Created in 2018 as a result of requests for violin and harp!

Maria approached Renan Leme and the collaboration has begun. The duo enjoys playing all kinds of music in a variety of styles, including classical, popular, folk, jazz, rock, tangos, among others.

About Renan Leme:
Renan was born in São Paulo, Brazil, where he started his music education until he  moved to Rio Grande do Sul, in the South of Brazil, to pursue his Bachelor’s degree in violin performance at the Federal University of Pelotas (UFPel). He came to the US in 2015 to pursue Master’s degree at the University of Missouri.

He had the opportunity of playing in many ensembles and orchestras such as the Mizzou Graduate String Quartet, Mizzou New Music Ensemble, Mizzou Improvisation Ensemble, Mizzou University Philharmonic Orchestra, Missouri Symphony and Camerata Novitango among many others.

Violin and Harp Duo with phenomenal violinist Filip Pogády is available for destination weddings and events.

When Kirk and Maria married, she suggested they start to play together. Since then they have given number of recitals and performed together at wedding ceremonies and corporate events. 51 Strings is as you can imagine is the total number of strings between cello and harp. Unless one of them breaks!

About Kirk:

Kirk Trevor is Artistic Director and Conductor of the Missouri Symphony Orchestra and Music Director of the Missouri Symphony Conservatory where he conducts the three orchestral programs. As a conductor he has led more than forty orchestras around the globe. He is one of the world’s most recorded conductors of the past fifty years, with more than 110 recordings to his name.

He is also considered one of the most important conducting teachers in the world, teaching students on three continents. His annual conducting school in the Czech Republic is in its twenty seventh year and has attracted more than eight hundred students over that time. But his international career started many years ago as a cellist in his native England, studying at the Guildhall School of Music with Kenneth Heath and Leonard Stein. He was a frequent soloist, chamber musician and rock cellist recording with the group Genesis and performing with ELO. He was a member the Gagliano Trio for three years, before being awarded a British Council Scholarship to study in France with Paul Tortelier.

He then was awarded a Fullbright Grant to come to the US to study cello and conducting. His studies included work with Danil Shafran, Dennis Brott, Zara Nelsova among others. His outstanding cello career was tragically cut short by getting a full-time conducting job!! His conducting career required him to give up his career as a cellist, but he continued to teach cello in numerous colleges, including Lakehead University and Davidson College.

I formed the Flute and Harp Duo with Brooksie Collins in 2007, since flute and harp is such a natural combination of sounds and there is variety of music written and arranged for this kind of duo. Since our formation, we have enjoyed our friendship (you have to be friends, if you spend countless hours in the car together driving to weddings!) and playing numerous concerts, wedding ceremonies and other events together.

About Brooksie Collins:

Brooksie resides in Columbia, MO where she conducts sixth through eight grade bands at Smithton Middle School as well as teaching small group flute lessons. During her summer she plays in musicals at Arrow Rock’s Lyceum Theatre. Brooksie graduated with her Masters Degree in Music Education from the University of Missouri- Columbia.

Brooksie performed throughout the United States with the Buder Woodwind Quintet , as well as winning the state, regional, and sectional runner up for of the Music Teachers’ National Association in Chamber Music Competition.

In 2000, she was principal flute for MU’s Symphonic Wind Ensemble’s Australian tour which culminated in a performance in the Sydney Opera house. In 2000, Brooksie was also selected as second chair flute in the Missouri All-Collegiate Band. She was the conductor for the Mexico, Missouri Community band, and a performer in the Troy, Missouri and Columbia Community bands. She was a featured soloist with the Columbia Community band in 2008, performing the Chaminade Concertino.