Fire & Grace, ALMA PRE-ORDER NOW
Over the last year in the redwoods of Bonny Doon, Fire & Grace found a way to record our third album, Alma. We rehearsed in the fairy rings amongst ancient trees, and we performed in our backyards for small audiences of friends and music lovers. It was a year of finding any and all ways to continue to make music. Out of the ashes of the west coast fires, and a global pandemic we discovered so much incredible music, folk and baroque compositions that we love, and are excited to share with you all. This collection of pieces includes music from Argentia, Spain, Italy, Germany, and Sweden. We hope you enjoy.
Libertango is a popular tango by the great Astor Piazolla. On our first recording we offered his composition Oblivion and we have loved performing it for years. Another tango was a no brainer for us and in concert we often perform them together.
In the classical guitar world Asturias is a mountain that many artists endeavor to climb. Originally for solo piano this piece is magic in the hands of a virtuoso classical guitarist. Our arrangement seeks to bring to life the fire and grace found in the rhythms and melodies and broaden the range of expression by giving the violin the chance to shred!
On our first CD Fire & Grace offered Winter from the Four Seasons by Vivaldi. Here we present another season in our arrangement of Summer.
Suite Español continues our journey of arranging the solo music of Bach and blending it with folk music old and new. This suite presents the six movements of the first Cello Suite by JS Bach, arranged for violin with guitar accompaniment. In between each movement of the Suite we offer a melody from Spain. We begin with the Prelude, followed by Mendiokerra which is a traditional tune from the Basque region that we learned from Irish flute and whistle wizard Brian Finnegan. We return to Bach for the Allemande and then to Ay Linda Amiga, a 16th century anonymous madrigal. The title translates as My Beautiful Friend. Back to Bach for the Courante and then to Nana which is one of the songs from Siete Canciones Populares Españolas by Manuel De Falla which he composed in 1916. Originally for soprano and piano this collection is one of the composer’s most popular works and this song one of the saddest that we have heard. Following is the Sarabande and then on to Malagueña. There are as many versions of this popular Spanish melody as there are people who play it. Well known as a beginning classical guitar piece our arrangement pulls from various arrangements that we have heard over many years. We return to Bach for the Menuet 1 & 2 and then on Muñiera de Chantada, a very well known traditional Galician tune in 6/8 time signature, a Galician jig if you will. This version comes from the recording by the Galician supergroup Milladoiro. Following the ‘Galician jig’ we offer the Gigue by Bach. And finally a new composition from the Galician musician Anxo Pintos called Canro Cru.
Fire & Grace are huge fans of the music of Vasen. We finish this recording with the lovely Tanya’s Tune composed by Roger Talroth, former guitarist of Vasen.
Fire & Grace Album
thank you so much for buying this record,
with love,
Fire & Grace
Partita Americana
A new album by Fire & Grace & Ash - Partita Americana
with William Coulter, Ashley Broader, and Edwin Huizinga
Folk and Barolk - a journey of Bach and Americana
Artistic Membership
JOIN THE FAMILY
I am trying something new. There are many projects and initiatives I have in mind, and would love to build an interested group of individuals to join me on this mission. Over the course of the next few years I promise to dedicate my Artistic life to new albums, educating our youth, performing, and directing around the world. This membership gives you the opportunity to join me and be privy to email updates, album releases, and guest list to upcoming concerts, that may quite possibly be sold out to the public.
Thank you,
Edwin
Sponsor an online Violin lesson during Shelter in Place
I have always loved teaching and sharing my passion and knowledge of music and the violin ever since I can remember. Teaching violin lessons for me, is also not only about the actual technique and process of learning how to play the violin, but also about many other life lessons. Things like listening carefully, learning to focus, and being diligent. Training and honing your mind, and muscles on very specific motor skills and details. Teaching my students to allow themselves to make mistakes, and really think about long term goals, because there are no short-term solutions for the violin, it is simply a very difficult instrument that takes a lot of time and effort!
Over the last several weeks I have been getting more and more inquiries about teaching online, because so many students are at home, and able to learn from anyone in the whole world that they might want to study with.
Before this global epidemic knocked on our front door, and said, please stay home – I was touring, traveling, performing, and educating around the globe. This is a life that I love, and look forward to pursuing again perhaps one day, but in a very different way, with a lot more focus on my local habitat. This crisis has really helped me see the value in working with your local community and supporting everyone around us who are the ones that we are going to be connected with when forced into a situation like staying home for months at a time.
I’m writing you now, because I have an idea for my students that I am continuing to teach, but do not have the financial stability to continue lessons, for a number of reasons. They need to save the little money they have, or their parents got laid off, or they lost all of their work for the time being.
I would like to suggest a short-term scholarship fund, for students to continue, or begin to study with me. With a sponsorship of 75 dollars, I can provide a violin lesson for a family or child in a low income bracket. This gift could keep a child, or young adult, from stopping or quitting violin for a few months, which can easily turn into a lifetime, as we all know, once you lose focus and practice on something, it is hard to get both the discipline and the skills back. This will also give parents an hour of time back, as I will have their child focused on music, and will also perhaps give the child hope to be able to play for their own community as they learn to play even the simplest of pieces.
If you would consider this, it would help our community both locally and globally to stay focused on making art, music, and also continuing to build really important life skills for a long and prosperous future for all of us!
Sincerely,
Edwin
Behind the scenes glimpse of Fire & Grace working on our new album ALMA!!!
To purchase these and more albums I made with my group Acronym please check out our website
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