Janet Martins, Violin

JANET MARTINS

Following the lead of her two older siblings, Janet began playing the violin at the age of 5. Currently a software programmer by profession, she is still an active musician in the community. The list of orchestras she's played with include the NH All-State Orchestra, Tufts Symphony Orchestra, Cambridge Symphony, and the Melrose Symphony Orchestra. An avid lover of chamber music, she has performed with the Tufts chamber players, Lexington Music Club, CSO Chamber Players, Fusion String Ensemble, and the Brockton Symphony Chamber Players. She also serves as a music minister at the Paulist Center in Boston. She currently studies violin with Zoia Bologovsky.

Allison Lacasse, Flute

ALLISON LACASSE

Allison Lacasse has been a music teacher in the Chelmsford Public Schools for five years. She maintains an active flute studio of over a dozen young flutists and continues to advocate for new student ensembles and performing opportunities. Recently, her teaching career has brought her to the Peabody Conservatory, where she was invited to be a guest lecturer for a music education course.

Allison is an active orchestral flutist and chamber musician in the Greater Boston area. She has performed on flute and piccolo for a number of local orchestras, including the Boston Civic Symphony, North Shore Philharmonic, Arlington Philharmonic, Fall River Symphony, Newton Symphony, New Hampshire Philharmonic, Lowell House Opera Company, Brockton Symphony, and the South County Chamber Orchestra. She has performed in notable performance halls such as Jordan Hall and Symphony Hall. Her chamber ensemble participation include concerts with the Fusion String Ensemble, the New York University Summer Chamber Music Institute in 2010, and the Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival at Juilliard in the summer of 2012. 

Allison received Bachelor of Music degrees in Music Education and Performance from the University of Rhode Island (2007) and a Master of Education degree from Cambridge College (2009).

Founder Abe Dewing featured in an article in Strings Magazine

Founder Abe Dewing shares memorabilia he keeps in his violin case in the January 2014 (No.225) issue of Strings Magazine.

Fusion String Ensemble Concert featuring New England Philharmonic at the Newton Free Library on Sunday, December 29, 2013 at 2PM

Fusion String Ensemble,
featuring special guests
New England Philharmonic Chamber Players

Newton Free Library

330 Homer St.,

Newton Massachusetts

Sunday, December 29, 2013 at 2:00pm

CONCERT PROGRAM

String Quartet No. 4 in C minor, Op. 18, No. 4 by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

I. Allegro, ma non tanto
II. Scherzo. Andante scherzoso quasi Allegretto (C major)
III. Menuetto. Allegretto
IV. Allegro 

Members of Fusion String Ensemble
Janet Martins, violin
Abe Dewing, violin
Sarah Izen, viola
Amy Nolan, cello

~ INTERMISSION ~

String Quartet in F major, Op. 96, "American" by Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904)
I. Allegro ma non troppo
II. Lento
III. Molto vivace
IV. Finale: vivace ma non troppo

New England Philharmonic Chamber Players
Lisa Pettipaw, violin

Brianna Pesce, violin
Ken Allen, viola
Jason Coleman, cello

Thank you for joining us in a unique partnership between two local music groups. We look forward to continuing an array of “collaborative chamber concerts” to showcase many of the groups in the Greater Boston’s classical scene in 2014.

Fusion String Ensemble performs at Moody Street Financial Holiday Open House Celebration on Thursday, December 12, 2013 in Newton!

Our Fusion String Ensemble quartet performed at a Holiday Open House Celebration for Moody Street Financial in Newton on Thursday, December 12, 2013. We performed Holiday music, Eiene Kleine Nachtmusik, the music of Lady Gaga, Pitbull featuring Christina Aguilera and debuted a smaller arrangement of the NFL on FOX Theme.

Fusion String Ensemble performs at the Boston Interactive Media Assocaition (BIMA) Holiday Gala

Fusion String Ensemble performs Holiday tunes, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and the music of Lady Gaga, Pitbull featuring Christina Aguilera and The Cars from BIMA's Annual Holiday Gala. Part of proceeds from the night's event were donated to the One Fund.

Bach to the Future In Concerrt: Recording of Concerto for 2 Violins by Johann Sebastian Bach

Concerto for 2 Violins in D minor, BWV 1043 by Johann Sebastian Bach

I. Vivace
II. Largo, ma non tanto
III. Allegro

Performed by Clinton Dewing and Aurelia Duca, violins with Fusion String Ensemble

on Thursday, August 22, 2014 

at Unity Boston in Brookline, MA

BACH TO THE FUTURE, PART II Digital Program for Washington, DC Concert

Fusion String Ensemble presents:

BACH TO THE FUTURE, PART II
in
Washington, D.C.

