Bio

Martine denBok

Martine denBok is a classically trained, professional violinist with a captivating stage presence and a ‘spine-tingling’ tonal colour palette. A natural born musician who began violin lessons at the age of three, Martine has now performed as concertmaster for over twenty productions with Edmonton’s ‘Opera Nuova Orchestra’, spent three seasons playing next to Juno nominated Pablo Diemecke with Victoria’s ‘Die Mahler String Quartet’ and played first violin for Edmonton’s popular and ecclectic ‘StringBeans Quartet’. She holds a Masters of Music in Violin Performance, and is the Principal Second Violinist of the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra. Now a resident of New Denver BC, Martine is a busy multi-instrumentalist and collaborator, most noteably with her acclaimed duo, ‘Freya’ – a group known for their heartfelt and spell-binding instrumental compositions and sweet vocal harmonies. Aside from performing, Martine maintains a busy teaching studio with students from Nelson to New Denver.

Noel Fudge

Noel Fudge is a professional guitarist that plays a wide variety of different styles and genres in his music. Noel became involved in rock bands where they performed his original music and received multiple scholarships to pursue his passion of music and composition. Noel completed two degrees in music, one from Vancouver Community College in performance and one at Simon Fraser University majoring in composition (BFA). After twenty-five years of running a successful teaching and recording studio, Noel moved to New Denver BC and focused his abilities on writing for film, ensembles and for various performers including his notable duo “Freya” with partner Martine denBok (violin/Viola), “Klezmeridian“, a Klezmer and ethnic band based out of Nelson BC and "Vanir", a rock-band where Noel's original songs are performed. Noel continues to teach guitar and composition and is a faculty member at Valhalla Summer School of Music. To learn more about Noel and his compositions, see his website here.

Freya

Named after the Norse goddess of love, Freya is a musical duo that emanates the essence of their namesake with every note. With intertwining melodies and exquisite harmonies, the duo has taken their serendipitous convergence and created a distinct and original flavour that evokes the passion, anguish and natural beauty that rests at the heart of their music. Noel Fudge combines fingerpicking, strumming, percussive techniques and a range of alternative tunings that together demonstrate compositional mastery and stand alone as stunning, but invite the intricately woven string melodies of partner/co-writer Martine denBok. Known primarily as an accomplished classically trained musician and Principal Second Violinist of the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra, her lush, sensuous tone and melodic characters will pull at all kinds of your heart strings. Together, the duo form an unmistakably unique sound that is fresh, and timeless. Noel and Martine live in New Denver, BC on the shores of the Slocan Lake.