Grammy-nominated violinist and composer Alisa Rose is a modern musician who easily navigates between many musical styles. With roots in classical music as well as the rich American musical tradition, she attracts attention for her expressive lyrical voice on the violin. Her stylistic fluidity gives her the ability to create unique and genuine music which is free from the constraints of genre.

Alisa Rose has appeared with a wide range of artists including the Real Vocal String Quartet, 2008 Rockygrass winners 49 Special, and Grammy-nominated Quartet San Francisco. Alisa performed and taught throughout Eastern Europe as an Ambassador of the State Department, and has performed at Carnegie Hall, NPR's Weekend Edition, the historic Carter Family Fold festival, TEDx Alcatraz with Bob Weir, Song of the Mountains on PBS, as well as numerous international tours.

More can be found at: https://www.arosefiddle.com/

Monica Chew,clavichord

Monica Chew (she/her) is an Oakland composer and pianist who celebrates presenting rarely performed music and new works from around the world. A "gifted player with an affinity for deeply sensitive expression" (Whole Note), she has composed since 2017 and couldn't be happier about it. Her work has been featured as part of the Gabriela Lena Frank's Creative Academy for Music, Verdant Vibes, Hot Air Music Festival, and Left Coast Chamber Ensemble's Intersection program. Her writing has been reviewed as "monumental" and "stunning" by San Francisco Classical Voice. Prior to 2015, she worked nearly a decade as a principal software engineer on security and privacy at Mozilla and Google. She lives in Oakland with her husband, an 1899 Steinway B, a clavichord, and a disused violin.

More can be found at: www.monicachew.com

Concert Dates

• May 9, 2026

Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame featuring Alisa Rose & Monica Chew w

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  Two minds

  Nantenaina Andriamorasata

  Two Minds explores the inner dialogue between emotion and reason. Through moments of dissonance and calm, they seek balance — to understand without changing, to accept without surrender — two minds learning to breathe together.

  Music composer based in Antananarivo Madagascar.

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  Snowflake Jig

  Máté Balogh

  The piece Snowflake Jig is based on a short poem by Emily Dickinson, which is included in the score. While the piece may be understood as a musical illustration of the poem, the text does not need to be read aloud in performance.

  I am a composer based in Hungary and an associate professor at the Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest. My pieces are regularly performed all over Europe and in the US, China, and Japan as well. I was chosen two times in the Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame project in the past.

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  L'ARCO FURIOSO

  Erik Branch

  The baritone violin’s arrestingly “throaty” timbre (with its propensity, to my mind, for very rhythmic music) and the clavichord’s guitar-like qualities suggested to me composing a partial homage to the “furioso” style of Vivaldi and other Italian Baroque composers, with the violin’s bow “furiously” executing volleys of rapid notes.

  ERIK BRANCH is a native of New York City, and received a BA and MA in Music (Composition) from Hunter College. He lives near Orlando, Florida, where he is active as a pianist, musical director, composer/arranger, operatic tenor, and actor on stage and screen.

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  Reverie

  Ross James Carey

  In ‘Reverie’ an expansive melody in the baritone violin is accompanied by rocking eighth note figures in the clavichord. After moving through various harmonic fields, the piece comes to an inconclusive, dreamlike ending. Composed for Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame featuring Alisa Rose and Monica Chew.

  Ross James Carey is a composer and collaborative pianist based in China’s Central Plains. Ross’ recent activities include writing for various Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame calls, the Seoul Toy Music Ensemble, a PhD project featuring Sabahan indigenous instrument the biula and a project commemorating the 100th death anniversary of author Katherine Mansfield.

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  Lonesome Cowpoke

  Monica Chew

  A cowpoke ponders life.

  Monica Chew (https://monicachew.com) is an Oakland pianist and composer. In 2017 she released her first solo album, Tender and Strange, featuring works by Bartók, Janáček, Messiaen, Takemitsu, and Scriabin. A “gifted player with an affinity for deeply sensitive expression” (Whole Note), she has been featured on radio stations worldwide. She started composing in 2017 and couldn’t be happier about it. Prior to 2015, she worked nearly a decade as a principal software engineer on security and privacy at Mozilla and Google. She lives in Oakland with her husband, an 1899 Steinway B, a clavichord, and a disused violin.

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  Sarabande_25

  Michael Coleman

  Sarabande_25 is dedicated to Alisa Rose and Monica Chew and centers around continuous variation technique on repeating harmonic progressions reminiscent of tonal music in the Baroque era.

