Simon powis, photography
About Us
Some frequently asked questions about the Davin-Levin Duo:
Who are you?
The Davin-Levin Duo is comprised of Emily Levin, Principal Harp with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and Colin Davin, Guitar Co-Head at the Cleveland Institute of Music.
How did you form a duo?
A harp and guitar combination was a few years in the making. The duo started as an idea when Colin and Emily were attending the Aspen Music Festival in 2012. Three years later, they played their first concert together in New York City.
What does the duo sound like?
The harp and guitar are both plucked string instruments, but the resonance and range of the harp combined with the precision of the guitar create a rather extraordinary sound world. Listen for yourself!
Do people like the duo?
Emily’s mother says she prefers harp and guitar to solo harp. Reviewers seem to agree with her.
What do you play?
Repertoire for harp and guitar is limited, so Colin and Emily have a two-fold mission: expand the repertoire through commissioning new works, and creating masterful arrangements for the duo, from Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite to Ligeti’s Musica Ricercata.
How can I hear you?
You can find our upcoming performances here, or you can purchase a CD here!
Where’s your actual bio?
For presenters and those seeking formal information: please read below.
Biography
A “clearly felicitous combination of two plucked string instruments,” (Cleveland Classical), the Davin-Levin Duo is comprised of Emily Levin, Principal Harp of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and Colin Davin, Associate Professor of Guitar and Director of Guitar Studio at Shenandoah Conservatory. Since their first performance together in 2015, the Davin-Levin Duo has revolutionized the genre, expanding the repertoire through commissions and arrangements and establishing their instrument combination as a dynamic chamber music experience.
The Davin-Levin Duo has appeared around the country, performing concert experiences ranging from (Le) Poisson Rouge in New York City to intimate wine cellars in Boulder, CO. They have been featured at the Cleveland International Classical Guitar Festival, the Fine Arts Chamber Players, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and many other venues.
Colin and Emily recorded the Duo’s first album in a live concert setting, featuring their arrangements of music by Manuel de Falla, Maurice Ravel, and Philip Glass, alongside two commissions by Dylan Mattingly and Will Stackpole. Banter has received praise for its “riveting pacing and subtle rubato…a masterful performance” (Cleveland Classical) and “a marvelously varied and engaging disc…Encore!” (Classical Guitar Magazine)
Upcoming performances include the University of North Texas, and a tour of the mid-Atlantic region featuring concerts and classes at Shenandoah Conservatory. Continuing their mission of expanding the possibilities of the harp and guitar duo, the coming season features the first performances of a new work dedicated to the Davin-Levin Duo by the legendary Cuban composer Leo Brouwer.
Biography current as of August 2024