The Dunes
1402 Meridian Pl NW
Washington, DC 20010

Saturday, August 24, 2013 at 7:30pm
$10

CONCERT PROGRAM

Preconcert Lecture begins at 7:30pm
Concert Begins at 8:00pm

Simple Gifts, a traditional Shaker Tune arr. for strings by Robert S. Frost

Trauermusik by Paul Hindemith

Ken Allen, viola

Brandenburg Concerto No.4 in G major, BWV 1049 by Johann Sebastian Bach

I. Allegro
II. Andante
III. Presto

Allison Lacasse & M. Patrick Kane, flutes

Clinton Dewing, violin

Violin Sonata No.1 in G minor, BWV 1001 by Johann Sebastian Bach, arr. for string ensemble by Jeff Bezanson

II. Fuga

Concerto for 2 Violins in D minor, BWV 1043 by Johann Sebastian Bach

I. Vivace

II. Largo, ma non tanto

III. Allegro

Clinton Dewing & Aurica Duca, violins

FUSION STRING ENSEMBLE IS:

First Violins

Janet Martins, concertmaster

John Lyneis

Jeff Bezanson

Second Violins

Flora Lee

Abe Dewing

Viola

Molly Shira

Erika Shira

Ken Allen

Cello

Kevin Hedrick

Katherine Miller

Bass

Nate Haggett

Harpsichord

Timothy Blalock

Flutes

Alley Lacasse

M. Patrick Kane

Violin Soloists

Clinton Dewing

Aurelia Duca

Viola Soloist

Ken Allen

SPECIAL THANKS

Ashley Sullivan, Craig & Kyle Dewing, Mom & Dad, Baby Luigi,

Lewis Malaver, Shu Satoh, Rev. Evrol Officer, Fritz Winegardner, UnityBoston, Watertown Free Public Library, the fabulous soloists and our wonderful audience!

BACH TO THE FUTURE Digital Concert Program

Fusion String Ensemble presents:

BACH TO THE FUTURE

UnityBoston (formerly Christ Church Unity)

70 Colchester Street

Brookline, Massachusetts

Thursday, August 29, 2013 at 7:30pm
Suggested Donation of $8

CONCERT PROGRAM

Simple Gifts, a traditional Shaker Tune arr. for strings by Robert S. Frost

Trauermusik by Paul Hindemith

Ken Allen, viola

Brandenburg Concerto No.4 in G major, BWV 1049 by Johann Sebastian Bach

I. Allegro
II. Andante
III. Presto

Allison Lacasse & M. Patrick Kane, flutes

Clinton Dewing, violin

Violin Sonata No.1 in G minor, BWV 1001 by Johann Sebastian Bach, arr. for string ensemble by Jeff Bezanson

II. Fuga

Concerto for 2 Violins in D minor, BWV 1043 by Johann Sebastian Bach

I. Vivace

II. Largo, ma non tanto

III. Allegro

Clinton Dewing & Aurica Duca, violins

FUSION STRING ENSEMBLE IS:

First Violins

Janet Martins, concertmaster

Flora Lee

Jeff Bezanson

Second Violins

Naishin Fu

Abe Dewing
Klenda Martinez
Jennifer Lyons

Viola

Molly Shira

Erika Shira

Ken Allen
Sarah Izen

Cello
Amy Nolan

Kevin Hedrick

Katherine Miller

Bass

Nate Haggett

Harpsichord

Timothy Blalock

Flutes

Alley Lacasse

M. Patrick Kane

Violin Soloists

Clinton Dewing

Aurelia Duca

Viola Soloist

Ken Allen

Bach to the Future Program Notes

PROGRAM NOTES

Simple Gifts, a traditional Shaker Tune arr. for strings by Robert S. Frost

Simple Gifts, written and composed in 1848 by Elder Joseph Brackett, was made popular almost 100 years later in 1944 with Aaron Copland’s composition Appalachian Spring. The sweet melody is still often performed and reinterpreted by many musicians today. I chose this arrangement by Robert S. Frost for my wedding ceremony as my bridal processional. My husband and I have always loved this piece and we felt the lightness of the melody and lyrics reflected our feelings for one another, a simple joy.

