Bio
Violet Willows is Connecticut based duo Brianne Chasanoff (piano, lead vocals), and Mary Gardner (percussion, guitar, bass, vocals). Brianne and Mary's musical talents blend and harmonize perfectly, speaking to the listener intimately through their sensitivity and depth of emotional expression. Brianne began performing with Mary in 2013 at her second album release party. They have been performing ever since at various venues throughout New England and New York including Infinity Hall (Norfolk, CT), Falcon Ridge Folk Festival (Emerging Artists Showcase), Merryall Center for the Arts (New Milford, CT), Voices Cafe (Westport, CT), Towne Crier (Beacon, NY) and The Mews (Provincetown, MA). Along with their unique arrangements of covers you know and love, you may hear traces of Sarah Mclachlan, Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Indigo Girls, and The Beatles in Brianne's original music. Their unique arrangement of the Cure's, Lovesong was selected as a winner in the 2024 easy song cover song contest. Easy song is a reputable music licensing & publishing company.
Brianne Chasanoff (Singer/Songwriter) is a classically trained vocalist and pianist, with a Bachelor's of Science in Music Education concentrating in Voice and Piano and a Master's Degree in Studio Composition. She performs various styles of music from Broadway and classical to pop. Her vast experience and love for all styles of music shine through in her songwriting reaching listeners of all ages and tastes. Brianne has released two full length albums of her original music which have been aired on various radio stations across the country including Hudson Valley's WHUD's 100.7 FM Artist Spotlight Series. She was a semi- finalist for two consecutive years in the National Pro-Voice Singer/Songwriter contest and achieved the Gold Record Award winning first place in the pop artist of the month contest in the International Singer Songwriters Association (ISSA).
Mary Gardner is a multi-instrumentalist that specializes in percussion and world music. She has received acclaim for her fluency in a wide variety of styles from contemporary music to traditional Irish tunes, having traveled and studied abroad in Ireland and London. She has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall, Skirball Center for the Arts, Goodspeed Opera House, and many other notable venues. Mary received her Bachelor¹s degree in Music Education and Performance and her Master's Degree in Percussion Performance.
