The ‘not-so-common’ classical flute-and-guitar duo featuring Carmen Maret and Andrew Bergeron loves to tour, camp and deliver calming, beautiful instrumental music. The Local Spins interview.
Unfurling ‘Great Lakes’: Folias Duo drops its new album in August with the first single release this week. (Courtesy Photo)
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Carmen Maret and Andrew Bergeron first met in college at Michigan State University while studying music in 2002. They connected over a love of classical music and composing.
That summer, they embarked on their first tour, forming Folias Duo and setting west with flute and acoustic guitar to share their carefully crafted songs.
“It was an interest in adventure mixed with our craft. We were both pursuing classical music, but with a diverse interest in all different kinds of music,” says Bergeron, who composes and plays acoustic guitar. “We both wanted to explore more musically, and explore more of the world physically by traveling. And I guess it kind of just started working.”
Over 20 years later, and the duo is still at it: writing, composing and touring.
Folias Duo embarks this week on a Great Lakes Tour, which will see the classically trained musicians travel to Canada for three shows in Ontario, presented by the Niagara Classics Concert Series. They follow that with performances March 8 at Detroit’s Scarab Club, March 15 at Grand Haven’s Loutit Library, April 12 at Fennville’s Salt of the Earth and April 19 for the Milwood Fine Arts Series in Kalamazoo.
Folias Duo: Upcoming shows in Detroit, Grand Haven, Fennville and Kalamazoo. (Courtesy Photo)
“I think it’s not so common that classical musicians just take their show on the road right? But it’s something we’ve always done. From the very first summer that we met. We went out West and played churches, libraries and noisy bars,” says Maret, who composes and plays the flute.
“We just did it. It’s always just something we’ve done. We’re also composers too, which is also rare to see composers-performers in classical music. They’re usually separate. But for us I think it’s a natural fit, because we compose and we can stand up there and represent ourselves.”
While traveling, the duo camps during the warmer seasons. They get a variety of reactions when they emerge from their camper with instruments in hand, dressed in full performance wear.
“We love to be outside, and we’re kind of big hikers and all those outdoors activities. But we show up, and people are like, ‘Oh, my God, you guys are freaks’ in terms of the cultural part of it,” says Maret, noting the duo has played more than 700 concerts over the years.
“Because we usually show up all dressed up. They’re like, ‘Did you get out of the tent like that?’ But then I think once people hear our music, it has this calming, healing quality.”
When the music starts, the questions evaporate, leaving only the delicate dance of guitar and flute. Bergeron lays down an intricate layer of plucked strings while Maret laces gorgeous melodies between the spaces, rotating between five different flutes.
“I think what we’re trying to cultivate is an experience for the listener that comes with an open mind to experience something new. Life’s kind of hard. And I think coming to one of our shows would allow someone to let go or take a break,” says Bergeron.
“I think the idea for the listener is to come with an open mind and then to go on a journey that they don’t have to prescribe and that doesn’t have any exact rules.”
VIDEO: Folias Duo, “Lake Ontario”
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