Aubrey Smith Woods - On Contemplating Loss - Music for Violin and Piano by Laurence Lowe (2021)

Aubrey Smith Woods’ rise as a professional violinist vividly demonstrates the versatility that is the sine qua non for 21st century musicians. Her artistic leadership and excellence as concertmaster for Ballet West are consistently on display at the Capitol, Rose Wagner, and Eccles theatres in Salt Lake City. She frequently performs with the Utah Symphony Orchestra. She appeared for several years with the Orchestra at Temple Square in weekly worldwide broadcasts and on recordings with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square and notable soloists, including Bryn Terfel and Renee Fleming. Aubrey is equally in demand as studio recording artist for movies, television, and in backing tracks for many popular artists. She can be heard on releases on the MSR Classics and Tantara labels. Her performances as a chamber musician include appearances with NOVA, Intermezzo, the Park City Chamber Music Series and, on the Baroque violin, with New York Baroque Incorporated, the Sebastians and Musica Angelica. She may often be heard in company with her husband, Alexander Woods, as the Woodmusick Duo. Aubrey holds the Master of Music degree from Brigham Young University where she teaches as an adjunct faculty member. On this recording, she plays a violin made by Enrico Marchetti (1884).

Since his first solo recital of more than 50 years ago, Rex Woods has performed as a soloist, chamber musician and accompanist throughout the United States and in Canada, France, China, Australia and Mexico. He has performed as a concerto soloist with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Arizona Symphony, Mesa Symphony, Catalina Chamber Orchestra, Southern Arizona Symphony and University of Michoacán Chamber Orchestra. Recent chamber music appearances include recitals at Drew University, Humboldt State University, University of Utah and Brigham Young University. Woods received his musical education at Brigham Young University, University of Arizona, University of Southern California and American Conservatory at Fontainebleau. He received the Otto Guth Memorial Award from the San Francisco Opera Center and the Premier Prix de Fontainebleau in chamber music. Woods, who holds a Juris Doctor from Arizona State University, has served on the faculties of the University of Texas at Austin and the Interlochen Center for the Arts. Since 1988, he has taught at the University of Arizona, and served as an administrator in the Fred Fox School of Music.

Violinist Alexander Woods is in high demand as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral leader. Woods, well-known for possessing fine technique and a beautiful tone, has performed with highly esteemed groups, including the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Utah Symphony, Helicon Foundation, the Sebastians and the Talea Ensemble. A dual Canadian-American citizen, Woods’ international career has led him to perform at the Mostly Mozart Festival, Lincoln Center Festival, Festival Pablo Casals, Darmstadt Institute, Festival Wien Modern, Golden Mask Festival and many others. He has performed at the Stern Auditorium, Zankel Hall and Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall; at Alice Tully Hall and Kaplan Penthouse at Lincoln Center; and at Trinity Wall Street, National Arts Centre in Ottawa, Musée des Beaux Arts in Montréal, and other important venues in Canada, Russia, China, South Korea and throughout Europe. At Brigham Young University, he is on the music faculty and a member of the Deseret String Quartet. As a baroque violinist, he has appeared with New York Baroque Incorporated, and is founder and director of the BYU Baroque Ensemble, an Early Music chamber orchestra created by the Violin Making School of America. A prolific and highly acclaimed recording artist, Woods can be heard on the Acis, Bridge, MSR Classics, Tantara and Tzadik labels. He studied at Yale University, Manhattan School of Music and University of Arizona. Alexander Woods plays a violin attributed to Lorenzo Guadagnini (1743) from the instrument collection of Brigham Young University.