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ALIVEmusica, a collaboration among leading Hudson Valley chamber music presenters, welcomes Tessa Lark and Michael Thurber streaming from the Howland Cultural Center for a concert of works for violin and bass.

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Howland Chamber Music Circle
P.O. Box 224
Chelsea, NY 12512-0224

This concert is a co-presentation by
The Howland Chamber Music Circle
The Chapel Restoration
Newburgh Chamber Music
Pawling Concert Series
Classical WMHT media sponsor

“With exhilarating teamwork, humor and educational instincts, the two musicians charmed an eager crowd in their first appearance at The Mostly Mozart Festival…” Strad Magazine

Artist Website: Lark Thurber Duo

Lark-Thurber: Wooden Soldier

J. S. Bach: Invention in C Major
Lark-Thurber: Tumble Time

J. S. Bach:  Invention in B minor
Lark-Thurber: Weather Vane
J. S. Bach:  Invention in G major

Tessa Lark: Appalachian Fantasy (violin solo)

Lennon-McCartney (arr. Thurber): Blackbird (Thurber only: bass and vox)

Lark-Thurber: Tom and Nancied

Lark-Thurber: Until We Meet Again

Tessa Lark and Michael Thurber write,
“Bach’s music has always been our musical home base and a benchmark of musical perfection. In particular, his Two-Part Inventions have occupied a central place in our hearts. These beautiful bite-sized works of counterpoint illuminate the full expressive possibility for two musical voices. You can hear these melodies laugh, mourn, swoon, and argue as they meticulously intertwine.

In the spirit of these Inventions, we have ‘invented’ our own set of duos. Just as Bach’s Inventions are explorations in counterpoint, our duos explore the full range of what is possible with our specific two voices: violin and bass. Both the violin and bass have played an integral role not only in European music but in all forms of American music, from Appalachia to New Orleans. In our compositions, we explore these different styles and dive into our own musical heritage – as Classical musicians, but also as Americans.”

YoAward-Winning Violinist Tessa Lark and virtuoso Composer/Bassist Michael Thurber have come together to create a duo unlike any other. By fusing their Classical and American music influences, they have created a wholly original sound which they bring to audiences around the country in a charismatic live show. 2019/20 season highlights include a headlining performance at Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival; a Kimmel Center (Philadelphia) debut concert collaborating with legendary flautist Marina Piccinini; and guest-hosting a live broadcast of NPR’s ‘From The Top’.

Lark & Thurber met years ago as alumni of ‘From The Top’. They began developing their duo collaboration in 2016 after a one-off performance at an event for WXQR in New York City. The two quickly realized how much they had in common musically. “This duo is a place for us to explore our varied musical influences” explains Lark. “I grew up in Kentucky playing bluegrass long before I started my career as a classical musician, so I’ve always longed for an outlet to integrate my American music roots into my performances”. Thurber adds, “Our diverse musical appetite is what has always drawn Tessa and I together. The fiddle and bass are both such versatile instruments that have played vital roles in so many different musical traditions around the world. It feels very natural to explore the full range of our musical heritage and not be bound by genre”.

Prior to forming their duo, both Lark and Thurber have enjoyed successful careers of their own. In the classical music world, Tessa has earned many of the top competition prizes available to young artists including, among many others: a 2018 Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship, a 2016 Avery Fisher Career Grant, Silver Medal in the 2014 International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, and a First-Place finish in the 2012 Naumburg International Violin Competition.

Michael has a reputation as one of the most versatile musical talents of his generation. Whether playing bass on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, composing music for the Royal Shakespeare Company, co-founding the smash YouTube channel CDZA, or hosting his “Thurber Theater” variety show at Joe’s Pub, Thurber’s musical voice defies genre and category.

In their respective careers thus far, Tessa and Michael have had the privilege of collaborating with some of the world’s leading musicians in a wide variety of genres — to name just a few: Mitsuko Uchida, Edgar Meyer, Itzhak Perlman, and Mark O’Connor (Tessa), and Yo-Yo Ma, James Taylor, Vulfpeck, Jon Batiste and Cee Lo Green (Michael).ur Content Goes Here