A Second Movement
… is a feature length documentary portrait of GRAMMY® nominated baroque violinist Christina Day Martinson as she navigates the intersection of motherhood, artistry, and ambition while preparing for a career-defining performance.
About the Film
A Second Movement is a feature-length documentary portrait of Grammy-nominated baroque violinist Christina Day Martinson. This deeply personal story offers a meditative glimpse into Christina’s life highlighting the tightrope she walks while balancing the demands of career, motherhood, and marriage. “A Second Movement” is also a testament to the transformative power of music, where personal history enriches artistic expression.
A violinist of profound depth and skill, we follow Christina as she prepares the 23/24 season as Concertmaster with Boston Baroque, and Associate Concertmaster at Handel + Haydn Society, including a tour to Prague. Amidst this busy schedule, Christina also prepares to record and perform Bach’s Chaconne—a piece renowned for its emotional complexity and technical challenges. Of it, Brahms noted that “The Chaconne is for me one of the most wonderful, incomprehensible pieces of music. On one stave, for a small instrument, the man writes a whole world of the deepest thoughts and the most powerful feelings.” It’s here Christina finds herself at a crossroads of artistry and personal history.
Set against the evocative landscapes of the old world and the intimate spaces of personal reflection, archival footage and photos, the film is a meditation on the delicate dance between discipline and passion, the solitary and the communal. It is an elegy to the beauty of mentorship, the art of violin playing, and the unspoken eloquence of life’s unwritten cadenzas.
A Second Movement is also an intimate portrayal of how Christina channels the tumultuous memories of her upbringing into a poignant expression of self-realization and artistic truth. Through her violin, she articulates what words cannot capture, turning a volatile childhood into a legacy of transcendence and beauty.
“Sadly, my story is not an uncommon one.
Many of us move through life holding our past trauma and turmoil buried inside of us. For artists, we often process this pain through artistic expression. I feel so grateful to be able to channel these raw and complex emotions through my music. It has given me solace and comfort - and even transformed some of this torment into joy.”
—Christina Day Martinson
SYNOPSIS
& Key Characters
At the pinnacle of her career, Christina Day Martinson embarks on a profound journey, intertwining her roles as a celebrated violinist, dedicated mother, and resilient individual. A Second Movement delves into Christina's life, capturing her relentless pursuit of musical mastery while confronting the personal challenges that come with it.
The film follows Christina as she unexpectedly records Bach’s Chaconne while on a European tour, a piece that epitomizes both technical prowess and deep emotional expression. This endeavor serves as a conduit for exploring her past, including formative experiences with her esteemed mentor, Vera Beths, in Amsterdam. Reunions with long-time friends and fellow musicians, Johnny Gandelsman and Colin Jacobsen, offer moments of reflection on shared histories and the evolving landscape of classical music.
Christina's collaboration with Jonathan Cohen, conductor and artistic director of the Handel + Haydn Society, provides insight into the world of historical performance practice. As Associate Artistic Director and concertmaster of Boston Baroque, she leads the ensemble through significant milestones, including a landmark tour in Prague, symbolizing the fusion of tradition and innovation.
Interwoven with her professional endeavors are intimate and candid conversations with director Nathaniel Hansen, where Christina reflects on her upbringing, her father's artistic influence and life-long struggle with mental health, and her mother's steadfast support amidst familial volatility. These narratives reveal the foundational role of art and music in her life, shaping her identity and guiding her path.
The documentary also provides slivers of insight into Christina's personal life at home, highlighting her unwavering devotion to her children. The film captures candid moments of family life, illustrating the complexities of balancing a demanding career with the joys and responsibilities of motherhood.
Through performance, archival, animation, and cinema verite footage A Second Movement explores universal themes of passion, resilience, and the sacrifices inherent in the pursuit of excellence. It invites viewers into the nuanced world of a woman who embodies the enduring spirit of artistry, offering a profound reflection on what it means to dedicate one's life to the creation and sharing of beauty.
Christina Day Martinson – Renowned violinist, artistic director and concertmaster of Boston Baroque, assistant concertmaster of Handel + Haydn Society, caregiver, and mother.
Vera Beths – Christina’s former teacher, offering a connection to her musical lineage and personal growth.
Johnny Gandelsman & Colin Jacobsen – Longtime friends and fellow Grammy-winning violinists, reflecting on the bonds formed through music and the healing power of the arts.
Jonathan Cohen – Conductor and artistic director of the Handel + Haydn Society, collaborator in historical performance practice.
