Ensemble
photo by Will Pyle
Comprised of conservatory-trained violinists with deep roots in both historical performance practice and traditional folk styles, the Berwick Fiddle Consort (BFC), founded by Lydia Becker, Julia Connor, and Sarah Douglass, performs historical folk music on period instruments. The ensemble strives to approach fiddle tunes from a multi-faceted perspective, combining baroque violin technique, aurally-learned regional fiddling traditions, and study of historical manuscripts. Drawing on these sources, BFC creates period-instrument arrangements of traditional folk music that experiment with various aspects of historical performance, always bringing their own creativity to bear.
BFC concerts offer an exciting counterpoint to the traditional canon of historical repertoire and the classical music experience. Audience members are encouraged to tap their feet to the music, cheer after tune changes, or get up and dance. This relaxed, welcoming performance atmosphere allows listeners to personally connect with the music and band members.
BFC was formed in the summer of 2018 at the Oregon Bach Festival when Lydia, Julia, and Sarah began a nightly tradition of meeting after rehearsals to play fiddle tunes on baroque violins well into the night. At these nocturnal jam sessions, they quickly found that performing 17th and 18th century music from the British Isles and Canada on the kinds of instruments that were used at that time opened up new dimensions of sound, rhythm, and musical expression. BFC presented their debut concert at the 2019 Boston Early Music Festival Fringe, and have since been featured as Pegasus Rising Artists and NYS Baroque Young Artists, as well as the Society for Historically Informed Performance (SoHIP) Summer Concert season in both 2020 and 2021. Other performances include appearances at the Beacon Hill Friends House in Boston, the Sudbury Historical Society, and the Shutesbury Athletic Club. BFC has also been an ensemble-in-residence at Avaloch Farm in Boscawen, NH.
Members
Lydia Becker is an innovative violinist who is passionate about building a vibrant audience relationship through historical performance practices, sincerity, and artistic diversity. Her quest for authenticity in all areas of life has forged her eclectic career path. Born near Bordeaux, France, Lydia Becker studied violin at the Conservatoire de Bordeaux Jacques Thibaud where she earned awards in violin, music analysis, and music theory/aural skills.
Lydia is a founding member of multiple ensembles, including the La Forza Delle Stelle, a baroque orchestra based near New York City. Lydia performs internationally in numerous festivals and concerts, having shared the stage with renowned artists, including Cynthia Roberts, Paul O’Dette, and Maxim Vengerov. She has been selected for multiple historical performance programs and concert series, including Pegasus Rising, NYS Baroque Young Artists, Tafelmusik Winter Institute, and Juilliard at the Piccola Accademia (Phyllis and Charles Rosenthal Fellow), among others.
Having earned a BM and MM in Violin Performance and Early Music with high distinction from the Eastman School of Music, Lydia is continuing her graduate studies in baroque violin at the Juilliard School in New York. Lydia is a Presser Scholar and a member of Pi Kappa Lambda.
Growing up surrounded by classical music, Julia Connor developed a love of folk music in 6th grade when she joined the Celtic Band of Flaming Destruction at school. She has since developed a wide-ranging musical voice, performing everything from baroque music on period instruments to fiddle music from Ireland to new works by living composers. In addition to her work with BFC, Julia is a founding member of the violin and piano duo Room to Spare, which composes and performs original groove based new music. She has spent the past four years studying the East Clare Irish Music tradition in both County Clare, Ireland and in the US.
Julia performs regularly on baroque violin, modern violin, and fiddle in the Boston area. Her solo playing has been featured on the Society for Historically Informed Performance (SoHIP) summer concert series (Boston), Kings Chapel Concert series (Boston), the Music by Women Festival (MS), and ClareFM radio (Ireland). Julia has been an artist in residence at PLAYA (Summer Lake, OR) and Avaloch Farm (Boscawen, NH).
Julia holds a Master’s degree with honors from the New England Conservatory and is a graduate of the Oberlin College and Conservatory, where she earned degrees with high honors in violin performance and Hispanic studies. Her primary teachers include Milan Vitek, Marilyn McDonald, and Laurel Martin.
Sarah Bleile Douglass is a versatile baroque violinist who has charmed audiences in North America and Europe in both her fields of baroque music and traditional fiddling. In November 2021, she and her duo partner Shelby Yamin released their debut album as the premiere recording of the violin duets by Maddalena Sirmen Lombardini. Respected for her dedication, fiery energy and attention to detail, Sarah serves as Co-Artistic Director of Chamber Muse Historical Music Society, and performs with Rosa Barocca in Calgary and Arion Baroque Orchestra in Montreal. She is also a founding member of the Berwick Fiddle Consort. In May 2020, she received her Master’s degree in baroque violin from McGill University, studying with Olivier Brault and with Kati Debretzeni at The Hague Conservatory. She also earned a professional diploma in baroque violin and a Bachelor's degree in violin performance from the San Francisco Conservatory, studying with Elizabeth Blumenstock and Ian Swensen. Sarah can be contacted at smbleile@espi.ca.