Last February Alex and Tatiana did their first ever set, as a duo, at the Best Cellar. Just 14 and 11, at the time, they simply blew the audience away with their musical talent, knowledge and stage presence. It was one of the finest evening The Cellar has ever seen.
After the show, Chere Pereira said to me, "You know, the next step for these brilliant kids is for us to have them on a larger stage with one of their heroes." Well, there was one musician that Tatiana, in particular, mentioned several times that night, Bruce Molsky.
Bruce has played everywhere: From the Lincoln Center to Merlefest, From Portland east to Portland west and on to all the great cities of Europe. His talent, and love, for traditional American music has delighted and enlightened audiences all over the globe, and his CD's have been very well received in folk circles; one of them winning "Indie recording of the year." He has a feel for this music like very few before him, and is a wonderful banjo player, fiddler, guitarist, and singer. We are proud to bring him to Corvallis, for the first time.
Alex and Tatiana, of course, have continued to grow as musicians. This spring, shortly after turning 15, Alex won the National Old Time Fiddling Championship, at Weiser Idaho. He is the youngest Grand Champion ever. Last month, Tatiana, now 12, won the junior fiddling championship at the Western Open, in California. But perhaps what's most amazing is that fiddle is not the only instrument either of these young people plays with excellence. Tatiana has become a very fine banjo player and Alex now plays mandolin and guitar with the best of them.
The concert will be December 8th, 7:30, at the Unitarian Church, in Corvallis. Alex and Tatiana will open, Bruce will then do a set. We'll have an intermission and then Bruce will do a second set in which he will bring Tatiana and Alex up for as many songs as the three of them have time to work out earlier in the day.
Tickets will be sold in advance at Grass Roots Books and Music. If you would like to help by volunteering, please contact Mark Weiss (752-7456) or Robin Hargreaves (757-0672). A special thank you owed to the Hilton, by OSU. They are putting Bruce up free of charge.
"It seems to me that anytime a great master can be teamed with the next generation of masters at the moment they have become ready for that experience, it is always very special, no matter what the field of endeavor; and I expect this will be a very special evening of music." — Mark Weiss
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