Nathaniel (Director) – Engages Christina in introspective dialogues, unveiling deeper layers of her personal and artistic life and the role art plays in recovering from trauma.
Members of Boston Baroque’s XTET (Jesse Irons, Jason Fisher, Sarah Darling, Cullen O’Neil, and Matomi Igarashi
WGBH collaborators Olivia Perez Collellmir, Mehmet Ali Sanlikol, and Michael Leopold
Director’s Statement
As someone married to an exceptionally talented classical musician, my respect and empathy run deep for those brave enough to follow the challenging path of a performing artist. The field is notoriously hyper-competitive, with modest remuneration and scarce opportunities that promise financial security. Yet, it offers a richness of experience that can be just as fulfilling as it is unforgiving.
In crafting this film, my aspiration was to draw viewers into the world of one of early music’s most extraordinary living violinists—Grammy nominated virtuoso Christina Day Martinson. While she may be too humble to ever claim such a title, the dedication, artistry, and humanity she brings to the stage are nothing short of inspiring. This film aims to peel back the curtain on what it takes to prepare and perform at an elite level, to demystify the discipline, the passion, and the relentless pursuit of perfection.
But at its core, this is a story about transformation. It’s about what happens when music provides a conduit for healing and growth. It’s a tale that transcends music, touching on the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
My hope is that audiences will leave with a deeper appreciation for the unseen trials and tribulations of artists like Christina, who channel their life experiences into their art, creating beauty that resonates with us all.
About Nathaniel
Documentary Filmmaker Nathaniel Hansen is an Emmy-nominated, Peabody Award-winning producer, director, cinematographer, editor, and educator whose work spans documentary filmmaking, branded content, and visual storytelling. Over the past two decades, his projects have taken him across the globe, with productions in Japan, China, India, South Africa, England, Albania, Amsterdam, the Czech Republic, and nearly all 50 U.S. states.
Nathaniel’s feature documentary work, described by The Boston Globe as “outstanding,” have screened at Tribeca, SXSW, Hot Docs, and Camden. His films and collaborations have been featured by The New York Times, The Atlantic, Vimeo Staff Picks, National Geographic Shorts, and PBS, as well as broadcast on MSNBC, Peacock!, Amazon Prime, and AppleTV.
As a commercial director, he has created campaigns for brands like Calvin Klein, Clinique, Pantone, Fossil, and Johnson & Johnson. A dedicated educator, Nathaniel leads the Visual Storytelling Lab in the Balkans, lectures for the U.S. Embassy in Albania, and is an affiliated faculty member at Emerson College.
Nathaniel holds an MFA in Visual & Media Arts from Emerson College and lives in Boston with his partner, Felicity Salmon—a classical musician and arts administrator—and their three children. You can read more about Nathaniel’s work here, here, and here.
A tease … but not “the teaser”
We’re still busy editing, with a few more things to film in 2025, but via the link above you can get a feel for the pacing, use of archival, and overall production quality and storytelling vibe we’re after in this film. This clip has NOT been color corrected, audio engineered, or sound designed and does not include animations. Music and music “credits” are temporary.
Cinematic, Intimate Storytelling
The visual storytelling in the film (frame grabs below) capture the essence of Christina Day Martinson’s journey as a musician and artist. Each frame is meticulously composed to reflect the intimacy and personal connection she has with her craft, with her colleagues, and with her family. Combining performance, rehearsal, “day in the life,” archival and interview footage of Christina, along with interviews and candid scenes with important friends who are also her closest creative collaborators, the film aims to depict a detailed portrait.
About Christina
Born in Saskatchewan, Canada, GRAMMY® nominated violinist Christina Day Martinson serves as Concertmaster and Associate Artistic Director for Boston Baroque and is Associate Concertmaster for The Handel + Haydn Society. She has been a featured soloist with Boston Baroque, the Handel + Haydn Society, Joshua Rifkin's Bach Ensemble, Tempesta di Mare, Ars Lyrica Houston, the Unicamp Symphony Orchestra in Brazil and the Philharmonisch Orkest Mozart in Amsterdam.
In 2018, Martinson was nominated for a GRAMMY® Award for Best Classical Instrumental Solo for her tour-de-force performance of the complete cycle of Heinrich Biber’s The Mystery Sonatas (apple | spotify), with Boston Baroque.
Martinson has performed as Concertmaster under conductors such as Roger Norrington, Richard Egarr, Bernard Labadie, Raphaël Pichon, Nicholas McGegan, Laurence Cummings, Harry Christophers and Martin Pearlman, among others. Martinson's performances of the complete Mystery Sonatas in 2012-13 were hailed by The Boston Globe as a Top 10 Performance of the Year in 2012 and chosen by Jeremy Eichler for his Top Concerts of 2013.
