How tired are female classical musicians of reviews remarking on their appearance? I will not mention violinist Laura Frautschi or cellist Kristina Cooper’s attire. I shall instead focus on the beer-patterned socks of pianist John Novacek. But more on that later.

The musicians in question? Intersection Trio. This talented chamber music ensemble played at Packard Hall last week as a harbinger of the Colorado College Summer Music Festival, which runs June 5-21. The festival celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.

Chamber music can seem unapproachable for many, but Intersection is doing their best to break down those barriers. This trio is engaging, lighthearted and liberated from their sheet music. It’s unusual to hear chamber music of this ilk performed by memory, but save one piece (a heartbreakingly beautiful Ravel piano trio), that’s what they did.

The program opened with the dulcet “Salut d’Amour” by Edward Elgar, arranged by famed composer and violist Kenji Bunch. Bunch is a former student of violist Toby Appel, who has been on CCSMF faculty for many years. This year CCSMF commissioned a piece by Bunch, which both musicians will perform in an ensemble.

Musicians then moved immediately into an arrangement of one of Manuel de Falla’s Spanish Dances. Both opening pieces demonstrated the trio’s cohesive, well-seasoned ease of communication. In terms of musical conversation, they are are downright fluent.

The closing of the first half was the aforementioned Maurice Ravel piano trio in A minor, and what a doozy of a piece. The first movement launched with an ethereal melody deftly shaped by Frautschi, Novacek’s signature foot-stomping down beats, and Cooper’s eerie harmonics toward the end. Skipping ahead to the third movement, the Pasacaille opened ostinato-like with rumbly and placid notes by Novacek on piano. Cooper came in with an achingly beautiful melody and then traded off to Frautschi playing at first in that lovely lower end of the violin range for a bit. The three eventually came together, the piano still providing a muted landscape, like looking out a train window into a foggy countryside.

I love creative programming and Novacek’s choice for the opening of the second half is no exception. The trio presented three Polonaises, a traditional Polish dance pretty much always in three, but more specifically, with a very distinctive rhythm. The best way to describe that is “Blackberries are delicious.” You’d have to say that out loud to see what I mean. Perhaps just keep it tucked away as a conversational prompt for the next musical cocktail party you attend.

There were three Polonaises programmed, each very different from the last. It’s a versatile genre. The set opened with Chopin’s Polonaise-fantasie, which Novacek correctly described as more fantasy than polonaise, with its many departures from the traditional rhythm and structure. However, this piece more than any other on the program illustrated what I love about Novacek’s playing — an embarrassment of riches in his dynamics. When you play very quietly, it’s called “pianissimo.” But when you play very, very quietly, it’s called “pianissisimo.” I know it sounds like I’m making this up, but I’m serious and so is Novacek.

This was followed by a Henryk Wieniawski Polonaise featuring Frautschi, doing the piece all the jaunty, playful, virtuosic justice it deserved. Cooper then took the stage once more to play a Popper Polonaise so sensuously it’s hard to describe in polite company. In no way do I wish to diminish her impeccable technique, but I did want a cigarette afterward.

The program ended with two more modern pieces. A medley from the 1988 movie “Cinema Paradiso,” which the trio performed effortlessly, conveying its rich and tender melodies. And then a wonderful arrangement (again by Bunch) of a few tunes from “West Side Story,” charmingly introduced by Frautschi with a personal narrative of her connection to the piece. “Maria” opened with a few simple notes from the piano and violin. “Tonight” was an example of their exquisite balance as they traded the melody line. In the end, with “Rumble,” it was clear neither the Sharks nor Jets had won, just the audience.

It is now time to return to pianist Novacek’s socks. As a well-deserved encore the trio trotted out a rag by this talented composer and pianist called “Intoxication.” It showcased everything this trio does so well — their communication with one another is superb, their engagement with the audience is bar none, and the dizzying pace of this last, quick encore was inebriating.

Frautschi and Novacek will return as faculty for this summer’s festival. For tickets and information go online to coloradocollege.edu/other/summermusicfestival.