The opening concerts of A String Fort Smith’s 2024 Fall Season will take place on Thursday, November 21, at 7pm, at the First Presbyterian Church, 116 North 12th St., Fort Smith, and on Friday, November 22, at 7pm, in the sanctuary of St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, 2701 Old Greenwood Road, Fort Smith. The performance will also be offered virtually on A String Fort Smith’s YouTube Channel. Repertoire to be performed, includes: Tên in D minor by Thanh Lu,
Rhythmic Variations on Two Ancient Hymns by Howard Hanson, Dragonetti Concerto in G Major
(Allegro movement) by Édouard Nanny, Allegro ma non tanto in G Major by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and Battalia à 9 by Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber.
“Our upcoming Fall concerts – marking the opening of our fifth season – will offer a variety of beautiful chamber music by composers spanning nearly four centuries, including Thanh Lu, a member of the viola section of A String Fort Smith. I’m so pleased to share the accomplishments of this truly remarkable ensemble of young musicians, faculty, and guest artist – in two public performances which are free and open to all. I look forward to welcoming everyone to the First
Presbyterian Church and St. Bartholmew’s Church, both noted for their superb acoustics and warm and welcoming sanctuaries!” enthuses Lori Fay, Founder and Director of A String Fort Smith.
A String Fort Smith, founded in the summer of 2020 by Lori Fay, is aimed at fostering excellence and unprecedented performing opportunities for high school- to college-aged students interested in
pursuing careers in the performing arts. Currently assisted by four faculty members – Anthony
Verge, Assistant Director and violin; Nathan Boyd, double bass; Barbara Godette, violoncello; and
Cory Winters, viola – A String Fort Smith participants are selected based on an audition.
The ensemble consists of the most advanced and dedicated students – approximately ten to fifteen
(10 to 15) participants per semester – who make a commitment to rehearse for one hour once per
week, on Monday evenings at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in Fort Smith. Members of A
String Fort Smith’s 2024 Fall Semester – all of whom won a spot in the ensemble based on their
outstanding audition – are from a combination of Southside, Northside, and Greenwood High
Schools, including: Lydia Collins, Justin Han, Karly Jones, Hieu Le, Trieu Le, Vincent Lin, and
Omar Martinez, violin; Thanh Lu, viola; Joshua Chung, Paul Doan, and Rylee Whittaker, violoncello; and Jessica Domingo, Luis Galdamez, and Adren Stahl, double bass. A String Fort Smith is delighted to welcome back alumni Gregory Allen, violin, and Allijah Rutherford and Tru Reynolds, viola. We are especially proud to be working with Mike Burkepile this semester. Mr. Burkepile, well known to the musical community in Fort Smith as Director of Orchestras at Fort Smith Public Schools and Southside High School, is serving as a special assistant for the Fall Semester.
Members of the general public cherish performances by A String Fort Smith, not only because of Fay’s striking programming and the talented student participants, but because of outstanding guest artists and student soloists. The upcoming November 21 and 22 performances will be no exception. Among the many highlights of the upcoming concerts by A String Fort Smith, will be the premiere of a composition by Thanh Lu, entitled Tên in D minor. Mr. Lu is a member of the viola section of A String Fort Smith, a senior at Southside High School, and an aspiring young composer. With diverse musical interests, Thanh has played viola for six years, sings, and arranges and composes music. He is currently the principal violist of the Maverick Philharmonic Orchestra at Southside as well as a member of the chamber orchestra; Thanh also sings in the Mixed Chorus, and occasionally arranges and composes music for fun and for his friends and orchestra. Thanh studies viola with
Mr. Anthony Verge.
Another special feature of the program will be a movement from the Dragonetti Concerto in G
Major for double bass by the French composer Édouard Nanny, who served as Professor of Bass at the Paris Conservatory for many years. The bass soloist for the November concerts will be AdrenStahl. Mr. Stahl is currently a senior at Southside High School in Fort Smith. Passionate about music and performance, he has participated in the All-Region Orchestra for four years, All-State for two years – having earned the distinction of 2nd chair in 2024 – and A String Fort Smith for five semesters. Adren studies double bass with Mr. Nathan Boyd. Following graduation from
Southside, Adren intends to pursue his musical interests at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith.
Founder and Director Lori Fay is a widely respected violinist, and brings years of symphony orchestra, chamber music, solo performing, and recording experience to the Fort Smith area where
she resides. Ms. Fay received a Master of Music in Violin Performance from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University (Houston, TX), as well as a Master of Music in Teaching from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music (Oberlin, OH). Since settling in Fort Smith nearly 20 years ago – and establishing a career as: Associate Concertmaster of the Fort Smith Symphony; a member of the Adjunct Faculty at University of Arkansas – Fort Smith; Co-Founder and Co-Director of DuoBrava
working with young string players interested in improving their skills and deepening their love of
(www.duobrava.com); a private violin, viola, and piano instructor, and more – her passion remains music.
A String Fort Smith concerts are FREE and open to the public. The First Presbyterian Church and
St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church are accessible for the physically impaired. For patrons who are unable to attend an in-person performance by A String Fort Smith, the November 22, 2024 concert – and all A String Fort Smith performances – will be offered virtually in perpetuity, on A String Fort Smith’s YouTube Channel.
For more information about the work of A String Fort Smith, or for string players interested in
auditioning for A String Fort Smith, please send an email to [email protected]