  Michael Coleman has participated as composer/pianist in numerous new music programs and festivals in the U.S. and Russia and has also had works performed in North & Central America, Europe, and Eurasia. He currently teaches at Pensacola State College and the University of West Florida.

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  the screeeching of crows do not silence the footsteps of fools

  va fail Elainee

  This piece is an abstract musical commentary on warnings unheeded. The drum-like walking rhythm in the lower clavichord is juxtaposed by harsh harmonics in the baritone violin played very close to the bridge, creating a sense of unease and tension throughout the entire piece.

  I'm Elainee, and I'm an amateur composer working an office job full time. I compose on the side, and I'm trying to teach myself the basics :)

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  grain

  Damiano Ferretti

  Grain is a small play of sonic matter that breaks apart and recomposes in three directions: vertical (density), horizontal (melody), and depth (timbre). The instruments weave fine fibers, revealing inner shades and vibrations, a continuous fracturing and renewed emergence.

  Composer and pianist graduated in Composition and currently completing a degree in Musicology. Active in theatre, film, and concert contexts; collaborations include Ravenna Festival, Italian Opera Foundations, the Venice Biennale (Music and Cinema). Finalist and recipient of honorable mentions in international competitions; author of numerous orchestral and chamber commisions

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  A short lied

  Paolo Geminiani

  The twelve-note phrase includes the partial acronym of the title of the poem (FACED) and emphasizes the descending intervals. The clavichord closely follows the same theme freely permuting the sounds and transposing the intervals in the subsequent repetitions. The overall sound is ethereal and delicate.

  Paolo Geminiani studied in composition with C. Landuzzi and electronic music with L. Camilleri in Bologna and Modena and, advanced Master with Corghi and other courses with Solbiati, Donatoni, Guarnieri. Premieres in Europe, North and South America, Australia. He has won and received commendations including: NewNote Samobor, G. Mahler Klagenfurt

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  quiet types of rain

  Ralph Lewis

  quiet types of rain asks how quiet can the clavichord and baritone violin get, and can we still hear them in their quietness?

  Dr. Ralph Lewis is a composer whose works seek meeting points between sonorous music and arresting noise, alternative tunings and timbre, and the roles of performer and audience. Find out more about him at www.ralphlewismusic.com.

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  Staircase that wasn't there before

  Evan O'Dell

  A false space appears Steps leading to fever dream Is it home again

  Evan O’Dell (he/they, b. 2001) is an Atlanta native composer whose works explore imaginary worlds and fluid states of being. Their music has been performed internationally, with collaborations including pianist Vicky Chow and Contemporary Arts-Music Project. O’Dell currently studies composition at Penn State and enjoys hiking, reading, and cats.

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  Behind the Curtain

  Alisa Rose

  Composed in an Airbnb while dodging a bat, “Behind the Curtain” begins with a heroic theme and reveals the unseen doubts and inner struggles that accompany performance, even in our boldest moments. In this version, the doubts win.

  Alisa Rose is a Grammy-nominated violinist, composer, and improviser inspired by classical and American folk traditions. Her works, including Embracing Roots Violin Concerto and Fiddle Caprices and Pizzicato Pieces, highlight her cross-genre approach. She champions new music and creative collaboration and teachers at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

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  Duo for Baritone Violin and Clavichord

  David Saperstein

  In writing the "Duo for Baritone Violin and Clavichord" the composer acknowledges the influence of the great composer Johann Sebastian Bach whose monumental work "The Well Tempered Clavichord" was one of the sources of inspiration for this work.

  Composer David Saperstein is a member of ASCAP. He is the winner of many awards and fellowships, including the ASCAPlus award and a Fulbright fellowship. His music has been heard in many distinguished venues in the United States and abroad.

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  A Little Blue

  Edward Strauman

  EDWARD J. STRAUMAN A recognized Yamaha artist/educator, Eubie and Marion Blake Scholar, nominee of the Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award, two National Endowment Grants, several ASCAP Awards, a Telly Award, the Roger Phelps Award, the Margaret Jory Award and funding from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.

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  Arcas

  Andrew M. Wilson

  In classical mythology Arcas, was the son of Zeus and Callisto. They were changed into bears and placed in the sky by Zeus as protection from his jealous wife Hera. Arcas became the constellation Ursa Minor, the Little Bear, depicted in this piece by the baritone violin’s distinctive tone colors.

  Andrew M. Wilson was born in 1960 and studied at London University. He is the Vice Principal of London’s National College of Music, and lives in Devon. His works are recorded, published and broadcast worldwide. He has won many international awards including an honorary doctorate from the Pestalozzi University, Florida.