VERSA
NICK PAULY | VERSA
VIOLA & COMPOSER
NICK PAULY is a violist, composer, and improviser from Brooklyn, NY, and a co-founder of Versa. After completing his M.M. from Manhattan School of Music, he served on faculty at the Third Street Music School from 2015 to 2021. He is an unremitting experimenter, exploring the relationship between beauty and absurdism in music. Pauly focuses on extended techniques for strings, including performance with household objects and alternate tunings. Since 2017, he has devoted to several lifelong projects, including: Four C3s for One, music for viola restrung with four unison C strings, and nonstructures - a series of semi-improvised compositions for instruments outside his expertise. By imposing strong limitations on his instrumentation, he seeks to uncover what it means to be a musician in an algorithmic era. Nick is a freelance performer in New York, embracing the gamut of adventures between regional orchestras, wedding events, and contemporary ensembles. In 2023, Nick and Allyson Clare founded Versa, intent on performing emerging composers and explore improvisatory qualities. Outside of his musical interests, Nick is a suffering New York Mets fan and enjoys playing ping-pong, painting, and ice skating.
ALLYSON CLARE | VERSA
VIOLIN
ALLYSON CLARE is a versatile violinist/violist and chamber musician based in New York City. As a chamber musician she performed from 2013-2018 as a member of the composer-performer string quartet, Solar String Quartet which recorded and performed live numerous albums with singer-songwriters and composers including Joanna Walfisch and Mario Castro, at venues such as BAM Center and Jazz at Lincoln Center primarily in the Jazz and Latin-Jazz genres. In 2020 she was commissioned to play and compose for a solo/duo recital at Merkin Hall with pianist Cullan Bryant, completing and realizing an unfinished manuscript of the Belgian violist Ysaye for solo violin alongside other works of Belgian composers of his era. In addition to Versa she frequently collaborates with new music pianist/composer Brian Mark. She recently began studying voice seriously as well, and has realized two soprano roles as part of Miami Music Festival.
Clare holds a Bachelor of Music from The San Francisco Conservatory of Music and a Masters of Music from The New England Conservatory of Music. Clare has served on the faculties of both San Francisco Conservatory and New England Conservatory Preparatory Departments.