A recipient of the NAF- Fulbright Grant and Frank Huntington Beebe Award, Martinson holds degrees from New England Conservatory of Music, Boston, the Royal Conservatory in The Netherlands, and received her Master of Music in Historical Performance from Boston University. She has given chamber music recitals in Jordan Hall, Boston, Ishihara Hall, Japan, the Tage Alter Musik Festival in Regensberg, the Thüringen Bachwochen in Germany, the Casals Festival, Puerto Rico, and at the Leuven Festival in Belgium.
In 2009, Martinson recorded Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (apple | spotify) with Boston Baroque for Telarc Records.
Photo by Lauren Damaskinos
“Luminous…Achieving a wide range of hues in her tone, Martinson plays the expressive pieces flawlessly,.....The sound quality of these first-rate performances is clear, vivid, and present.”
“Christina Day Martinson makes light of the virtuosity of this deeply profound music.”
Christina is the only baroque violinist in history to have been nominated for a Best Classical Instrumental Solo GRAMMY®
“ [Martinson’s] playing [featured] a fearless technique and, best of all, a delightful sense of spontaneity and imagination”
“This is story-telling par excellence, Martinson’s polished technique and elegant musicianship fired in the kiln of imagination to produce mind-pictures of such vividness that the Greek term ekphrasis, with all its rhetorical associations, hardly covers it – ”
Why Christina’s Story
For me, documentary filmmaking isn’t a window—it’s a conversation.
When I first set out to make this film, I thought it was going to be about Christina—her relationship to music, the extraordinary skill that’s brought her across continents, and the personal strength that’s often hidden behind decades of discipline. It is about Christina, and it is about those things, but along the way, the story started to reveal itself as something more: a dialogue—not just between subject and filmmaker, but between past and present, trauma and healing, music and silence.
This approach has already ruffled some feathers—particularly among music purists who prefer a story that sticks to a singular celebration of the music itself, or who question whether Christina is the “right” person to share that story. But this isn’t about conforming or staying neatly within the lines. It’s about sharing an experience—one that lives in the messy spaces, the contradictions, and the conversations that don’t always resolve but still resonate. At its core, it’s a deeply personal, human story—and music is the thread that carries us through.
Christina’s story is not uncommon—which is precisely what makes it important. There are so many “Christina’s” out there: artists, caretakers, quiet forces, and ordinary people who carry heavy personal histories but still manage to create something beautiful. It’s these kinds of stories that I have always felt deeply compelled to help share—especially when they exist under the surface of public life, rarely acknowledged for the complex, layered narratives they are.
But I also realized—partway through making this film—that my pull toward Christina’s story wasn’t just professional. It was personal.
There are echoes of my own life here—my childhood; inherited generational trauma; my ongoing journey with mental health; the creative collaborations and personal relationships that have grounded me; and a transformative experience this past year that deepened my understanding of how music weaves through life, death, and everything in between.
Music has always been a constant in my life—a source of creation, connection, reflection, and meaning—even if I never pursued it professionally. But it’s not just that connection to music that draws me to Christina’s story. It’s the intersection of all these threads—creativity, resilience, trauma, the search for self, and the desire to make sense of where we come from and who we become—that makes her story feel both deeply personal and profoundly universal.
The Liminal Space: Where Stories Meet
But this isn’t my story. And that’s where the challenge lies.
I didn’t want to approach this film as a passive observer. Instead, I’ve leaned into an approach inspired* by dialogic ethnography—a method in the fields of anthropology and folklore study that acknowledges the space between subject and filmmaker as a fertile ground for meaning-making. It’s not about “capturing” Christina’s story from the outside but about participating in it, co-creating a space where honesty, vulnerability, and reflection can surface.
This idea is most present in the film’s animated sequences—a kind of liminal, shared space where Christina and I can step outside the constraints of a formal interview. In these moments, we’re not just artist and subject—we’re two people, friends, each carrying our own histories, using art to process and reflect. It’s where music and conversation become more than sound; it becomes memory, emotion, and the unspoken language that connects us.
This film doesn’t pretend to offer neat answers. It doesn’t follow a perfect narrative arc. Instead, it lingers in the messy, beautiful middle—the space where our understanding of ourselves is fluid, where trauma isn’t always resolved, and where music becomes the thread that holds it all together.
