Palaver Strings' Chamber Series: Testimonials

Sunday, December 7 at 7:00 PM (doors 6:30 PM), 90-minutes with intermission

Tickets are available for $20 in advance, $23 at the door, and $30 for preferred seating (pay-what-you-can available)

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Chamber Series: Testimonies

Testimonies draws from personal stories, historical documents, and academic revival, inviting the listener to engage with themes of heritage, home, and remembrance. Charlton Singleton’s Testimony evokes Gullah traditions and the music of the African Methodist Church, while Derrick Skye’s American Mirror reflects on American multiculturalism more broadly. Jerod Impichchaachaaha Tate’s Pisachi (Reveal) draws on Pueblo and Hopi traditional music, and Shelly Washington’s Middleground meditates on home as both physical and emotional refuge. Testimonies encourages reflection on identity and cultural legacy.

Musicians
Violin: Maïthéna Girault, Grant Houston
Viola: Elizabeth Moore
Cello: Matthew Smith

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Palaver Strings is a musician-led string ensemble and nonprofit organization based in Portland, ME. Their mission is to strengthen and inspire community through music. In their musician-led model, Palaver’s musicians share artistic and administrative leadership, guided by a passion for engaging new audiences, addressing social justice issues, and amplifying underrepresented voices. Equally committed to performance and education, Palaver presents a full season of live concerts and serves hundreds of students each year at the Palaver Music Center in Portland.

Maïthéna Girault - Violin

The shared quality of music-making is what first drew Maïthéna Girault to the violin: after witnessing a cousin play at a family gathering, her first instinct was to get a fiddle of her own to play with her. The spark she felt then for music as a gathering element has been with her ever since.

Though Maïthéna was born in France, she grew up in Montreal, Canada, where she attended the Montreal Conservatory of Music and McGill University. Her dream of moving to New York City was eventually made possible with the prize-money of a few competitions and she was able to pursue her Bachelors, Masters and Professional Performance Diploma at the Manhattan School of Music. Now more than ever, she revels in the connectivity, proactiveness and critical-thinking of this city that is her home.

Grant Houston - Violin

Music, for Grant Houston, is about the joy of discovery and connection. He was lucky to discover the violin at age 7 in public school, and to say it was love at first sight is cliché- but true. Some fantastic music educators in his preteen years helped him see that though he could immerse himself in the world of music alone, the real thrill was the chance to share that experience with others both on and offstage. It's why he makes chamber music the heart of his musical life: he's all in on the team effort to connect music's kaleidoscope of emotions with any person who pulls up a chair.

Grant spent eight years as a student at the New England Conservatory in Boston, which made New England his home after growing up in a somewhat nomadic family. But he still follows where the music takes him, and he's found himself teaching in Panama, performing in a car factory in Germany and a shopping mall in Japan, stepping onto the biggest stage at Carnegie and into the homiest living room in New Hampshire. He started Trio Gaia, a piano trio heading into its seventh season, to make music and travel with his closest friends. Just as Grant discovered when he was young, it's coming together to make music with others that he loves, whether on series like the Chamber Music Society of Central Virginia, Castle of Our Skins, and the Wellesley Chamber Players, at festivals like Spoleto Festival USA, Ravinia's Steans Music Institute, and Yellow Barn's Young Artist Program, or within conductor-less ensembles like The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, A Far Cry, and Palaver Strings- of which he's thrilled to be a part.

Elizabeth Moore - Viola

Growing up on a small farm in midcoast Maine, Elizabeth Moore was surrounded by music at an early age. She began studying violin at six, but have earlier memories from when she could still fit in a guitar case along the back of the stage as her father played and called for contra dances. Whether playing folk music, participating in ensembles through Bay Chamber Concerts, or singing every chance there was, Elizabeth developed her musical interests in a small yet supportive community. After discovering the beautiful resonance of the viola, she went on to study at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts with Sheila Browne, and at Boston University College of Fine Arts with Karen Ritscher, with a stint in between as a fellow with Lincoln Center Education. As Palaver evolves, Elizabeth is constantly inspired by her colleagues; they push each other to perform at a higher level, and to continually reexamine the ways in which they approach music itself and their role as musicians in the world. As Programming Director for the ensemble, Elizabeth is thrilled by the range of ideas they collectively bring. She finds fulfillment in developing these ideas into concrete programs, partnerships, and collaborations. In addition to her work with Palaver, she teaches privately in Portland, ME as and through the Palaver Music Center, and can be found playing most weekends with someone, somewhere in New England. When not making music or teaching, you might find Elizabeth behind a wheel at Portland Pottery, by the ocean, or spending quality time with her cats, Benjamin K(br)itten, and Billie.

Matthew Smith - Cello

Originally from the sun-saturated desert of Arizona, Matthew Smoth has loved classical music as long as he can remember and got his start playing the cello through his school orchestra. This experience showed Matthew the importance of creating accessible musical opportunities for young people, and has shaped his role as a cellist and carrying out Palaver’s mission to make music and music education more accessible to all. Some of his most transformative musical experiences have taken place while working with members of the St. Lawrence String Quartet and Brentano String Quartet. Matthew received a Master of Music degree from The Boston Conservatory at Berklee, studying with Andrew Mark, and a Bachelor of Music degree from Arizona State University, where he studied with Thomas Landschoot. Outside of Palaver, he performs in a duo with his long-term musical partner, pianist Pei Pei Song, where they have been guest artists at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, China.

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PAY WHAT YOU CAN

No one will be turned away from MSA events for lack of funds; please contact us at 207-879-4629 or info@mayostreetarts.org to learn more and reserve tickets. Our box office staff are also happy to help.

EVENT PARKING

Free on-street parking is available in Mayo Street Arts’ neighborhood.

There is one paid parking lot conveniently located a six-minute walk from the venue: Top of the Old Port Parking (119 Pearl St, Portland ME 04101)

Mayo Street Arts is accessible by Greater Portland Metro bus routes with nearby transfer points 7, 9A & 9B. Click here to learn more.

ACCESSIBILITY

All performances and most other events held at Mayo Street Arts are wheelchair accessible. There are two accessible spots directly in front of our building, however there is not yet a curb cut out at that location.

If you would benefit from additional information or accommodations, we invite you to contact us at info@mayostreetarts.org or 207-879-4629.

COMMUNITY HEALTH

Audience members — in addition to artists, staff & volunteers — who feel sick or exhibit symptoms of illness should stay home out of respect for others.

SEATING POLICY

We will save your reserved seat until showtime, at which point any unclaimed seats may be offered to other people. Please call our box office at 207-879-4629 if you are running late.

CANCELATION POLICY

MSA has a no refund policy for all reservations. In the event that MSA is forced to cancel an event due to weather, illness, etc., refunds will be offered via the Ticket Tailor platform.