v i o l i n a n c y

ABOUT VIOLINANCY: I’m an improvising violinist, violist, and new cellist originally from the West, but with East coast style (Phoenix to Boston to NYC to San Francisco). Playing for over 22 years, I’ve focused my life around performing, teaching, writing, working and engrossing myself in music. I have worked in the music industry for the last 7 years in sales, marketing, royalties, and education. I also play sitar and er hu (read: I’m not versed in these ethnic instruments).
THE TEACHING SIDE: Also, I’ve been teaching private and group violin and viola lessons for the past 14 years. My expertise lies in teaching technique, improvisation, theory, and most importantly, music made FUN. From making music fun for younger string players to advising and coaching entering Berklee College of Music students to working with adult beginners integrating music into a busy lifestyle, I can work with you.
I have enjoyed collaborating with a wide range of talented artists and groups and love contributing ideas and energy to projects.
Also, I was recently in a local film playing an unusual instrument called the Stroh Violin; the festivities go on in December. The film is an archival film footage of the Elationists--that is, the 100 year old footage that was rediscovered and revealed more of the Elationists’ story. For more information about the whimsical Elationists, visit www.elationists.org.
I just completed a session in the studio, recording tracks with:
*Pasquale Esposito, Italian pop/opera singer in SF
*We Is Shore Dedicated, indie rock band in SF
*Putnam Murdock, singer songwriter in SF
I’m always open to working with other groups and creative artists.
Classical and gypsy really get to the core of my soul. Hip hop gets my bootie moving. Experimental gets me pondering. Inspiration creates the scratches and scribbles I like to call music. And I like anything with a minor twist.
Passions include Bartok, Shostakovich, Glass, Reich, Bjork, Zeppelin (BBC Sessions, man!), John Legend, Ornette Coleman, Sublime, Andrew Bird, the Turtle Island String Quartet, Buena Vista Social Club, Laurie Anderson, Verve Remixes, Lounge….it’s a mixed bag.
Venues I have played at include:
CA:
Alameda Elk’s Club
Amnesia
Annie’s Social Club
Bayshore Boathouse
Beale Street Bar and Grill
Blue Rock Shoot
Blank Club
Blondie’s
Cafe Du Nord
Canvas Gallery
Clarion Alley
Club Feral
De Young Museum
Delancy Street
Eagle Tavern
El Rio
Edinburgh Castle
Fillmore’s Poster Room
Harbin Hot Springs
Hyatt Regency Union Square
Hotel Utah
House of Shields
Intersection of the Arts
Joint (The)
Kitchen 868
Last Day Saloon
Lit Lounge
Makeout Room
Marriot Hotel
Mezzanine
Million Fishes Art Collective
Mission Cultural Center
Neimen Marcus
O’Reilly’s Holy Grail
Oakland Metro
Paradise (The)
Paramount Theater
Pistol Pete’s
Revolution Cafe
Rock It Room
San Anselmo Playhouse
San Jose Tapestry Arts Festival (2007)
Santa Clara Convention Center
Slim’s
Stanford University
St. Francis Hotel
The Uptown
12 Galaxies
UC Berkeley
Velou Rouge Cafe
Warfield
Weinstein Gallery
NY:
Alice Tully Hall (Lincoln Center)
Bowery Mission
Bowery Poetry Club
C-Note
Cutting Room
Downtime
Freddy’s Bar and Backroom
Irving Plaza
Knitting Factory
National Arts Club
Nuyorican Cafe
Princess Cruiselines
Regis Hotel
Satalla
Sweet Cafe
Weill Hall (Carnegie Hall)
More sounds coming soon!!
P.S. All the violin pics from my website and myspace were taken by the ever talented Rocko from www.bittermanphotography.com.