For me, this is where documentary shines—not in perfect storytelling but in honest conversation. And my hope is that, in watching this film, viewers find pieces of themselves in Christina’s journey—not because her story is rare, but because it carries the emotional truths we all navigate: resilience, loss, healing, and the search for meaning. (Surely this is what Bach was experiencing when he penned his Chaconne in D Minor!) Her experiences may not be uncommon, but the way she transforms them through music—turning pain into beauty and chaos into harmony—reveals something deeply human. It’s in that transformation where connection happens, and where this film finds its home.
*Footnote:
A deep acknowledgment to my friend and mentor, Dr. Phillip McArthur, whose work in ethnography and artful storytelling continues to offer both inspiration and hope in navigating complex narratives. And to his esteemed colleague, Dr. Patricia Sawin, whose decades-long scholarship in dialogic ethnography has reframed the dynamic between ethnographer and subject, advocating for storytelling in this context as a shared, co-creative process.
Nathaniel Hansen - Producer, Director, Editor
“Now, more than ever, it feels essential to share stories like Christina’s—stories about artistry, resilience, and the quiet, often unseen work of pursuing a creative life. The world feels like it’s in constant turmoil, and while I’ve worked on social justice films and projects tied to urgent current events, those aren’t the stories I daydream about sharing. With a background in the humanities, music, and theatre, I’m drawn to ‘every-person’ narratives, and especially to individuals who dedicate themselves to their craft, not for fame or recognition, but because it’s how they move through the world. These stories (as films) might not be the ones that land in the ‘sexy’ festival lineups or catch a distributor’s eye, but they’re the stories that stay with you—the ones that remind us of our shared humanity, even when everything else feels like it’s unraveling. It’s stories like Christina’s that give me hope. ”
Visual Storytelling Through Memory and Music
A Second Movement weaves together 8mm archival footage and 35mm slide photographs from Christina’s childhood, offering a deeply personal lens into her early life. Shot by her father, a gifted visual artist, these home movies capture moments of beauty and creativity while hinting at the underlying instability caused by his mental health struggles.
To explore the abstract emotional terrain of Christina’s journey—both as a musician interpreting complex works like Bach’s Chaconne and as a daughter navigating family turmoil—the film incorporates hand-drawn animations.
These sequences blur the line between sound and image, visualizing not only the music but also the emotional undercurrents that words and archival footage alone cannot fully express. The result is a rich, layered portrait of artistry, resilience, and the intricate balance between personal history and creative expression.
Beyond depicting memory, animation serves as a bridge between Christina’s musical interpretation and her personal journey. Pieces like Bach’s Chaconne are not just performed; they are felt and visualized through abstract, hand-drawn sequences that mirror the music’s complexity and Christina’s own emotional resonance with it. These animated moments—such as a violin performance surrounded by swirling birds or hands cradling a fragile bird—symbolize themes of fragility, resilience, and freedom. They also help to bridge moments where there is no “image” to show; Christina’s summers in Mexico, finding her voice in Amsterdam while on a Fulbright, or Bach’s layered symbolism and hidden messages within the musical notation of his Chaconne.
By blending archival footage, live action documentary interviews and cinema vérité, music performance, and animation, A Second Movement creates a multi-sensory experience that allows viewers to connect with Christina’s story on both an intellectual and emotional level. The film becomes not just a biography, but an immersive exploration of memory, artistry, and personal growth.
Animatic (early draft) of one of the sequences in the opening titles for the film.
Timeline
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We are nearing the completion of filming for "A Second Movement." Over the past two years, our crew has dedicated over 30 filming days capturing the remarkable journey of violinist Christina Day Martinson in various locations, including Boston, Amsterdam, the Berkshires, and the Czech Republic. While there are still a few key scenes to film, we are on track to wrap production by the end of June 2025. Stay tuned as we bring this compelling story to life.
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Editing is currently underway for "A Second Movement," as we meticulously refine the narrative and visuals to create a cohesive and powerful film. Our goal is to achieve a "picture lock" by August 2025, Animations, sound design, color correction, will all happen within this period as well as we zero in on festival submissions. We remain committed to maintaining the integrity of Christina’s story while enhancing the emotional depth and cinematic experience for our audience.
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The earliest festivals open for submissions in September, and we’re working hard to get the film in a place where we can confidently send it off, in an ideal world by September 1, 2025.
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The landscape for independent, low-budget films is challenging, but it offers new opportunities for innovative distribution. With platforms like HBO and Netflix moving away from direct festival acquisitions and festivals no longer being the sole path to success, A Second Movement can thrive outside traditional models. While less than 2% of documentaries make it into top festivals like Sundance, TIFF, and Tribeca, we believe in Christina’s story and its ability to resonate beyond the festival circuit.