- Klenda Martinez, violin

Trauermusik [1936] by Paul Hindemith (1895-1963)

Hindemith was in London in late January of 1936 preparing to perform the British premiere of his viola concerto, Der Schwanendreher, when King George V died. So he wrote and performed a new piece for the occasion: Trauermusik, also known as Music of Mourning, for solo viola and string orchestra. The doleful mood of the work is set by the string ensemble in the first movement, Langsam (Slowly) after which the soloist utters a series of lamentations, beginning quietly, growing to a wail and finally becoming quiet again. The second and third movements, Ruhig bewegt (Quietly moving) and Lebhaft (Lively), are both in 12/8 meter, though they have completely different characters; while the second movement is as gentle as a lullaby, the third is more angry and turbulent. In the last movement, Sehr langsam (Very slowly), the ensemble plays through the chorale (known in English as "All People That on Earth Do Dwell" or "Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow") and after each phrase the viola soloist interrupts with a response, each one longer and more intense than the last. I last performed Trauermusik as part of my master's recital this past spring at the Boston Conservatory and it's been a great honor presenting it with Fusion String Ensemble.

- Ken Allen, viola

Brandenburg Concerto No.4 in G major, BWV 1049 by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750) 

Johann Sebastian Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 is considered a triple concerto for violin and two flutes. For the violin, it is the most virtuosic of all Bach's concerti. The two flutes have often caused discussions among musicologists. Bach designated the term 'flauto' for the recorders. The term 'd'echo' (printed in the original manuscript) actually meant that the two recorder players were to leave their seats in the orchestra in the slow movement (built around an echo effect) and play from another spot in the room from a distance. The evidence supporting this idea is in the beginning of the last movement, where the entire orchestra is playing for a while without the recorders, to give them enough time to make it back to their seats. M. Patrick and I will be remaining in our places for the slow movement, as we are fearful of tripping over cellists and wires on our journey back to the orchestra!

Bach's Brandenburg Concerti (six total) are a collection of works presented to Christian Ludwig, margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt, in 1721. They are regarded as some of the finest musical compositions of the Baroque Era.

- Allison T. Lacasse, flute

Violin Sonata No.1 in G minor, BWV 1001 by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750), arr. for string ensemble by Jeff Bezanson

J.S. Bach's sonatas and partitas for solo violin are among the most beloved and remarkable works for the instrument. Chief among the surprises in these works are the fugue movements in each of the three sonatas. Fugues, with their multiple overlapping melodic lines, are usually associated with keyboard instruments or ensembles, and it seems scarcely possible to perform or even to write one for a solo 4-stringed instrument. Composers have taken up this challenge quite rarely (Bartok is notably present on this short list).

In order to make multiple voices heard from a single violin, Bach pushed the instrument to limits that were arguably not tested again until the 19th century.  In fact the great ingenuity and richness of Bach's fugues strain against these limits, and I believe we are justified in wishing to hear more of the possible melodic interactions and harmonies that can only be implied on one violin.

These musical possibilities caught the attention of the formidable 20th century piano virtuoso Leopold Godowsky, who penned an almost absurdly difficult transcription (for solo piano) of Bach's G minor violin sonata. Godowsky's Bach has a wild, contemporary feel that supplies just what I was looking for from the music, and inspired and lent some material to the arrangement of the fugue movement you will hear.

The fugue theme is stunningly simple, beginning with just a "D" repeated four times. This repeated-note figure has an insistent presence as the piece proceeds through many variations and moods. To my ear, this quality of simplicity and inevitability gives the piece an unusually modern sound for baroque music, bringing to mind later works --- perhaps Beethoven's fifth symphony. My arrangement is intended to encourage such allusions.

- Jeff Bezanson, violin

Concerto for 2 Violins in D minor, BWV 1043 [1723] by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750)

My first memories of the Bach Double Violin Concerto are vivid ones:  I remember feeling incredibly grown up getting to play the first movement as a duet with my teacher in my recital the year I was twelve.  I played the first violin part, she played second.  I had to play standing up and from memory, she sat down and used the music.  I remember jokingly commenting that that seemed SO unfair, to which she pointed out that it was my recital and not hers.  As it happens, the video of this very recital is the earliest video evidence of me as a child, not to mention the first video of a recital of mine, so the piece evokes very fond memories for me.  I've played the piece many times since, sometimes playing one of the solo parts and sometimes accompanying, and it always makes me think of my first teacher, the experience of performing it that first time, and even the skirt I wore that day.  I'm excited to be a part of Fusion String Ensemble this season and to have the opportunity to work with these fantastic soloists!

- Sarah Izen, viola/violin