WU-ICL presentation April 17, 2012

I Didn't Know a Violin Could Do That!... The World of Alternative String Styles
Presented by Daryl Silberman
For WU-ICL, April 17, 2012
Orchestra director at West Salem High School
Former national clinician for Knilling Stringed Instruments
Classical and alternative style violinist and violist

Stringed instruments are steeped in a classical tradition
Let's meet some of the famous young classical players performing today...
Hilary Hahn – violinist
Helen Callus - violist
Alisa Weilerstein – cellist
Jeffrey Bradetich - bassist

What techniques make one a classical player?
Left hand techniques
-Finger dexterity
-Vibrato (in the Baroque this wasn't used, but was an 'embellishment')
Right hand techniques
-Bow usage (notice the fingers, wrist, elbow and shoulder flexibility and usage)

What about all the other genres of music?
-Can a string player play in other styles?
-Consider the tradition of fiddling
-What happened to the blues or jazz string players?
-Where did strings go when Rock 'n Roll hit?
-What do classical teachers think about rebellious young students?

Well, it turns out that “yes,” string players CAN play in different styles
Mark O'Connor – famous fiddler
Mark Wood – Rock 'n Roll violin
Apocalyptica – Rock cellists
Turtle Island String Quartet – a jazz and contemporary group

What techniques does one use to play non-classically?
Left hand technique
-Shakes, swipes, wobbles, slides
-“Hammer ons”
-Right hand technique
Non-classical use of the bow
-Chop
-Ghosting
-Swingin'
-Distortion (ponticello)

What about equipment – can a stringed instrument be amplified?
Tracy Silverman – electric violinist
John Graham – composer/violist
Steven Sharp Nelson – cool cellist
Dana Leong – contemporary cellist
Stanley Clarke – jazz bassist

Who is out there playing non-classical music?
Some violinists...
Darol Anger
Jeremy Kittel
Christian Howes
Jean-Luc Ponty
Bobby Yang
Aaron Meyer
Lindsay Stirling

Who is out there playing non-classical music?
Some violists...
Martha Mooke
Danny Seidenberg (1:20)
Jimbo Ross
Tanya Kalmatovich
Leanne Darling

Who is out there playing non-classical music?
Some cellists...
Natalie Haas (with sister Brittany)
Renata Bratt
Rushad Eggleston
Carol Thorns
Erik Friedlander
Aaron Minsky
Matt Haimovitz

What about the bassists?
Many bass players play in multiple styles – classical, jazz, rock
Story of Adrian Rosen
The coolest Bass Duet ever
Victor Wooten and Edgar Meyer
Rock bass – Billy Sheehan
Jazz bass – Esperanza Spalding
NAMM Bass jam 2012

What groups are out there performing?
Bond
Nuttin' But Stringz
The Section String Quartet
Barrage
Hot Club of San Francisco
Quartet San Francisco
String Fever (History of String Music)
Judgement Day
The Real Vocal String Quartet

What is exciting in the world of 'alternative styles' on stringed instruments?
Time for Three
The Piano Guys
The Cello Song
Me and My Cello

Thank you
This presentation with links can be found at www.altstrings.blogspot.com

Please continue to support live music – classical or not.
~Daryl Silberman