| Once Upon a Time | Janet's Story | Scott's Story |

Once upon a time... on a stormy, autumn night at the Pacific ocean,
in a tiny, candlelit church heated only by a wood stove...they made music
together for the first time. And the music that evening was
magical and intimate,
the audience was spellbound
and the stage was set for a remarkable new duo.

First, there was the girl.

She was a young, successful classical soprano, a "lyric coloratura" (which means that
she could sing lots of high notes very, very fast). And as an opera singer, she spent
most of her time performing on large stages in fancy theaters, wearing elaborate
costumes and posing before exotic sets, while being accompanied by a full orchestra.
But the truth was, that more than anything else in the world,
she loved just to sit
and sing
beautiful melodies and simple songs.

Then, there was the boy.

He was a dashing, young classical guitarist, and he lived in the highly
competitive world of the "classical soloist". Hailed by critics as 'a champion of living
American composers', he was renowned for his adventuresome programs and his
colorful, elegant interpretations of the avant garde.
But the truth was, that more than anything else in the world,
he loved just to sit
and play beautiful melodies and simple songs
on his guitar.

One day
the girl was asked to perform the opening night concert of the Water Music Festival.

The concert took place in a quaint little town on the West Coast in a historic
nineteenth-century church which came with neither organ nor piano.
So the girl began her search for an accompanist.

When the two musicians met, no one could have predicted
the extraordinary outcome.
The gentleness and subtlety of the boy's touch enveloped the girl's pure and
captivating sound. And when they sat and played their beautiful and simple songs,
it was as if they had been performing together
for a lifetime.

The music they made that night in the little church
had a depth, a richness and a sensitivity which was simply ...
exquisite.

And so it came to pass, that two solitary artists, both accomplished classical soloists
in their respective fields, were brought together by their passion to share the intimacy
and beauty of romantic songs ...and joined by the haunting blend of their two
instruments. Janet Chvatal and Scott Kritzer offer us a precious glimpse into the
power of musical interchange between two kindred souls...an experience of the
playfulness and magic of genuine musical ensemble...the Chvatal/Kritzer Duo takes
us on a rare journey toward the romantic and the sublime.