Monday, May 15, 2023
12 PM
Folias Duo are “facile players who draw on tango rhythms and melodies sometimes, at other times they write with a scenic sensitivity” (Fanfare Magazine). They are “daring in self-written music” (American Record Guide).
Flutist Carmen Maret and guitarist Andrew Bergeron of the Folias Duo are a married couple whose unique interpersonal performer-composer collaboration of twenty years breathes new life into classical music. Folias Duo melds characteristics of European classical music with jazz, world music, and improvisation into the rhythms, contours, and textures of their meticulously crafted and scenic music. As composers and performers, they continue to test the technical and sonic possibilities of the intimate flute and guitar combination. “These two artists are top talents, almost singular within contemporary flute and guitar ensembles” (Flutist Quarterly).
Based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Folias Duo is a self-managed performing group that presents to classical music audiences throughout the United States, South America, and Europe. Specializing in concerts for audiences who enjoy creative, artistic, and out-of-the-ordinary experiences, the duo has appeared at notable venues such as the Detroit Institute of Arts, Chicago Botanic Gardens, Wellspring Theater-Epic Center, St. Cecilia Music Center, Fairbanks Arts Festival, Albuquerque Museum, National Flute Association Convention, Bayfield Summer Concerts, Lick Observatory, and countless other listening rooms, library theaters, and guitar society meeting spaces.
Folias Duo’s self-booked 2022 summer tour included twenty concert performances throughout the western United States and recent Michigan performance highlights include performances for the Saugatuck Chamber Music Festival, the White Lake Chamber Music Festival, Scarab Club Chamber Music Series in Detroit, and the Grand Rapids Art Museum’s Classical Series. During the 2020–2021 season, Folias Duo broadcasted over twenty live-stream concerts from their home featuring original music, all archived on their YouTube channel.
Folias Duo has produced and released seven albums featuring original compositions and arrangements, including five albums on the Blue Griffin Recording label from 2004–2014. More recently, they released Dreaming to Live (2017) and Delicate Omens (2019) on their Folias Music label. Their forthcoming album Heartdance will be released summer of 2023 on the Folias Music label.
Maintaining a close artistic relationship with the great outdoors, Folias Duo continues to write music inspired by national parks and national forests. They served as Artists-in-Residence on Isle Royale National Park, gave concerts in the North Cascades National Park, and composed music about wild places such as Big Bend National Park for their Marufo Vega and Viewpoints albums. Since 2016, Folias Duo has sponsored their own “DIY composing residencies” in rustic national forest cabins in Colorado, Iowa, Ontario, Oregon, and Michigan.
Carmen Maret and Andrew Bergeron earned Master of Music degrees from Michigan State University and Bachelor of Music degrees from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and Grand Valley State University. Now, with over twenty years of experience as educators and entrepreneurs, Carmen and Andrew continue to nurture the growth of countless young musicians. They teach private lessons for flute, guitar, and composition through Folias Music School, and they are adjunct professors in music theory, music history, and music business at Aquinas College and Grand Rapids Community College.
Free concerts at noon every Monday from fall through spring . . . no wonder the Mini-Concerts are the longest-running and one of the most popular classical music series at the library! This series was founded by Glenna Hazleton in 1970 at the Athenaeum, and has been going strong ever since. The concerts feature both local and touring musicians, prize-winning students, university music faculty members, local chamber ensembles. . . and the repertoire also includes jazz, folk and world music. There are no reservations, no tickets . . . just line up at the side door of the Athenaeum before noon. (Donations are always welcome!) Mini-Concerts take place every Monday at noon and last about an hour.
The concerts will be in person at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. There are no physical tickets for these events. Doors open at 11:50 a.m. Seating is first-come; first-served. These events will be presented in compliance with State of California and County of San Diego health regulations as applicable at the time of each concert.
Masks optional. If you have a fever, cough, or flu-like symptoms, please stay home.