Carmen Maret, flute, and Andrew Bergeron, guitar
Friday, June 1, 2018 — 5:30pm
Music of Maret, Bergeron, and Piazzola
| Program: | |
|---|---|
| Mantis Religiosa | Carmen Maret |
| Uncompagre I. Silver Jack II. Cimarron III. Courthouse | Andrew Bergeron |
| Quixote II. Chivalry | Andrew Bergeron |
| Escualo | Astor Piazzola arranged by Andrew Bergeron |
Andrew Bergeron and Carmen Maret are performers, composers, educators and entrepreneurs from Grand Rapids, Michigan known for their work as the Folias Duo. Folias Duo’s fifteen year performer/composer collaboration has taken this nomadic husband and wife duo to stages throughout the United States and around the globe including Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Italy, Portugal, Argentina, and Chile.
They have a fearless approach to developing new compositions for flute and guitar, an expertise for arrangements of Argentine tango, and a passion for South American folk, jazz and world music. About Folias’s performing and composing, Robert Schulslaper of Fanfare Magazine writes:
“Carmen Maret and Andrew Bergeron are facile players…they draw on tango rhythms and melodies sometimes; at other times they write with a scenic sensitivity…mysterious…charming…evocative,”
while Todd Gorman of American Record Guide calls the Folias Duo “daring in selfwritten music” and “a nice touch of originality.”
Folias Duo’s concert touring combines their versatility as composers, arrangers, and performers with their prowess for self management and promotion. Their self-booked 2018 summer tour includes twenty performances throughout the western United States, while recent Michigan performance highlights include the Scarab Club Chamber Music Series in Detroit who presented Folias’ arrangement of Piazzolla’s Angel Suite for flute, guitar and string quartet and the Grand Rapids Art Museum Classical Series who presented a program of all original music and arrangements from their Dreaming to Live release. Textura magazine writes: “Maret’s sinuous flute, alto flute, and piccolo playing is a constant delight, while Bergeron’s deft finger-picking makes a strong impression. The purity of her tone and the unerring precision of his guitar work are an enticing combination.”
Folias Duo has played their own golden era tango arrangements for milongas since 2002 in over forty tango communities throughout the United States, Chile and Argentina, including the Burning Tango Festival (2016,2017, 2018), the A-B-QTango Festival (2018), the Albuquerque Tango Society, the Madison Tango Society, Esquina Tango Austin, Quantum Tango, Decir Tango, Wasatch Tango Club, Tango Berretín and at festivals such as the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival, and the Atlin Music Festival.
Since 2005 Bergeron and Maret have operated Folias Music, their label and publishing company for original sheet music and album releases. Folias Music also hosts a podcast called Folias Music Live and a blog that documents the duo’s relentless exploration of food and nature throughout the world.