AMERICAN PERSPECTIVES PROJECT
An exciting new recording project including four new works for violin commissioned by violinist Martha Walvoord and the Milwaukee Ballet explore themes of American life by reinterpreting American folk and popular music styles. The topics of these pieces include the experiences of immigrants crossing the US/Mexico border, the identity of the city of New Orleans, Appalachian fiddle traditions, and personal themes of faith and spirituality.
American Perspectives is being supported by an Artist Grant from the Puffin Foundation, a Subito Grant from the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the American Composers Forum, and a grant from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Click here to read Lyn Berry's article in the San Diego Union Tribune's Today's Local News about the American Perspectives recording project.
Fiddle States (2005)
1. Breathing
2. Chasing
3. Dreaming
4. Dancing
violin duet; ca. 7:00
Commissioned by Martha Walvoord
Martha and Jennifer Walvoord, violins
Crill Auditorium, Point Loma Nazarene University
San Diego, CA
1. Breathing MP3 (2MB)
2. Chasing MP3 (2MB)
3. Dreaming MP3 (3MB)
4. Dancing MP3 (2MB)
Program note
The Procession (2006)
1. The Fiddler and the Bells
2. In Memorium I: Blurred Visions
3. In Memorium II: Alone in the Hills
4. The Return
vln., pno.; ca. 15:00
Commissioned by Martha Walvoord
Martha Walvoord, violin
Nicholas Hutchinson, piano
Crill Auditorium, Point Loma Nazarene University
San Diego, CA
1. The Fiddler and Bells MP3 (4MB)
2. In Memorium I: Blurred Visions MP3 (3MB)
3. In Memorium II: Alone in the Hills MP3 (4MB)
4. The Return MP3 (5MB)
Program note
A Closer Walk (2007)
1. First Line
2. Second Line
(movements performed without pause)
solo vln.; ca. 9:00
Commissioned by Martha Walvoord
Martha Walvoord, violin
Crill Auditorium, Point Loma Nazarene University
Complete Recording MP3 (9MB)
Program note
Passage (2006)
1. Introduction
2. Trio (The Desert Crossers)
3. Transition into Duet
4. Duet
5. Finale
(movements performed without pause)
violin, piano; ca. 13:00
Commissioned by the Milwaukee Ballet
Martha Walvoord, violin
Nicholas Hutchinson, piano
Crill Auditorium, Point Loma Nazarene University
San Diego, CA
Complete Recording MP3 (17MB)
Program note
Performer Biographies
Martha Walvoord
Martha Walvoord, Assistant Professor of Violin at the University of Texas at Arlington, is an active chamber musician, soloist and recitalist. Dr. Walvoord has performed across the United States and Costa Rica. This year, recital and concerto appearances will take her to Chicago, Michigan, Ohio and across the Metroplex. Dr. Walvoord is committed to the promotion of new music. She has commissioned, assisted and premiered works by composers George Chave, Michael Daugherty, David Lefkowitz, and Matthew Tommasini. At UT Arlington, Dr. Walvoord is a member of the Faculty Piano Trio with cellist John Burton and pianist John Solomons.
Originally from Michigan, Dr. Walvoord was the concertmaster of the West Shore Symphony Orchestra in Muskegon, MI and held the position of Artist-in-Residence at Hope College in Holland, MI, where she performed with the Anchor Piano Trio. Walvoord is a founding member of the Envision Chamber Consort, a non-profit chamber music group dedicated to new music. As a chamber musician, Dr. Walvoord has performed on Leonard Nimoy's Chamber Music Series in Los Angeles, CA, and at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.
As an educator, Walvoord has served on the faculties of the Ann Arbor School for the Performing Arts, Interlochen-All State and Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. Dr. Walvoord is the founder and director of String TuneUP!, a summer workshop located in Michigan dedicated to the technical and musical development of young violinists. Currently, Dr. Walvoord also serves on the faculty of the Friends Music Camp in Barnesville, OH. Dr. Walvoord has given masterclasses and teaching workshops at schools across Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Texas, and Washington.
Walvoord earned her DMA and her MM at the University of Michigan and her BM at Rice University. Her primary teachers were Andrew Jennings and Kathleen Winkler.
Jennifer Walvoord
Jennifer Walvoord of Holland, Michigan recently graduated with her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Ms. Walvoord has Masters degrees in both violin performance and chamber music from the University of Michigan, and a Bachelors degree in violin performance from Hope College in Holland, Michigan. Her former teachers include Andrew Jennings, Mihai Craioveanu, Joan Conway, and Mansoon Han.
In addition to her position as West Shore Symphony Orchestra concertmaster, Jennifer is member of the Flint Symphony Orchestra and plays regularly with the Grand Rapids Symphony. While at the University of Michigan, Jennifer was concertmaster of the University Symphony Orchestra, and performed electric violin on the Grammy Award-winning recording of William Bolcom's Songs of Innocence and Experience conducted by Leonard Slatkin.
In February of 2007, Jennifer's piano quintet performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. as part of the Millenium Stage Concert Series. In November of 2005, Jennifer performed the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with the Holland Symphony Orchestra in Holland, Michigan. August marked Jennifer's fourth appearance with the Chamber Music Festival of Saugatuck.
Currently, Jennifer is on the violin faculty of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI. She also teaches at the Ann Arbor School for the Performing Arts. During the spring of 2007, Jennifer served as Visiting Assistant Professor of Violin at Hope College. Jennifer spends a portion of her summers teaching and performing at Friends Music Camp in Barnesville, Ohio. She has attended such music festivals as National Repertory Orchestra, Musicorda Chamber Music Festival, Hengrave Hall International Masterclass, and Interlochen Arts Camp.
Nicholas Hutchinson
Nicholas Hutchinson has performed throughout the United States as both collaborator and soloist. He has been a prizewinner in the Kosciuzko Foundation National Chopin Competition and the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, and was a finalist in the Oberlin International Piano Competition. His past teachers include Martin Katz, Yong Hi Moon, Louis Nagel, and Arthur Greene.
Dr. Hutchinson is a founding partner of Collaborative Works, a vocal coaching studio and collaborative arts institute in Chicago. He is co-director of Friends Music Camp, a Quaker-based music camp for middle and high school students, and has taught at a number of educational institutions in Michigan, including the Steppingstone School for the Potentially Gifted and the Chelsea Center for the Arts.
Besides his musical interests, Dr. Hutchinson has a degree in computer science and his study of the Japanese language resulted in his being awarded an Outstanding Student of Japanese Language Study Tour at the Kansai Cultural Center in Osaka, Japan.
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