Meet Chaski
flute & harp duo
Chaski
April 1985, Kerrville, Texas — Shana and Adrienne perform together for the first time. It was just for the one gig, an all-Fauré concert. We were the chamber music equivalent of a pickup band. Fast forward to today. We don’t play much Fauré anymore, but our flute & harp duo, now Chaski, continues.
Today Chaski’s repertoire includes: Bolivian huayños, Scottish strathspeys, Texas honky-tonk, and tunes from Playford’s The English Dancing Master, published 1651. At our concerts you might hear a world premiere, experience an eye-popping multi-disciplinary performance, or discover a poem that touches your heart. Stay tuned for what’s next.
The name Chaski is taken from the Quechua word for messenger. Chaskis were the relay-running messengers of the ancient Incan Empire, delivering news and gifts throughout the Andes Mountains. Our travels are less strenuous, but as with the original chaskis, the work is collaborative. We regularly team up with singers, dancers, instrumentalists, choirs, and orchestras to deliver performances.
flute + harp + a world full of music
Music Genres
Latin American — The first time we performed the Venezuelan joropo Alma llanera, it stole the show. Lesson learned. Since then we’ve made panpipes, quena, and Latin American tunes a feature of our signature sound.
New Music — It’s the rare Chaski concert that doesn’t include music by a living composer or, more likely, by several living composers. We support new music by commissioning works, by playing the work of colleagues, and sometimes by writing our own music.
Celtic — It is a truth universally acknowledged that an ensemble in possession of a Scottish-made harp and a collection of whistles must be in want of some Celtic music. We combed through stacks of antique Scottish & Irish tune books, sat in on more than a few pub sessions and, Reader, we have that repertoire.
Classical — We always keep classical repertoire at the ready, with a special fondness for Medieval festival music, Baroque dance suites, sparkling French showpieces and, of course, the Mozart Flute and Harp Concerto.
Words & Other Wild Things — Chaski’s recent go-to programming format is a blend of spoken word and music. What started as a themed program for a library fundraising concert has grown in to its own Chaski genre.
Visit our Press Kit page for a list of programs we offer!
Concert Styles
House — Turn your home (or porch, or yard, or driveway) into a concert space. Invite some friends, set up a few chairs, and we bring the concert to you.
Performing Arts Series — Chaski loves to collaborate with choral, dance, chamber music, and orchestral colleagues. And we are always at the ready with a dazzling duo concert.
Educational & Civic — Creating engaging shows for schools, libraries, residential care homes, and civic groups is our super power. If your organization needs specialized programming for holidays or occasions, we have your back.