The Orchestra of Northern New York and The Secret Sits Pro Musica Ensembles, Inc. open their 2025 summer chamber music series this week with an incredibly talented husband and wife duo, The Dotys on Thursday, July 10 at 7 pm in the Adirondack Presbyterian Church in Lake Clear. Admission is free, and donations are gratefully accepted.
The Dotys perform traditional and original tunes from a variety of folk and classical music styles. They wow their audiences with engaging personal interactions that are as fun to watch as they are to listen to. Liesl is an amazing and award-winning violinist and fiddler while Karl is a talented composer and bass player.
LIESL DOTY, Violin – Although originally from quaint Cape Girardeau, MO, Liesl’s career has taken her well beyond the banks of the Mississippi River. Hailed for her “magnetic presence,” she has performed across North America and Europe, appearing at major venues including Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium, Weill Recital Hall, Zankel Hall, The Musikverein, The Kravis Center, The Kennedy Center and performs actively as a soloist having worked with several orchestras in the United States. She has appeared as a recitalist and chamber musician in numerous festivals and concert series including Yellow Barn, Skaneateles Chamber Music Festival, Ottawa Chamber Fest, White Mountain Chamber Music Festival, Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, Sarasota Music Festival, New Music New Haven, Chamber Music at Yale, Orford Centre d’Arts, Sommerakademie Mozarteum in Salzburg and Ferme de Villefavard in France. As a crossover artist, she released three commercial fiddle albums in collaboration with musical legends, Buddy Spicher and David Grier, and has appeared as a guest artist at the Grand Old Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. Since 2009, Ms. Doty has been featured as a soloist in composer/pianist Eric Genuis’ national tours. In 2012, Liesl became a member of Boston’s own Grammy-Nominated chamber orchestra, A Far Cry and has enjoyed touring, recording and collaborating with all 16 of her co-artistic directors in the collective. Her favorite “crier” in the orchestra is her husband, bassist Karl Doty, with whom she performs regularly as part of their classical and crossover duo, “The Dotys.”
Liesl earned her Bachelor and Master of Music from Indiana University under the instruction of Mimi Zweig and Mauricio Fuks and an Artist Diploma from Yale University as a student of Ani Kavafian. Liesl is a candidate in the Doctor of Musical Arts program at New England Conservatory and was the teaching assistant to Lucy Chapman during her studies there. Previous faculty appointments include Dartmouth College, University of New Hampshire, Saint Anselm College and Southeast Missouri State University. She is currently Assistant Professor of Violin at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. She is the concertmaster of the Orchestra of Northern New York.
KARL DOTY, Bass – Born and raised in Duluth, MN, Karl Doty has become one of the most versatile bassists of his generation. Along with being a founding bassist with A Far Cry, he has also recorded and toured internationally with the Grammy award winning Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. Being versed in different musical languages, Karl has performed with Edgar Meyer, Väsen, Darol Anger, K2 and Morning Zephyr as well as with his wife, champion fiddler Liesl Schoenberger Doty. He has performed as a soloist at home and on tour with A Far Cry, BMOP, and the Lake Superior Chamber Orchestra. Karl has performed with the Boston Symphony, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Boston Pops, and New Century Chamber Orchestra. An active chamber musician, Karl has collaborated with the Bridgehampton, Andover, North Country, Long Lake, and Walden chamber players as well as on NEC’s First Monday concert series. Karl received his Bachelor’s degree in double bass performance in 2007 from the New England Conservatory, and his Master’s degree in 2009 on a full scholarship from the same institution.