About

We are a couple of friends, professional musicians specializing in chamber music. We are very active in Chicago joining a lot of different chamber music ensembles, but love to perform together. We are a very engaging duo, through our performances you and your audience will get to discover the interesting and fun facts of the pieces we play as well as other extra musical stories, for example, how Juan became a very knowledgeable coffee aficionado after literally visiting every single coffee shop in his native Caracas, Venezuela. Or how Sixto's first cello and viola piece came to live! Although the format of viola and cello isn't usual, it definitely has a very interesting and vast repertoire that is worth investigating. We are very excited to show you some of our favorites.

Music

From early Baroque to works composed by Sixto Franco himself to pop arrangements; we enjoy bouncing from one era to the other, always striving to play in a "historically informed" manner.

Here are some selections we have played in the past:

Johann Sebastian Bach Cello Suites
Bach Fifteen Two Part Inventions arranged for Viola and Cello
Ludvig Van Beethoven "Eyes Glasses" duo, Woo 32
Kyell Marcussen, "Dedicases" for viola and cello
Witold Lutoslawsky, "Bucolics"
Piazzolla calle 92 tango, arrangement for Viola and Cello
Shostakovich Prelude for viola and cello
Paul Hindemith, "Scherzo"
Sixto Franco, "Mechanics" originally for two Violas, arranged for viola and cello
Walter Piston, "Duet for Viola and Cello"
Rebecca Clarke, 2 Pieces: Lullaby and Grotesque for viola (or violin) and cello (ca. 1916)

Past groupmuses (2)