ABOUT US

AVA SAUER

Vocals, keyboard

Ava began playing Suzuki piano at the age of six - though she begged to start earlier! She loved the repertoire: she was surrounded by classical music from a young age, because her mother was an avid listener. Around middle school, Ava got more involved in musical theatre and decided to switch from piano lessons to voice lessons. (Her debut role was Lucy in "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.") In high school, she began to study more classical vocal repertoire, which she absolutely adored. She decided to go to the University of Rochester, intent on taking rigorous classical voice lessons through the Eastman School of Music. Ava took primary voice lessons at ESM with Keely Futterer, culminating in a full-length senior recital. While at UR, Ava was introduced to the world of singing pop/contemporary music when she joined the co-ed a cappella group Trebellious. During her senior year, Trebellious competed for the first time in the regional quarter-final a cappella championship, and won. Right after graduation, Ava got hooked on writing music and decided to write and record a full length album in the span of a year. This album, called Trobairitz, can be found on our website.

The Trobairitz album project was what brought Ava and Tom into close musical collaboration. Trobairitz is a collection of original pieces, each a separate vignette transporting the listener to somewhere new. Refusing to be restricted by genre, Trobairitz is highly exploratory: it contains a Troubadour ballad, a Japanese cradle song, a musical palindrome set in the style of sacred music, a 50's/60's girl group number, a Samba dance tune, a James Bond-esque cinematic jazz piece, and much more. However, the messages underpinning the music are united by common themes - including an emphasis on resilience, appreciation for the natural world, and a resolve to be mindful of the current moment. Trobairitz seeks to capture the essence of many disparate cultures, in attempts to unearth the threads of humanity shared between us all.

TOM ANDOLSEK

Vocals, guitar, saxophone

Tom's musical career has its roots in classical clarinet pieces. Eventually, he made the transition to tenor saxophone and got bit by the jazz bug. Around the same time he started to teach himself guitar which then became a vehicle for singing and expression. When he got to college, he formed an instrumental funk band called Juicy Connotation which played extensively in Rochester and has made several east coast tours. While saxophone remains a vessel for improvisation for him, his love lies with the guitar and singing.