"Bach & Bluegrass"

by Fire, Grace & Ash | February 16, 2024

This internationally-acclaimed chamber group performs an electrifying mix of Bach, bluegrass and American Folk music.

Fire, Grace & Ash is an eclectic collaboration between guitarist William Coulter and violinist Edwin Huizinga. This unique duo explores the connective musical elements of classical, folk, and contemporary traditions from around the world. Recently, they were joined by mandolin player Ashley Hoyer and together they fused the complicated and rich music of Bach with the melting pot of American musicians. And Fire, Grace & Ash was born.

Fire & Grace’s repertoire is vast, ranging from Bach to Vivaldi, tango to Celtic tunes, traditional Bulgarian to American fiddle tunes and waltzes, all played with a sense of discovery and commitment to the elements of passion and virtuosity — fire and grace — found in these diverse traditions. Southern California based composer-instrumentalist Ashley Hoyer’s myriad talents and musical accomplishments defy easy description or classification. Fluent on mandolin, violin, and cello, Hoyer crafts melodies, sonic textures and haunting harmonies that distinguish her works easily from the norm.

Fire & Grace has performed at Carmel Bach Festival, the Mozaic Festival, the Santa Cruz Baroque Festival, the Electric Earth Concerts, the Monterey Museum of Art, and with Tomaseen Foley’s A Celtic Christmas. In March and April 2017, Fire & Grace toured to New Zealand with appearances at the UPSURGE Festival, the Festival of Colour, and the New Zealand School of Music.

Ashley Hoyer has performed at Carmel Bach Festival, Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival, The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Wintergrass Festival, Lake Eden and Arts Festival, Millpond Festival, Northwest Folklife Festival, Freight and Salvage, Blackstone River Theater, The Station Inn, Swallow Hill, Bijou Theater, UCSC, CSSM, CSUCI, Cal Tech.

7th Street Concerts is a new concert series in Charlotte, N.C. that promises to present extraordinary music experiences that are fresh, classical and a little unexpected.

We offer a range of classical musical genres from early music performed on period instruments to experimental new music, bringing both familiar and unknown artists and ensembles to Charlotte audiences in intimate and welcoming venues. All events include free parking and a reception.

Concerts will be presented in the historic St. Peter’s Episcopal Church at the corner of Tryon and 7th Street in the heart of Charlotte. Our series is poised to make an important impact on a growing and revitalized Uptown. Moreover, outreach and community-building across audiences is at the heart of our mission. To this end, for each ticketed concert we produce at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, we will send the musicians into the community (hospitals, shelters, schools) to uplift and inspire a population in need with free, no-strings-attached performances.