Duo Transatlantique
Duo Transatlantique
Maud Laforest
Benjamin Beirs
Autumn 2010
Venue: tba
A New Artist's Scheme production.
Biography
“Duo Transatlantique combines the considerable talents of two young musicians helping to create the future of the guitar. They use their impeccable ensemble and brilliant virtuosity to create performances of rhythmic verve and passionate lyricism. Not to be missed.”
Julian Gray,
Peabody Institute guitar faculty
Formed in 2002, Duo Transatlantique combines the prize-winning talents of guitarists Benjamin Beirs and Maud Laforest. Almost immediately after beginning their studies in 2002 at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, the two decided to form a guitar duo, under the guidance of Julian Gray, an acclaimed chamber musician and founder of the Gray-Pearl guitar duo. Early in their collaboration they realized that their ensemble had the potential to last far longer than the years they were planning to spend at Peabody.
Soon, in 2005, Ben embarked on his first journey to France, where the duo won first prize in the "Union Francaise des Artistes Musiciens - Guitar Duo Competition" and played a concert in the American Cathedral in Paris. Currently, Ms. Laforest lives in Lille, France, while Mr. Beirs has stayed in Baltimore.
The duo seeks to promote Franco-American relations through an emphasis in the music of these two musically prolific countries. To that end, the duo gives concerts frequently throughout the year in both countries.
In France, the duo has appeared at the Festival des Chapelles in Brittany, the Festival de la Rochepot in Bourgogne, in churches throughout Paris, and has performed for the musical outreach group Coeur en Fête. In the United States, the duo has performed at the Kennedy Center for the performing arts, at the Peabody Conservatory of music, as well as for the Baltimore Classical Guitar Society, where they performed for the society’s ‘Young Talent’ concert series, premiering ‘Chupacabra’, a piece written for Duo Transatlantique by American composer Christopher Gainey and commissioned by the BCGS. Similarly, a famed French composer, Eric Pénicaud, has just dedicated his ‘Little Suite for Children’ to the duo.
They have recorded a debut album entitled ‘Le Gris et le Vert’ (The grey and the green) which includes music of Debussy, Scarlatti, Petit, Albeniz, and Villoldo.
The CD is available for purchase online at:
» www.cdbaby.com/cd/duotransatlantique
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Critical acclaim
'They played not only with technical perfection, but also with passion and feeling, keeping an uncanny, delicate balance between them. They were received with enormous enthusiasm and my office received a number of requests for their contact information in the days following this performance.'
William R. Brody,
President,
Johns Hopkins University
'Dear Duo Transatlantique,
Thank you both for a delightful performance during our Young Talent Concert. I also want to thank you for agreeing to give the world premiere of the first BCGS Composition Commission Award, which resulted in "Chupacabra" by Christopher Gainey for two guitars.
We look forward to hearing more from you in the future.'
Asgerdur Sigurdardottir,
President,
Baltimore Classical Guitar Society
‘This dynamic young guitar duo will entrance you with the drama and variety of their performances. A concert by Duo Transatlantique is a "don't miss" musical opportunity'
Peter Landgren,
Director,
Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory
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For more information on the duo, please visit: