Duo Amaris

Guitar & Voice
About us

Short bio

Duo Amaris elevate the timeless simplicity of guitar and voice to new heights, winning over audiences with their ‘grand virtuosity and superb interpretations’ (Salzgitter Zeitung). Jesse Flowers’ mastery of the guitar’s rich array of tone colours coupled with Julia Spies’ remarkably clear diction and the pure expressive power of her timbre allows them to bring stories to life that span centuries, from songs by John Dowland to compositions written especially for them.

Spies und Flowers, beide anerkannte Solisten in ihrem Fach, gründeten 2017 das Duo Amaris, gaben fast 20 Konzerte im Rahmen der 61. Bundesauswahl Konzerte junger Künstler, die von Publikum und Kritiker*innen gleichermaßen gelobt wurden, und treten seither regelmäßig als festes Duo auf. Im April 2020 veröffentlichten sie ihre Debüt-CD “Nachtstücke” beim Label PASCHENrecords und ernteten viel Annerkennung von der Kritik. Ihre EP “Tell Them” ist im Juli 2024 erschienen.

Im Mittelpunkt der Arbeit stehen fesselndes Erzählen und Musizieren aus ganzem Herzen sowie eine sorgsame Repertoireauswahl, die Themen berührt, die in der Welt der klassischen Musik selten angesprochen werden. Dialogfähigkeit, Nahbarkeit und Humor sind fester Bestandteil der gemeinsamen Arbeit

About Julia
About Jesse

Duo Amaris elevate the timeless simplicity of guitar and voice to new heights, winning over audiences with their ‘grand virtuosity and superb interpretations’ (Salzgitter Zeitung). Jesse Flowers’ mastery of the guitar’s rich array of tone colours coupled with Julia Spies’ remarkably clear diction and the pure expressive power of her timbre allows them to bring stories to life that span centuries, from songs by John Dowland to compositions written especially for them.

Spies and Flowers, both recognized soloists in their fields, met at the Deutsche Musikwettbewerb 2016. They then founded the Duo Amaris, gave almost 20 concerts as part of the 61st Federal Selection of Concerts of Young Artists, which were praised by audiences and critics alike, and have been performing regularly as a permanent duo ever since.
In April 2020 they released their debut CD “Nachtstücke” on the PASCHENrecords label and received a lot of critical acclaim: “Julia Spies and Jesse Flowers form the ideal narrative duo in which intimacy and passion alternate with a great sense of atmosphere and in which the sometimes thin dividing lines between the strict art song and intuitive freedom practically disappear.” (Opus Klassiek)

Ihre EP “Tell Them” ist als die erwartete Nachfolgerin des Debüts im Juli 2024 erschienen. Es ist eine Sammlung von Volksliedern von Lorca, Brahms und Bartók. Im Mittelpunkt des Programms steht der eigens für Duo Amaris geschriebene Liederzyklus „Tell them“ (2023) des brasilianischen Komponisten João Luiz, eine Vertonung von Texten der marshallischen Dichterin Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner, die in ihren eigenen Worten „die reiche Erzählkunst ihrer Kultur erforscht, und untersucht, wie sie sich mit den aktuellen Themen, die die Marshall-Inseln bedrohen, überschneidet und in einen Dialog tritt“. Dabei fokussiert sie sich auf Themen wie kulturelle Zugehörigkeit, Heimat(losigkeit), Mutterschaft und Klimagerechtigkeit.

Our mission is to create moving experiences for our audiences through heartfelt musicianship and compelling storytelling. We carefully select repertoire that brings out the best in our instrumentation, and are committed to presenting new arrangements and original works by living composers. Furthermore, we aspire to continually broaden our own horizons while also expanding those of our audiences.

Central to this ambition is our wish to elevate voices and stories that have traditionally been underrepresented, and that touch upon themes rarely addressed in the world of classical music. We enjoy talking to the audience from the stage, and also off it, in the from of artist talks or meet and greets. Approachability, embracing dialogue and a sense of humour are fundamental to our collaborative work.

You can download our presskit here. It includes our biography and a selection of press-released portraits.

Download presskit (zip)
Download photos

“Julia Spies and Jesse Flowers form the ideal storytelling duo in which intimacy and passion come together
with a great sense of atmosphere and in which the sometimes thin dividing lines between the strict art song and the intuitive freedom practically disappear.”

Opus Klassiek

„Julia Spies and Jesse Flowers won over the audience in the Fürstensaal with grand virtuosity and superb interpretations.“

Salzgitter-Zeitung

„The sublime Duo Amaris showed what an intimate, symbiotic combination voice and guitar can be.“

Augsburger Allgemeine Mertingen
Projects

Unique concert programmes

Our programmes are composed of the stories we want to tell, music that brings out the best in our instrumentation, as well as compositions and arrangements that inspire us. We often find ourselves traversing the fine line between folk & art song. We enjoy talking to the audience from the stage, and also off it, in the from of artist talks or meet and greets.

Tell Them

Folksongs: Folk songs are the timeless threads that weave the tapestry of the past into the fabric of the present, connecting generations through their melodies. We bring folksongs from different countries to life, with the centrepiece of the programme being „Tell them“ (2023), a work written for Duo Amaris.

Nachtstücke

This collection of nocturnal compositions delves into the diverse imagery and emotions that emerges as the sun sets, leaving the world bathed only into moonlight and cloaked in darkness…

Eingedunkelt

Grand solos and intimate songs: we reveal a fascinating web of connections and associations between Celan, Britten, Dowland, Reimann, Goethe, Debussy, Verlaine and Schubert.

Da unten im Tale

Whether „Da unten im Tale“ (down in the valley), in the marketplace of Murcia or in hymns to love, happiness and sorrow: we encompass it all. Solo pieces for guitar and mezzo-soprano a capella give the programme an extra dimension.

Away in a manger

Duo Amaris also has a Christmas programme in its portfolio! Protestant chorale meets French romanticism and English pre-Christmas joy.
Events

Experience Duo Amaris live

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We would be delighted to see you at one of our concerts! Here you will find details about our upcoming performances and all other events. Follow this page to stay up to date on what we have planned and where it is taking place.

Saturday, 06.12.25
“Tell them” (Padua, Italy)
Sunday, 19.01.25
18:00 h
“Tell them” (Rhein-Mosel-Halle Koblenz)
Saturday, 02.11.24
19:30 h
Duo Amaris at the Darmstädter Gitarrentage
Friday, 28.04.23
19:00 h
“Tell Them” (Akademie für Tonkunst Darmstadt)
Sunday, 08.03.20
16:00 h
Release concert “Nachtstücke” (Marienmünster Abbey)

„The singer, ranging from the profound alto register to the soprano heights, and thanks to her art of interpretation, understood masterfully - despite Reimann's not exactly accessible musical language - how to bring the serious and often heavy fragments of Celan's sentences closer to her eagerly following audience.“

RP Krefeld

„Flowers mastered this complex work with ease and clearly structured lines. Guitar playing at it’s finest“

Salzgitter-Zeitung

„The depth of their shared musical understanding is a particularly strong feature of this duo.“

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Julia Spies

Julia Spies, mezzo-soprano, is more than an exceptional concert artist, earning accolades for her “profoundly sensitive and emotionally touching interpretations”, (O-Ton Kulturmagazin). She is also a leader with a social conscience, driven by a passion for bringing unconventional projects to life. This is reflected in her remarkably diverse portfolio that includes commissioning new music, producing full-scale scenic oratorio performances, innovative song recitals, improvisation, and founding ensembles. Her work is always guided by a commitment to building communities, finding purpose and meaning, promoting sustainability, and fostering empathy through thoughtful musical performance and engagement.

Spies is a versatile freelance artist, performing as a concert, opera, and ensemble singer across Europe. She regularly performs as part of the prestigious ensembles Collegium Vocale Gent, Chorwerk Ruhr, and RIAS Chamber Choir. She is a founding and leading member of Seicento Vocale, a vocal ensemble attracting attention for their striking programming and performances. As a soloist, she specialises in oratorio and art song, with a repertoire that encompasses everything from early music to contemporary compositions.
Julia completed her studies between 2009 and 2019, first at the HfM Detmold under the guidance of Gerhild Romberger and Manuel Lange (BA, MA). She then gained further inspiration at the HfMT Köln under the mentorship of Lioba Braun and Michael Gees (Konzertexamen). In addition to her performance career, she also completed a degree in musicology at the University of Paderborn.

https://www.juliamariaspies.de

Jesse Flowers

From the gentlest of whispers to visceral percussive power, Jesse Flowers ‘reveals the full potential of the classical guitar’ (Badische Zeitung). His playing has captivated audiences at renowned venues such as the Wigmore Hall, Aldeburgh Festival, and the Musikverein in Vienna, and has taken him on concert tours spanning his homeland Australia, Europe, China, and the USA.

A number of prizes at international solo guitar competitions, in Salzburg, Zagreb, London, Koblenz, Nürtingen, Alessandria, and Darmstadt, helped establish himself on the international scene, as did prizes at prestigious multi-instrumental competitions, including the Deutscher Musikwettbewerb and the Prinzessin Margaret von Hessen Wettbewerb.

As of April 2020, Flowers is Professor for Guitar at the Akademie für Tonkunst Darmstadt in Germany, where he teaches both undergraduate and postgraduate students. Beyond this he also gives masterclasses at guitar festivals and universities across the world.

https://www.jesse-flowers.com/

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Julia Spies

Julia Spies, mezzo-soprano, is more than an exceptional concert artist, earning accolades for her “profoundly sensitive and emotionally touching interpretations”, (O-Ton Kulturmagazin). She is also a leader with a social conscience, driven by a passion for bringing unconventional projects to life. This is reflected in her remarkably diverse portfolio that includes commissioning new music, producing full-scale scenic oratorio performances, innovative song recitals, improvisation, and founding ensembles. Her work is always guided by a commitment to building communities, finding purpose and meaning, promoting sustainability, and fostering empathy through thoughtful musical performance and engagement.

Spies is a versatile freelance artist, performing as a concert, opera, and ensemble singer across Europe. She regularly performs as part of the prestigious ensembles Collegium Vocale Gent, Chorwerk Ruhr, and RIAS Chamber Choir. She is a founding and leading member of Seicento Vocale, a vocal ensemble attracting attention for their striking programming and performances. As a soloist, she specialises in oratorio and art song, with a repertoire that encompasses everything from early music to contemporary compositions.
Julia completed her studies between 2009 and 2019, first at the HfM Detmold under the guidance of Gerhild Romberger and Manuel Lange (BA, MA). She then gained further inspiration at the HfMT Köln under the mentorship of Lioba Braun and Michael Gees (Konzertexamen). In addition to her performance career, she also completed a degree in musicology at the University of Paderborn.

https://www.juliamariaspies.de

Jesse Flowers

From the gentlest of whispers to visceral percussive power, Jesse Flowers ‘reveals the full potential of the classical guitar’ (Badische Zeitung). His playing has captivated audiences at renowned venues such as the Wigmore Hall, Aldeburgh Festival, and the Musikverein in Vienna, and has taken him on concert tours spanning his homeland Australia, Europe, China, and the USA.

A number of prizes at international solo guitar competitions, in Salzburg, Zagreb, London, Koblenz, Nürtingen, Alessandria, and Darmstadt, helped establish himself on the international scene, as did prizes at prestigious multi-instrumental competitions, including the Deutscher Musikwettbewerb and the Prinzessin Margaret von Hessen Wettbewerb.

As of April 2020, Flowers is Professor for Guitar at the Akademie für Tonkunst Darmstadt in Germany, where he teaches both undergraduate and postgraduate students. Beyond this he also gives masterclasses at guitar festivals and universities across the world.

https://www.jesse-flowers.com/

Subscribe to our newsletter

We will notify you of new events and publications of new programs.

We don’t send spam. We only save your email address for the purpose of contacting you. The GDPR applies. Find out more in our data protection information.