Orchestra to welcome guest trio at May 1 concert
The dynamic jazz/country/bluegrass/classical string trio Time for Three will join the Skidmore Orchestra in concert at 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 1, in the Arthur Zankel Music Center.
The category-shattering trio transcends traditional classification, with elements of classical, country western, gypsy, and jazz idioms forming a blend all its own. The members -- Zachary (Zach) De Pue, violin; Nicolas (Nick) Kendall, violin; and Ranaan Meyer, double bass -- carry a passion for improvisation, composing, and arranging, all prime elements of the ensemble's playing. What started as a trio of musicians who played together for fun while students at Philadelphia's Curtis Institute for Music evolved into Time for Three, or Tf3 for short -- a charismatic ensemble with a reputation for limitless enthusiasm and no musical boundaries.
Violinists De Pue and Kendall first discovered their mutual love of fiddling in the country western and bluegrass styles. Then bassist Ranaan Meyer introduced them to his deep roots in jazz and improvisation. After considerable experimentation, they officially formed Tf3. The ensemble gained instant attention in July 2003, during a lightning-induced power failure at Philadelphia's Mann Center for the Performing Arts. While technicians attempted to restore onstage lighting, Meyer and De Pue, who were both performing as members of the Philadelphia Orchestra, obliged with an impromptu jam session that included works far afield from the originally scheduled symphony, such as "Jerusalem's Ridge," "Ragtime Annie," and "The Orange Blossom Special." The crowd went wild.
To date, the trio has performed hundreds of engagements as diverse as its music: from featured guest soloists on the Philadelphia Orchestra's subscription series to Club Yoshi's in San Francisco, from residencies at the Kennedy Center to Christoph Eschenbach's birthday concert at the Schleswig-Holstein Festival in Germany, and from the Windpower Expo to the Boston Pops. Their jam-packed 2011-2012 season features their Carnegie Hall debut, a residency at Princeton University, appearances with the Boston Pops, and their first tour of South America. Tf3 continues the third season of their highly successful residency with the Indianapolis Symphony, where they have boosted sales to younger audiences through the ISO's "Happy Hour" series and have become household names. Excitement is building for the follow-up to their smash hit debut album, Three Fervent Travelers, which stayed on the Classical Crossover charts for more than nine months.
The Skidmore College Orchestra will join Time for Three for the second half of the program, including a concerto composed especially for the trio by Chris Brubeck, aptly named "Travels in Time for Three," with a special appearance by drummer Matt Scarano. The combination of orchestra and trio will also perform Gershwin's "Cuban Overture."
The Skidmore College orchestra, conducted and directed by Anthony G. Holland, associate professor of music, is a semi-professional orchestra consisting of Skidmore students and top players from several regional professional orchestras, including the Albany Symphony, Berkshire Symphony, Schenectady Symphony and Glens Falls Symphony Orchestra. The professional members create a unique atmosphere where students participate in a living orchestral lesson each week. This combination of professional and student players creates an exciting synergy and concert atmosphere for players and audience members alike.
Admission for the May 1, 8 p.m. Orchestra Concert is free for Skidmore students, $7 adults, and $5 seniors. For advance reservations click here or call the Zankel box office (518) 580-5321 for more information. The Zankel Music Center is wheelchair accessible and offers listening devices for the hearing impaired. For more information, please click here.