Beneath a Tree: Baroque to Folk Duo

Program:

Beneath a Tree presents: Just Duets!

This program showcases a global view of baroque/classical and folk traditions, how they have evolved through time and presented with unorthodox (quirky) instrumentation.

About Beneath a Tree:

Gail Hernández Rosa (Baroque violin, viola, vocals) and Daniel Turkos (contrabass, cittern/Irish bouzouki, vocals) met in Philadelphia, where both were active in the Early Music scene. Their global taste in music and curiosity about different performance styles led them to form Beneath a Tree—Baroque to Folk, a group that explores the interrelationships found between classical baroque music and folk music, from traditional fiddle music through American bluegrass practices. In 2018, the pair relocated to Northern California, and their first CD, My Cup of Tea, was released in May 2022 was just received a wonderful review from Early Music America.

Review for My Cup of Tea

Link to Profile on WQXR's Early American and European Music Show, April 5th, 2023

Join us in person, by live-stream, OR on-demand! (For on-demand viewing, simply purchase a live-stream only ticket, and then watch the recording at your leisure anytime in the following two weeks.)

WE GUARANTEE ALL OF OUR PERFORMERS A MINIMUM FAIR WAGE - thanks to support from people like you!

COVID Safety Protocols:

• Masking is encouraged as an individual choice; this protects everyone from the spread of viruses. Masks will be readily available to those who want one.
• Up-to-date immunizations (including flu, COVID, pneumonia and RSV) are strongly encouraged.
• Hand sanitizer will be available, and is encouraged.
• Whenever weather permits, we will ventilate our spaces to the maximum degree possible, and employ the use of air purifiers.
• If you have tested positive for COVID, or feel at all unwell, we urge you in the strongest possible way to stay home.

Very best,

Calliope: East Bay Music & Arts Board of Directors

Artist Profiles:

Beneath A Tree - Baroque To Folk (BAT) is a multi genre ensemble led by the core duo of Gail Hernández Rosa and Daniel Turkos. BAT's roots were planted in 2017 in Philadelphia and the surrounding rural pubs of Chester County, PA. These rowdy performances included standard folk, celtic, bluegrass and jazz repertoire melded with music from the baroque. Founded on the mutual love of historical performance, collaborations with like-minded intrepid musicians explore the interrelationships found between composed and traditional folk music from the baroque period and its continued relevance, creating a curious and exciting fusion that appeals to varied audiences. It is through a natural progression of musical curiosity BAT finds the kinship between genres and their roots in the baroque.

In 2018 Beneath A Tree turned a new leaf and relocated to Northern, CA. This period of growth has included performances, collaborations, and productions at the California Jazz Conservatory, San Francisco Conservatory of Music & Herbst Theatre as part the American Bach Soloists Festival, San Francisco Early Music Society, Chamber Music Society of SF, Mercury Soul, Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra, Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, Music Performance Trust Fund, Listen and Heal, Salon Era, Kennett Brewing Company, ASMALLWORLD, Fifth Street Farms and numerous house concerts throughout CA. BAT remains grounded by performing music meditations for various wellness facilities along the west coast.

Hernández Rosa recorded My Cup of Tea, in collaboration with Beneath A Tree, at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in 2020 with Paul Holmes Morton joining on theorbo, baroque guitar and vocals. BAT has since been featured in Early Music America’s 2021 Emerging Artist Showcase, Boston Early Music Fringe festival, American Bach Soloists Festival and WQXR.

Gail Hernández Rosa (violin & viola) grew up in Puerto Rico, where music is a strong part of everyday life. Her love for music started at a young age, allegedly singing before speaking. Supported by her father’s fascination with classical music and his training as a baritone, she started violin lessons at age three.

Her career has taken her all over the world, living in several continents and performing with groups such as Gabrieli Consort & Players, Florilegium & Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Her interest in period instrument performance led her to London where she gained a Master’s degree from the Royal Academy of Music. Thanks to her cultural immersion and Scottish roots, her love affair with baroque and celtic folk music further blossomed, inspiring her to co-found Beneath A Tree - Baroque To Folk.

