Saturday, June 7, 2014

Think Like a Rock Band

Break of Reality is a successful ensemble of three cellos and percussion that have an unusual approach to their career.

Here they are playing the theme to Game of Thrones:


Pretty cool. You know, I found myself agreeing with just about everything he was saying in the article. If you want a career these days, the way they are going about it might be one of the best. We have these old-fashioned ideas that working hard to build your fan base, to build your career, has a negative effect on the music, but the two things have no necessary connection. Vanessa-Mae notwithstanding! Here is one of their originals, a piece called "Helix".


If you look at the standard bio for a string quartet these days, it tends to reveal just how soul-deadening the traditional approach can be. Studied with professors X, Y and Z at Famous Music School. Did master classes with Famous String Quartets P, D and Q. Won competitions like Big International Competition and The Other Big International Competition. Have played at Famous Music Festivals W, T and F. There is no individuality there as the bio of every string quartet reads exactly the same. I kind of prefer Break of Reality.

Now, if only they played some Haydn, for variety...

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