Atmospheres

Martha Grener (flute), Zachary Sweet (cello) and Sar-Shalom Strong (piano) perform master chamber works by Beach, Gaubert, Villa Lobos, Walker and Martinu.

Program

Amy Beach: Pastorale and Caprice Water Sprites
Philippe Gaubert: Trois Aquarelles
Heitor Villa Lobos: Jet Whistle
George Walker: Sonata
Bohuslav Martinu:Trio for flute, cello & piano

Noted for solo recitals and chamber music, Martha Grener has performed for local concert series, including Syracuse Friends of Chamber Music, Civic Morning Musicals, Goldenberg, Utica College, and more. In 2014 her flute/harp group Duo L’Adour won a Syracuse Area Music Award (SAMMY Award) for her album Dare to Dream: a series of Reveries for Flute & Harp. Ms. Grener was a featured soloist and chamber musician at Onondaga Community College in Bernstein’s “Halil” scored for solo flute, piano, and percussion ensemble in the Fall of 2021. She was a performer in the NE composers symposium, collaborative recitalist for flute and percussion, and principal flute of Syracuse’s Chelsea Opera in the Spring of 2022.

Ms. Grener performs regularly as an extra with Symphoria and other orchestras in New York State. She serves as Adjunct Flute Professor at Onondaga Community College and is thrilled to also serve in a similar capacity at Le Moyne College. She earned her master’s of music at the Eastman School of Music, with advanced coursework at Northwestern University. She has played in masterclasses and studied with the world’s greatest flutists, including Sir James Galway, Julius Baker, John Oberbrunner, Deborah Coble, Jan Angus, and more.

Zachary Sweet is a registered Teacher Trainer with the Suzuki Association of the Americas. He is currently an instructor of cello at Nazareth College, Binghamton University, and on the faculties of Ithaca Talent Education and Music Together of Ithaca. Nationally, he is in demand as a clinician having lead workshops, masterclasses and institutes across the United States and Canada.

He performs extensively throughout the Tri-State area as soloist, chamber musician and orchestral player. Zachary is a core member with Cayuga Chamber Orchestra, the Society for New Music, and with the Nazareth Piano Trio. A highlight in the 2023-24 year is a solo appearance at the New York State School Music Association conference in December.

He completed a masters degree in performance and literature at the Eastman School of Music in 2006; in that time he was also a fellow at the Aspen Music Festival. During his studies at Eastman, he became a member of the Eastman Chamber Society, acted as principal of Eastman Philharmonia, Eastman Chamber Orchestra, and Eastman Opera Orchestra, and studied chamber music with the Ying Quartet, Elinore Freer, Dr. Jean Barr, Richard Kilmer, and Dr. Kenneth Grant. His principal instructors have been Alan Harris, Kathy Kemp and Carol Vizzini.

As an educator, Zachary has spent the past 17 years exploring music development in young children. In 2009, he completed a long-term training program in Talent Education at the School for Strings with Pamela Devenport. Since then he has continued training with Tanya Carey, Carey Cheney, Sally Gross, Carey Beth Hockett, and Rick Mooney.

In addition, Zachary is in demand as a Music Together Instructor, leading classes for Mixed Ages, Babies, Big Kids and Pre-Schools. In January, 2015, Zachary was awarded Music Together Certification Level II status, having demonstrated outstanding achievement in teaching, musicianship, program philosophy, and parent education. The award was granted by the Center for Music and Young Children in Princeton, NJ, Kenneth K. Guilmartin, Found/Director.

Zachary plays the 2001 “Willow Cello” by Jim McKean and a 1999 Bow by Ron Forrester.

Sar-Shalom Strong performs extensively as both a soloist and a collaborative musician, averaging around 30 concerts per year. He is the core pianist for The Society for New Music and has premiered many new compositions in that capacity, some of which are available on Innova Records.

In 2016, Mark Records released eight recordings Strong made with clarinetist and saxophonist Ronald Caravan, available through Naxos. Strong was an orchestral keyboardist for the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra for almost ten years, and has been a soloist with Symphoria, Utica Symphony, and the Hamilton College Orchestra. Strong has frequently performed at the Skaneateles Festival and the Walker Lecture Series in Concord, N.H.

In addition to performing, Strong has extensive teaching experience with a pedagogical lineage that can be traced back to Liszt and Beethoven. He is active as an adjudicator for festivals and competitions and also as a vocal coach. He holds degrees from Knox College and Syracuse University, joining the Hamilton College faculty in 2001.

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