Swift Rose

Swift Rose is an improvising and composing duo of violinists who transcend genre in search of musical expression and meaning.   We are two classically trained violinists turned genre defying fiddlers who seek to explore the expressive qualities of music that can be understood across barriers of artistic and cultural conventions.

  In our Social Justice program, Swift Rose presents music inspired by current social issues to serve as a catalyst for social awakening, dialogue, and change.This project, and its focus on musical and cultural dialogue, is inspired in part by Mazz and Alisa’s respective experiences in 2012 and 2013, touring as cultural ambassadors for the US Department of State funded “American Music Abroad” program.

The two artists’ experiences performing and teaching overseas on this tour gave us a profound understanding of music as a catalyst for cross-cultural communication.  Writing and performing new pieces inspired by other cultures strengthens the connections between those cultures and the artist. This in turn strengthens the connections between artist and audience, which then can help to forge connections between the audience and new cultures. It has been a goal for Alisa and Mazz to take what they have learned abroad and apply it to their work here at home. As a duo they write and perform music which connects the various cultures within the US.


We experienced first hand how the existence of music is intrinsic to all cultures. This exploration will show how music flourishes across cultures as an embodiment of tradition, personal expression, ritual, and communal experience.