Gail is based in Monte Rio and performs with American Bach Soloists, Washington Bach Consort, Philharmonia Baroque, Bach Collegium SD, leads Lumedia Music Works and has an active career as a soloist & chamber musician. She believes in the power of music education, which has led her to be faculty at the Royal Academy of Music Junior Department, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland & Hill House International School. As part of SCO Connects she was chamber music coach/conductor, given Masterclasses in the US & UK and adjudicated the 2019 San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra Competition and 2021 & 22 Junior Bach Festival. In 2021, Gail joined Sonoma State University’s Music Department and maintains a private teaching studio, both of which bring her great joy.

Her recordings include Chopin Piano Concertos and Mozart Opera Arias & Overtures with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra (Linn Records), Telemann and Janitsch with Tempesta di Mare (Chandos Early Music) and Mythologies Past and Present with the Washington Bach Consort (Acis Productions). In October 2020, Gail recorded her solo album, My Cup of Tea, in collaboration with Beneath A Tree, which brings together her love of historical performance and Celtic music.

In her spare time, Gail has a strong yoga and meditation practice. She loves cooking, hiking, swimming and laughing out loud at the many wonders that life offers.

Bassist DANIEL TURKOS is a freelance musician, educator and arts administrator based in San Francisco, CA, who maintains a busy performing schedule in orchestral, chamber, and solo settings as well as playing bluegrass, jazz and theatre. He performs regularly with The American Bach Soloists, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Handel & Haydn Society, Tempesta di Mare - Philadelphia Baroque Orchestra, The Pennsylvania Ballet, Opera Philadelphia, The Philly Pops, Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra, The Wayne Oratorio Society, Pig Iron Theatre, Villanova Theatre and with The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia on a national tour with saxophonist Branford Marsalis. As an advocate for the promotion of cultural diversity and social change through music, Dan is a founding member of Prometheus Chamber Orchestra, which is the ensemble-in-residence at the historic Church of the Advocate in North Philadelphia.

Dan is the co-founder of Beneath a Tree - Baroque to Folk, a group that explores the interrelationships found between classical baroque music and folk music, from traditional fiddle music through American bluegrass practices. Dan performs on contrabass, octave mandolin and vocals. Their album My Cup of Tea was released May 2022. His recordings include the music of Telemann and Janitsch with Tempesta di Mare under the Chandos early music label and the American Bach Soloists recordings of the complete Bach Orchestral Suites & Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen sings Gluck, Handel & Vivaldi.

Daniel Turkos served as Development Manager of American Bach Soloists from 2018-2020, a world renowned early music group focusing on historically informed performance practice. Their season includes performances, recording projects and educational programs. In addition to his development work with the group, Dan is a regular member of the ABS orchestra.

As a dedicated music educator and outreach coordinator, Dan was the Operations Director at The Primavera Fund, Philadelphia’s premier merit-based program for financially challenged young aspiring musicians. He was a student advocate for the Philadelphia Musical Alliance for Youth (PMAY) Initiative, a faculty member at The Westtown School, Summerfield Waldorf and veteran teaching artist for the internationally recognized El Sistema inspired program Play On, Philly! He maintains a private teaching studio at his home in Monte Rio.

Dan's summer activities include historical performance at The American Bach Soloist Academy, Oregon Bach Festival, Amherst Early Music Festival and The Vivaldi Project Institute for Early Music, performing as Principal Bass at the Music at Penn’s Woods and Catania International Music Festivals, Section Bass at the Colorado Music Festival & Center for Musical Arts and studyingat the National Academy of Music in Sofia, Bulgaria and The American School of Double Bass.

Mr. Turkos holds a Bachelor of Music degree with a minor in Jazz Studies from West Chester University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Music degree from The Pennsylvania State University with a focus on early music performance practice and a Graduate Professional Diploma from The Hartt School, University of Hartford. His primary teachers include Robert Black, Rob Nairn, Peter Paulsen, and Paul Rostock.