Aria Cheregosha & Lauren Spaulding 🇺🇸 USA
Viola Duo
Tallā Rouge, meaning ‘The Red Gold’ in Farsi and French, was established by the fiery Persian-American & Cajun-American violists, Aria Cheregosha & Lauren Spaulding. Tallā Rouge was formed at The Juilliard School in 2020 under the mentorship of Roger Tapping & Karoly Schranz of the Takács Quartet, and the ensemble made their debut virtually with “Music for Food” under the direction of violist Kim Kashkashian. Recognized internationally for their emotional performances, Tallā Rouge has been named NOLA ChamberFest’s “Emerging Artists” of the year (2022-2023) by the Catalyst Quartet, has been invited to work with soloist Nobuko Imai, has been awarded first-prize winner in the Frances Walton Competition, and has been named a top prize winner in the International Anton Rubinstein Chamber Music Competition (2022-2023). Tallā Rouge will be a featured ensemble on the 2023 inaugural American Viola Society album and will make their Carnegie Hall debut in June of 2023.
Aria and Lauren bring their Persian & Cajun heritage to the stage, challenging audiences' perception of the viola by breathing life into under-represented music for their under-represented instrument. Drawn to folk, West-Asian, and LGBTQ+ influenced composers, Tallā Rouge has worked with Scott Slapin, composer and violist of the Slapin-Solomon Duo; Sabah Aminikia, a Persian composer who gained his acclaim by working with the Kronos Quartet; David Rimelis, traditional fiddler, folk-lorist, and composer; and Meredith Monk, a LGBTQ+ avant-garde artist who has generously arranged “Hocket” for Tallā Rouge. As a champion of new compositions, Tallā Rouge runs an international viola duo composition competition — aiming to lead a renaissance in viola duo composition.
Aria and Lauren’s intrinsic need to capture the spirit of music is fueled by a mutual love for outreach, accessibility, and authenticity — values that set the tone for the duo’s refreshingly intimate stage presence. Sharing the belief that “good music is good music”, Tallā Rouge presents the works of living composers alongside the reimagined classical works of Beethoven, Brahms, and Mozart. Tallā Rouge invites an open dialogue through their diverse programming that aims to encourage the redefinition of classical music in an evolving and interconnected world.
Tallā Rouge | طلای سرخ
Instagram: @TallaRouge