The Folias Tango Quartet will perform at Hope College on Friday, April 1, at 7:30 p.m. in Wichers Auditorium of Nykerk Hall of Music.

The public is invited.  Admission is free.

The Folias Tango Quartet consists of Luke Galas, David Martin, Andrew Bergeron and Carmen Maret.  Based in Grand Rapids and founded by Bergeron and Maret, Folias previously performed at Hope in the fall of 2009.

The first half of the program will consist of a flute and guitar duet by Bergeron and Maret, who compose pieces and also perform together as the Folia Flute and Guitar Duo.  The second half of the performance will be the quartet featuring "The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires" by tango legend Astor Piazzolla.

"Fanfare Magazine" has said of Folias that "Their compositions are tonal with a simple, direct melodic appeal--a few 'sophisticated' harmonies and lines surface, but they don't veer into atonality. They draw on tango rhythms and melodies sometimes; at other times they write with a scenic sensitivity, as when they flowingly capture the sense of being afloat on Lake Superior."

Folias the chamber group was founded by Maret and Bergeron in 2002.  With more than 200 performances, Folias specializes in modern chamber music works, most of which are original compositions or those of local Michigan composers. The Folias Music site includes recordings and sheet music of Folias' original works and arrangements influenced by modern compositional techniques, tango and jazz.

Folias has performed in concert halls, clubs and for tango events across North America. Bergeron's and Maret's original compositions and arrangements have been recorded on four separate Folias CD releases which are on the Blue Griffin Recording and White Pine Music labels, and have been reviewed by "Flute Talk" magazine and "Fanfare Magazine."

° Andrew Bergeron is instructor of guitar and music theory at Grand Rapids Community College and Aquinas College. He is a founding performer and composer with the Grand Rapids Guitar Quartet, which features his new works and arrangements. Bergeron's music has been performed by the contemporary music ensemble at Michigan State University and Musique 21, and his guitar concerto "Big Bend" (2005) placed first in the Michigan State University Concert Competition. Bergeron's electronic works have been performed at the Electronic Music Midwest Festival, and his tango arrangements have been performed by Folias for the Alma Symphony.

° Carmen Maret is an endorsed Pearl Flute artist and Blue Griffin Recording artist. She is the manager for Folias Music, the online store and blog for promoting new works for flute and guitar. She is the co-music director at Bethlehem Church in Grand Rapids, and the founder/director of the MAJIC (Musical Arts for Justice in the Community) Concert Series that features classical, jazz, and world music to raise money for social justice organizations throughout West Michigan.

Bergeron and Maret are also co-founders of the Grand Rapids Tango Community, where they work as musicians and dance instructors.

Nykerk Hall of Music is located in the central Hope campus at the former 127 E. 12th Street between College and Columbia avenues.