About this Event
Show: 3:00-4:30 p.m.
Doors: 2:30 p.m.
Tickets: Pay What You Can (Suggested Donation $30/person)
Free Parking in the St. Thomas parking lots behind the church (access from Cherry St).
Dropoff and accessible parking available at front driveway of church.
This facility is wheelchair accessible.
https://www.foliasmusic.com/
Instagram: @foliasduo
Facebook: @foliasduo
Questions - contact: [email protected]
Instagram: @classicsniagara
https://sites.google.com/view/classicsniagara
"Theirs is a music that transcends genre and that ultimately brands itself as Folias Duo music, full stop." –Textura on Heartdance 2023
Folias Duo is a trailblazing composer–performer ensemble for flute and guitar, known for blending classical music with jazz, world music, and improvisation. Founded by flutist Carmen Maret and guitarist Andrew Bergeron, the duo has developed a singular artistic voice through two decades of collaboration, live performance, and original composition.
Based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Folias Duo has independently booked and performed over 700 concerts across the U.S., South America, and Europe. Their performances span a wide range of venues—from chamber music series and libraries to art galleries, house concerts, and guitar societies. During the pandemic, they produced 40 livestream broadcasts, continuing their creative output when many ensembles paused.
Their discography includes eight albums, with the most recent—Heartdance—described by Fanfare Magazine as "a life-enhancing experience." Earlier recordings, produced by Latin Grammy-nominated Sergei Kvitko for Blue Griffin Records, were followed by three albums on their own Folias Music label, recorded at Sono Luminus Studios with Grammy-winning engineer Daniel Shores and producer Dan Merceruio.
Maret and Bergeron have composed and recorded over 70 original works for flute and guitar—more than any duo of their kind worldwide. Their instrumentation includes C flute, alto flute, bass flute, piccolo, and tambin, paired with nylon-string guitar, creating a richly expressive and distinctive sound palette. They have also collaborated with string quartets, orchestras, and folk ensembles. Bergeron's broader works include a symphony, a guitar concerto, and a forthcoming flute concerto premiering in November 2025.
As dedicated educators, they co-direct the Folias Music School and serve on the faculty at Aquinas College and Grand Rapids Community College. Maret recently completed a one-year appointment at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. She holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Missouri–Kansas City Conservatory and a Master of Music from Michigan State University. Bergeron holds a Bachelor of Arts from Grand Valley State University and a Master of Music from Michigan State University.
Folias Duo's artistry is deeply tied to their way of life. Their touring philosophy embraces intentional, small-venue performances and a sustainable, self-directed model grounded in camping, cooking, and DIY production—a holistic, independent artistic ecosystem dedicated to craftsmanship, community, and the natural world.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
St Thomas Church, 99 Ontario Street, St. Catharines, Canada
CAD 0.00
