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Do You Hear What I Hear?
On a winter night last February, the Key City Theatre rocked to the sounds of Led Zeppelin’s iconic Kashmir. However, it was not the strings of an electric guitar that sang this driving melody but those bowed on a violin. The violin of Portland, Oregon’s Aaron Meyer accompanied by members of the Cranbrook Violin Club.
Concert Rock Violinist Meyer and his guitarist Tim Ellis thrilled the audience last winter as they carried them on a journey across many musical genres. From rock to Celtic, tango to contemporary, folk to classical, Aaron seamlessly transitioned from one musical style to another within a single bow stroke.
The Cranbrook Violin Club (who brought hip hop violinist Lindsey Stirling to Cranbrook in 2012) is proud to welcome Meyer and Ellis back to the stage of Key City Theatre on Tuesday, December 2, at 7 p.m.
Aaron Meyer began his musical journey at the young age of five and his classical violin training enabled him to debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra at the astounding age of just 11.
One might be surprised to learn that, at the age of 19, Aaron closed his violin case and began a new journey, which would ultimately lead him back to his musical roots with a few new branches.
He embarked on an 11-month expedition following college graduation to some of the most remote regions of Southeast Asia and the South Pacific. Every village, every island, every culture he encountered provided “a powerful and awakening education,” according to Aaron. This together with the experience of a Grateful Dead concert, which he describes as being “the antithesis of what I was taught as a classical violinist-chaos and energy,” he found himself opening his violin case back up again and creating a unique musical style of his own. It is a style that bridges world, contemporary progressive rock and classical genres.
Since returning to his hometown of Portland, Aaron has soloed with major international symphony orchestras and ballet companies as well as performed for numerous world leaders and dignitaries including the Dalai Lama. He has worked with a wide range of artists including Smokey Robinson, Aaron Neville, Everclear and The Temptations.
Having recorded 10 CDs to date, Aaron generates excitement with his fresh and invigorating instrumental style of violin performance.
However, it is his devotion to musical education for children in addition to his generous donation of time to the causes he believes in which inspired the Cranbrook Violin Club to bring Aaron Meyer to our community, not just once but twice.
Started in 2010 by music teacher Kim Lutz, the goal of the Cranbrook Violin Club is to make music accessible to all local families with children. Similar to Aaron, who has taught violin to children in remote areas of Southeast Asia and the South Pacific, director Kim Lutz also volunteers hundreds of hours to the teaching of violin to children within our community. Introducing children to positive adult role models such as Kim Lutz and Aaron Meyer, as well as Lindsey Stirling and Natalie MacMaster is so important in a world where youth are witness to so many athletes who take performance-enhancing drugs and pop-stars who fall from grace under the pressures of fame.
In addition to learning the violin, which fosters confidence and self worth, another important goal of the Cranbrook Violin Club is to provide children with the opportunity to give back to their community.
The Violin Club members perform every year at local seniors’ homes as well as for the Sam Steele Parade and the Relay for Life. In the past three years, the students in the Cranbrook Violin Club have raised more than $5,000 for the fight against cancer.
With a mix of traditional Christmas and contemporary favourites and original compositions infused with Aaron Meyer’s unique blend of classical, progressive rock and world music influence, ‘Do You Hear What I Hear?’ will be one concert you’ll not want to miss!
Tickets are $25 and can be purchased through The Cranbrook Violin Club (250-417-9543) or the Key City Theatre (250-426-7006).
Under the guidance of Aaron and his guitarist Tim Ellis, the children in the Cranbrook Violin Club composed and recorded an original song last February. Club members will be spending the afternoon in master classes again with Aaron Meyer prior to his concert on December 2.
Cranbrook Violin Club