We’re pursuing a hybrid distribution model: film screenings paired with live performances by Christina and engaging Q&A sessions. This interactive format fosters deeper audience connections and offers a unique experience that traditional screenings can't match. Starting with venues like the Coolidge Theater, MFA, and Jordan Hall in Boston, we plan to expand to other U.S. cities through partnerships with classical music promoters.
This approach, successful for other sub-$5M films, builds a dedicated following and transforms each screening into a community event. Leveraging Christina’s musicianship and approachable personality, we’ll attract audiences passionate about film and classical music. This grassroots momentum will position us well to approach streaming services, backed by an engaged audience that enhances the film’s value.
How you can help
$650k - Total Budget
$200k - Successfully Raised
$100k - Committed Match
$350k - THE GAP
This funding will allow us to complete production, finalize post-production (editing and animation), and handle all aspects of finishing the film, including color correction, sound design, mixing, scoring, and mastering. It will also support festival submissions and help launch distribution events in select cities.
Now more than ever, we need stories that inspire hope, foster connection, and show us pathways to healing. A Second Movement is one of those stories—a testament to resilience, creativity, and the transformative power of music.
We invite you to be part of bringing this story to life. Contributions from donors, executive producers, and sponsors will directly support the film’s completion and help share it with audiences who need it most.
All donations are tax-deductible through our fiscal sponsor, Newton Baroque.
100% of your donations
go directly to completing the film thanks to the generous fiscal sponsorship provided by Newton Baroque, a Massachusetts-based 501(c)3 non-profit.
A Built-In Audience
(an argument for why self-distribution with a tour of the film as an “event,” i.e. an evening with a screening, Q&A, and performance by Christina “and friends” makes a lot of sense).
The classical and early music community in North America represents a vast and deeply engaged audience, with a built-in network of organizations, institutions, and media outlets passionate about the art form. With over 1,200 symphony orchestras, 2,500 community bands, 50+ early music ensembles, and countless opera companies, chamber groups, and festivals, this ecosystem is not just an audience but a network of potential champions—people invested in the survival and evolution of classical music, eager to support stories that celebrate their world.
This community is further amplified by an extensive media landscape dedicated to promoting and covering classical music. More than 70 public media organizations operate 165+ classical radio stations and 90+ internet streams, reaching nearly 11 million listeners weekly. Additionally, leading publications such as BBC Music Magazine, Gramophone, The Strad, Opera News, and Classical Voice North America provide ongoing coverage, critical reviews, and industry insights that shape the conversation around classical music today.
By tapping into this highly engaged, well-organized, and deeply connected network, A Second Movement has the potential to resonate widely, securing distribution, partnerships, and financial support from those who already champion this art form.
This isn’t just a film—it’s a story that belongs to an entire community, ready to be told and embraced.
Tripod Studios
In Partnership with
New Leaf Production Group
Presents
A Second Movement
Featuring
Christina Day Martinson
also featuring
Pieter Affourtit
Vera Beths
Jonathan Cohen
Jason Fisher
Johnny Gandelsman
Colin Jacobson
Haldan Martinson
with
Sarah Darling
Jesse Irons
Motomi Igarashi
Cullen O’Neil
Martin Pearlman
Matthew Principe
the X-TET
Brooklyn Rider
Executive Producers
Ryan Alexander
You?
Co-Executive Producers
Travis Smith
Tillia Smith
Co-Producers
Patrick Brysh
Dan Ludden
Lee Strauss
Consulting Producer
Jennifer Ritvo Hughes
Cinematography by
Lee Strauss
Original Score by
TBD
A film by
Nathaniel Hansen
Boston/Amsterdam/Czechia Crew
Lee Strauss - Cinematography
Pat Brysh - Movi-Op, Camera Op
Jon Brysh - Gaffer
Djim Reynolds - Production Audio (and BW film photos in this section!)
Nathaniel Hansen - Camera Operator
Czech Republic
Patrick Kirschner - Co-Producer / Line Producer
Filip Volenec - Production Manager
Samuel Mrázik - Production Assistant
Martin Fulín - Gaffer
Lukáš Hromek - Key Grip
Jakub Veinlich - Camera Assistant
Timotej Sturc - Best Boy Grip
Natálie Kirschnerová - Make up Artist
Pavel Kuncar - Chaconne performance Audio Engineer
Audio Engineering
Antonio Oliart
Stills Photography by
Lauren Damaskinos
Animations by
Luke Gibson
Dressmaker
Elizabeth Potter