Founded out of mutual admiration of their talents as both instrumentalists and artists, harpist AnnMarie Liss and violist Basil Vendryes come together to explore the repertoire for this unusual combination.

Esprit has commissioned works by Lamont School of Music professor Christopher Malloy, distinguished New York composer David Tcimpidis, Italian composer Andrea Ferrante and others. It is their hope to bring the unified voice of the harp and viola to audiences on a regular basis. The 2011 concert season includes performances at the Lamont School of Music, Bethany Lutheran series, Colorado State University, Colorado College, as well as concerts in Lakewood and Dillon.

Basil Vendryes has been Principal Violist of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra since 1993. He is a former member of the San Francisco Symphony, the New York Philharmonic and the Rochester Philharmonic orchestras. He currently serves on the faculties of the Lamont School of Music of the University of Denver, the Quartet Program at SUNY Fredonia, New York and the Montecito Music Festival in California. He is also the founder/director of the Colorado Young Sinfonia, comprised of some of the best young talent in the Denver area.

Ann Marie Liss is a member of the Colorado College performance faculty and maintains an active private studio and concert career.  At the age of 23, she became the youngest harpist to be awarded the prestigious Diplôme Supérieure de Concertiste (DMA) from the Ecole Normale Supérieure de Musique de Paris where she studied with Isabelle Perrin. Ann Marie has performed as principal harpist and guest solo artist with many orchestras throughout the United States, Europe, and Australia, and has recorded productions with  Le Théâtre Française De La Musique and Radio France.