Barrage: The Wolf Trap Interview

Conducted by Wolf Trap’s PR Intern, Kyla Hsia

I suppose Barrage could be viewed as typical violin virtuosos while they're playing excerpts from the Flight of the Bumblebee, until they start dancing, singing, and leaping around on stage. Rather than performing as a traditional string ensemble, Barrage is part symphony and part rock band. The songs they play are drawn from all genres and regions of the world and really highlight the fact that each member is a spectacular fiddler.

But there’s also a lot going on backstage. I had the chance to interview co-creator, Tony Moore, to find out what life is like beyond Barrage’s supremely entertaining stage show. Unsurprisingly, it sometimes gets rough behind the scenes with injuries to both the performers and their instruments. We also chat about an Evening with Barrage, Barrage’s educational program where they reach out and try to re-energize student orchestras all over the country. There's a lot of great information jam-packed into this 20 minutes...take a listen!

Barrage: The Wolf Trap Interview by Wolf_Trap

Guest post: Great Acts I've Found via Wolf Trap

I am the first to admit that I am pretty musically uninformed in some areas. I can talk to you about Mozart and Beethoven, music from Halo (no really, we have to discuss how awesome this is), or exactly…six words from two Justin Bieber songs—but if you ask me who Jim Morrison is, I can’t tell you a thing. If you show me that famous poster of him, then I may be able to tell you that it was on my friend's wall in college. Fortunately for me, since I’ve started at Wolf Trap, I’ve discovered some pretty fantastic acts to fill up the vast gaps in my music vocabulary:

1. The Greencards

Favorite song(s): Davey Jones and Fascination

Bluegrass generally isn’t something that I’m into or know anything about, but the Greencards are definitely an exception. Recently, they’ve incorporated more influences into their music and have created a great new sound while still keeping true to who they are.

Fascination is the title track from the Greencards's newest album and it's powerful with no unnecessary flash, just the Greencards doing their thing—but with a great melody line like that, how much production do you really need? This song is constantly stuck in my head. As for Davey Jones, it would be cliché to call it haunting, but really. Haunting. Listen to the whole song, and pay special attention to 2:33 in the video. That moment makes this song brilliant and its epic lyrics certainly don’t hurt. The rest of their album, Fascination, is equally fantastic, so even if you’re not a huge fan of bluegrass, still give it a try. I’m bummed that I missed the show they did at The Barns, but who knows? Hopefully they’ll come back again next year.

2. Huey Lewis & the News

Favorite song: It’s Alright

Apparently Huey Lewis & the News were in Back to the Future with their song Power of Love, but I didn’t remember that at all. Instead, the song It's Alright popped up on my Rockapella Pandora station. It’s Alright is Huey Lewis & the News’s doo-wop a capella cover of a Curtis Mayfield & the Impressions song. It’s definitely made these dreary almost-spring months bearable, and also functions as a perfect summer song.

I’m a huge fan of a capella and am also on a huge 80's kick right now, so I was delighted to discover that Huey Lewis & the News fulfill both of those needs. I was worried that I'd miss them when they come to Wolf Trap, but they’ll be performing at the Filene Center in the summer, so it’s alright.

3. Barrage

Favorite song: Asturias

To make up for that terrible word-play at the end of entry no. 2, I present a virtuoso violinist playing a song written for the piano on a violin. As a violinist, I am definitely impressed.

My favorite part about this performance is how interesting it is to watch. Watching a symphony can definitely be less than compelling (this is coming from someone in a symphony). Then there’s Barrage—a violin ensemble known not only for crazy fiddle skills, but also for dancing, leaping, and singing on stage while playing. There’s less of that in this particular video simply because the song is hard enough to play as is, but judging by these pictures, Barrage is definitely worth seeing AND hearing. Luckily, they have two performances on February 23 and 24. Even better, the performance is in The Barns, so while the performers are whirling around the stage, the audience will be close enough to see the hairs in their bows breaking.

And those are my top 3 favorite acts that I’ve discovered since I started at Wolf Trap. How about you guys? What are some great acts you've discovered recently? Share your stories with us!

53rd GRAMMY Awards Performers - Where is the Diversity?

Perhaps it's just me, but throughout the past ten years or so--a time period in which I've actually been paying attention to the GRAMMYs--I've noticed that the performers chosen are generally pretty one-dimensional, and seem to be cherry picked just to bolster TV ratings.

When considering this year's list of performers: Arcade Fire, Barbara Streisand, B.o.B, Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Hudson, Eminem, Lady Antebellum, Lady Gaga, Cee Lo Green and Gwyneth Paltrow with The Jim Henson Company Puppets, Cee Lo Green and Gwyneth Paltrow with The Jim Henson Company Puppets, Mick Jagger and Raphael Saadiq, Miranda Lambert, Bruno Mars, Janelle Monae, Muse, Katy Perry, Rihanna and Drake, and Usher and Justin Bieber with Jaden Smith, I just have to scratch my head and wonder where the Recording Academy's priorities lie.

With the exception of just a few of these, they all seemingly fit into the same mega pop-star category who cater directly to the IDOL crowd. Janelle Monae is the only semi diverse artist in this lineup (I can see an argument for Muse also). Why no performances from other critically acclaimed artists in 2010 like Mumford & Sons, Gorillaz, Robert Plant, Jeff Beck, The Black Keys, or Florence & The Machine? Does everyone just want to see this explosion of mega-stardom perform year after year? I can't imagine so.

The Greencards: The Wolf Trap Interview

Singer/bassist Carol Young wasn't able to join me due to a prior commitment (no big deal just some studio time with Vince Gill), so Kym Warner, co-founder and mandolin player generously broke away for 20 minutes to give me an amazingly comprehensive solo status update on The Greencards before the band's debut at The Barns this Wednesday.

The Greencards have been quietly making some of the best pop-bluegrass with occasional shots of flavored Americana since Nickel Creek announced their hiatus a few years ago. In addition to the band, Warner himself is a ridiculously well kept secret, as you'll see when he shyly acknowledges my inquiry about his reign as the four-time Australian National Bluegrass Mandolin Champion. WOW. He's almost like the second coming of Chris Thile, but with an Australian accent, which makes just listening to him a captivating experience in itself. This show is sure to be one of the best of the year, so clear your schedule on Wednesday night. But first, let Kym Warner school you in the ways of The Greencards, the pop scene in Nashville, and what he thinks of Jack White.


The Greencards: The Wolf Trap Interview by Wolf_Trap