A different mandocello

[Charlieshafer]

The other night, I had Rushad Eggelston, mad cello genius, give a workshop for our youth orchestra string section, about 60 kids from ages 10 to 18. 2-1/2 hours and the kids wanted more. Anyway, the whole point of the workshop was to give the kids some alternative techniques for their bowed instruments, with specific work on rhythmic work, improvisation, dynamics, and especially on attacking notes with conviction (something kids are often loath to do due to fear, for the most part). All of a sudden he stops in mid-lesson and tells the kids, "hey, look what else you can do with your cello!" This was the result:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWgTQGIg_sU&feature=plcp

[Dave Wrede]

Mad Genius indeed! Wonder what would happen if i ripped the frets off my mandocello?

[flagstaffcharlie]

Awesome! My 5 year-old is just getting going on cello. He loved this!

[PJ Doland]

That song is fantastic. Where can I give him money and download a better-quality (studio OR live) recording?

[R. Kane]

Charlie, I hope you really really enjoy what you do, because I am so proud to know you, and truthfully, envious. Imagine that those 60 music students will be doing in 5 years! 5 months!

[billhay4]

Very cool.
Bill

[Charlieshafer]

Charlie, I hope you really really enjoy what you do, because I am so proud to know you, and truthfully, envious. Imagine that those 60 music students will be doing in 5 years! 5 months!

Thanks for that, Richard! It is fun, I have to admit. We're hoping there's an influence on the kids that carries all those years, as well. It goes beyond music, and this is why music education, or any form of creative education, is so critical these days. The folks with the jobs and the income are the creative ones; doing all sorts of things, from writing apps to internet stuff to coming up with interesting ways to re-invent their business to adapt to the "new economy," whatever that is. Gotta be flexible, or it's dinosaur time!

P.J.: Rushad is not what someone would call high tech or marketing savvy. His microphones are duct-taped to his tail piece. The only video of things like this are what the audience takes, in this instance, my 14-year-old daughter sitting on a piano on the church just trying to get some sort of recorder elements. I do have quite a bit we're putting up on youtube, but honestly, the quality is all just adequate, save for the parts where my daughter fell over sideways as she was trying to stretch her legs, then the image becomes a bit more psychedelic. He does have a video on Homespun done with Darol Anger called "Chops and Grooves" or something like that. We'll talk to Rush about maybe a whole new video going over in a less stream-of-consciousness form everything he did in the workshop.