Sarah Shodja and Teresa Deskur perform recorder chamber works through the ages.
Program:
Orlando Gibbons: Fantasia
Antonio Gardane: Amys souffres
Joyssance, Anonymous
Thomas Morley: I goe before, my darling
G.P Telemann: Sonata No. 3 from “6 Duets” TWV 40:124-129
Jean Baptiste Loeillet de Gant: Sonata No. 4
Anton Heberle: Duo for Two Czakans
Franz Müller-Busch: Blue Duets
Richard Eastman: Dancers
Laurie G. Alberts: Imitations
Persian musician Sarah Shodja specializes in the recorder and was one of the first women in Iran to play the recorder in concert halls. In 2017, Sarah was awarded a full scholarship to study with Gwyn Roberts at the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Historical Performance.
In addition to her solo performances, Sarah is a sought-after collaborator, having worked with the Baltimore Baroque Band, Peabody Renaissance Ensemble, Washington Bach Consort, Tempesta Di Mare, and Peabody Recorder consort. She also established a recorder consort, Tehran Recorder Atelier, along with three of her women recorder-playing colleagues. Other past engagements include performances with Shargh Chamber Orchestra and Pars Recorder Orchestra in her home country.
In the summer of 2022, she became a faculty member of Mountain Collegium. She, along with her colleague Teresa Deskur, founded the Fanfare Youth Recorder Club for young recorder players around the world during the pandemic. Sarah also has experience playing jazz music and has collaborated in two published contemporary albums. She is an enthusiastic advocate for the recorder and uses her platform to spread the beauty and versatility of this instrument and inspire others to appreciate it as well.
An Upstate NY local, Teresa Deskur started playing recorder at age 5, and never stopped! She took first prize in the 2020 University-Instrumental category of Boulder Bach Festival’s World Bach Competition. In 2016, Teresa won Philadelphia based Renaissance band Piffaro’s National Recorder Competition and appeared as a guest performer with the group in March 2017. She has performed regularly with the Peabody Renaissance Ensemble and Baltimore Baroque Band. She frequently enjoys duet recitals with Peabody colleague and collaborator Sarah Shodja.
As an educator and advocate for making music accessible and equitable, Teresa is passionate about community outreach. Teresa is a co-founder of the Fanfare Youth Recorder Club, which brings together middle and high school recorder players from around the world to connect virtually and learn from one another. She has also served on Early Music America’s Emerging Professional Leadership Committee since 2021 and is currently on the board for the Future in Music Mentorship Program.
Teresa received her bachelor’s in Horn Performance and Music Education with a minor in Historical Performance at Peabody Conservatory, where she studied with Wei-Ping Chou and Gwyn Roberts. She currently directs concert and jazz bands at Owego-Apalachin Middle School in Owego, NY.
