Bowed Arts, a string ensemble, will be performing an eclectic program of music as part of the Edwards Summer Music Series at the Toronto Botanical Gardens. The free performance on August 15 is a rare chance to see the ensemble in a local performance.
The busy group has just finished recording their first album, due to be released this fall.
Bowed Arts
Bowed Arts is a string ensemble with a distinct identity, and a musical practice that adapts to 21st century conditions. All four female identifying focus on string education along with performance and composition/recording for film and TV.
They’ve created pieces for clients like Canada goose and the CBC, and have worked with brands such as Canada’s Walk of Fame, the Toronto International Film Festival, and The JUNOs, among many others.
Bowed Arts has toured and appeared on recordings with artists that include Ed Sheehan, Burna Boy and The Arkells. Their performances often include events at some of the city’s toniest hotels and venues.
When it comes to education, their approach is rooted in Suzuki methods, and uses a repertoire that ranges from Bach to Beyoncé. Inclusion and equity are important keystones. In essence, they look to make learning string instruments a rewarding experience to a many students as possible, with a low barrier to access.
Personnel
The ensemble consists of violinists Maya Killtron and Laura Bates, violist Lea Kirstein, cellist Amber Walton-Amar, and bassist Lauren Falls.
Singer, violinist, writer, producer, composer & arranger Maya Killtron has released two albums as a solo artist, with influences that include modern boogie and 80s inspired funk. She has headlined at the TD Toronto Jazz Festival, and performed at the Tallinn Music Week in Estonia, as well as in Sweden.
Violinist, songwriter, vocalist, educator and performer Laura C. Bates is a member of several ensembles along with Bowed Arts, including a heavy metal trio and jazz-klezmer-dixieland style combo producing original music, among others. The Stratford, Ontario native is now baed in Toronto, where she became the first violinist to graduate from Humber College’s respected Jazz and Contemporary Music program.
Proficient at the fiddle, viola, and cello, Lea Kirstein is an in demand musician. She has toured throughout North America with a variety of groups including Citizen Jane, and JUNO winning artist Iskwē. Her repertoire includes everything from traditional folk to new classical. She is also the current Artistic Director of World on a String in Toronto, a fiddle community.
Born in the North West Territories, Amber Walton-Amar began playing the cello at the age of three. She grew up in Eastern Ontario, then Holland. She later studied in Italy and Germany before earning her BA form the University of Toronto, followed by an MA from DePaul University. She has a busy career as soloist, chamber musician, and collaborative artist who has worked with Shawn Mendes, and other high profile performers.
Bassist, composer and bandleader Lauren Falls is a busy performer in the Toronto and New York jazz scenes. Her release A Little Louder Now garnered a JUNO Award nomination. As a performer, she has toured North America and Europe, including performances at the Kennedy Center, the Ottawa International Jazz Festival, and Toronto Jazz Festival, among other international festivals.
- Find more information about the free event [HERE].
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