sulker performed alongside the Poulenc Trio, singing French songs from Francis Poulenc, the namesake composer of the instrumental group during the second half of the concert.

Prior to the concert, the musicians gave masterclasses to students in orchestra, band and select singers.

“One piece of advice I have for students is that you have to practice a lot for your own comfort so that when you go out on stage you don’t feel as nervous and you feel really solid,” Sulker said. “You know you’ve done the work behind the scenes so you can come out and have more confidence and feel the music and the good vibes.”

Lab Band member Michael Petrov (9), who attended two masterclasses and the open rehearsal, noticed that hearing the musicians speak helped to elevate his listening experience at the concert.

“They went through how they rehearsed and it was very helpful because it helped me understand more of what it’s like to be in a trio,” Michael said. “Also, because of the masterclasses, I had listened to some of the pieces, so I could listen to different things I had been told about. I found that very enjoyable, to be able to make connections during the concert.”

Helen, who attended a lunchtime masterclass with Sulker where she received feedback after performing a solo piece, found the advice to help with perfecting both her singing technique and approach to performance.

“She gave each of us very tailored advice and carefully worked with us to make sure that we improved a lot throughout the short 15 minutes,” Helen said. “Harker generally has more focus on instrumental masterclasses, so I feel like this vocal masterclass and concert series is really unique and I’m glad that such a wide variety of people are here to enjoy it.”