BOW + BREATH

Music for Violin and Voice

with June Bender and Elise Mark

What it is

Bow & Breath is a heartfelt concert of songs for voice and violin, performed by June Bender and Elise Mark. Blending classical music, folk traditions, and contemporary sounds, this program highlights the emotional power of two instruments—one sung, one bowed. You’ll hear playful Irish tunes, haunting English poetry, and new works that explore memory, longing, and imagination.

Much of the music is written by women, including Rebecca Clarke, a pioneering composer whose songs are full of character and charm. The program also includes Gustav Holst’s beautiful settings of medieval poems and Ralph Vaughan Williams’ moving song cycle Along the Field, which touches on love, loss, and the passage of time. Contemporary pieces by Sarah Wallin Huff and Ellen Ruth Harrison bring fresh voices and vivid imagery to the stage.

Together, June and Elise offer a program that’s honest, expressive, and deeply human.

Who we are

June Bender is a violinist, teacher, and composer from Philadelphia. In addition to freelancing as a classical violinist, June stays active playing many styles of music including Irish fiddle, tango, swing jazz, and freely improvised music. She founded, leads, and writes original music for the group Unseen Rain, which released their debut album, Out Beyond, in 2019. June performs regularly with the Belleville Quartet, Morris String Quartet, and numerous regional orchestras including Bucks County Symphony Orchestra, VoxAmaDeus, PA Philharmonic, and Reading Symphony. June maintains an active private violin studio, and teaches at The Baldwin School.

About Elise 

"[G]raced with the pipes of a goddess" (River Reporter), Elise is "making her mark" (Voce di Meche) in the classical and operatic world and beyond. She is equally adept at performing traditional operatic repertoire, contemporary opera and art song, and musical theater. She has performed with companies and theaters including Steamboat Opera, Carnegie Hall, the Kimmel Center, Pittsburgh Festival Opera, New Amsterdam Opera, Long Island Lyric Opera, Delaware Valley Opera of New York, Concert Operetta Theater, ENA Ensemble, East Passyunk Opera Project, Wilmington Concert Opera, Penn Square Music Festival, Teatro Mancinelli, and the Tri-State Chorale. At her home-base in Philadelphia, Elise produces intimate artistic experiences that bring people together through art and creativity. Her performances resonate deeply, evoking profound connections through her authentic artistry, inviting audiences into a shared, heartfelt experience.

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  • It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

  • It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.