Serenata Chamber Musicians

"Winter Solstice Concert"

Flac files (CD quality) are available from: http://www.archive.org/details/ARTSomervilleSerenataChamberMusiciansWinterSolsticeConcert

Established in Somerville, MA, in 2006, the Serenata Chamber Musicians is made up of talented musicians from the greater Boston area. Since April 2006, the Serenata Chamber Musicians have performed at the Lily Pad in Cambridge, St. Johns United Methodist Church in Dedham, Somerville Open Studios, the Somerville Public Library, and the Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church in Somerville. In September 2006, Serenata began performing monthly concerts at the Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church and, assisted by a project grant from the Somerville Arts Council. continued monthly concerts at the church in 2007.

The SCM is dedicated to reaching a wider audience by performing exceptional chamber music in various venues, from libraries to concert halls. Uniting in mixed ensembles of violin, viola, cello, piano, flute, clarinet, and voice, these enthusiastic musicians aim to make classical and new music concerts accessible and affordable to the general public.

Members of the SCM have performed locally in numerous new and classical music ensembles, including the Newton Symphony, the Gardner Chamber Orchestra, Boston Baroque, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Musica Sacra, the Handel and Haydn Society, Radius Ensemble, the Boston Philharmonic, the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, the Cape Ann Symphony, and the Civic Symphony Orchestra of Boston, as well as internationally in Germany, Italy, Japan, Sweden and Israel.

Musicians: Timothy Blalock, piano, Orlando Cela, flute, Sivan Etedgee, piano, Katie Franich, cello, Annegret Klaua, violin, Jessica Lipon, viola, Thea Lobo, mezzo soprano, Melanie Maz, violin, Meghan Miller, flute, Monica Mitchell, violin, Itamar Ronen, piano, Kiera Thompson, clarinet, and Margaret Cheng Tuttle, piano. Visit the Musicians page to read individual bios.

Vessela Stoyanova & Valerie Thompson have been playing music together since 1998, when they were both students at The Berklee College of Music. Today, they are most notably recognized for their work with the Boston based rock ensemble Fluttr Effect. With Fluttr Effect, Stoyanova & Thompson have toured nationally and internationally and were the 2004 North American Finalists in the Emergenza International Music Contest. They have both had the dubious honor of being nominated for The Noise Poll Awards in the category of "Other Instrument." This semi-acoustic duo forgoes the rock essentials of guitar and drums found in Fluttr Effect, stripping down to the vibrant and intimate combination of cello, marimba and voice, crossing genres and styles with natural ease while staying true to the art of music.

Audrey Ryan has completed fifteen national tours since the debut release in 2004. She has also toured extensively in Europe, garnering enough attention that the UK label Folkwit Records will be releasing her album in the fall. She’s showcased at SXSW and had her music featured on NPR’s All Songs Considered and Marketplace. Now she’s gearing up for a fall record release tour that will extend through the US and Europe.
Audrey performs both solo and with a band, playing her electric Japanese guitar, a vintage Gibson (a hand-me-down of her father), a half sized accordion, and a retro 80’s era keyboard. Her band features Steve Malone on pedal steel (of Frank Smith), drummer and glockenspielist James Borchers, and clarinetist Alec Spegielman. It’s not surprising she has been dubbed the “female Beck” of the Boston indie scene. One fan said, “Audrey’s shows always keep me on my toes wondering what is next, she’ll switch from guitar, to keyboard, and then accordion in one set.” It would be easy to write off her unmatched dexterity and uncanny vocal range as a result of her time at a conservatory, but most of Ryan’s development has come from years of dedication. While she can often be seen sitting in with bands from Burlington, VT or Providence, RI, she spends most of her days refining her craft, teaching music students fiddle, guitar and piano and touring, touring, touring. She might still be an underdog in the stateside music scene, but with an average of twenty shows a month planned for the next year, fans have rightfully credited her as one of the hardest working women in indie-rock.

ARTSomerville (ARTS) is a volunteer organization which draws upon the talents of local creativity, strengthening communication among artists and the public by presenting exhibits, performances, and educational activities. Visit www.artsomerville.org to learn more.