Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
“Stefan Thordarson is only 12 years old, but he’s a third generation fiddler and unlike most child prodigies, knows how to swing. With father Doug playing second fiddle and rhythm guitar and veteran jazzman Ron Thompson taking Django Reinhardt-style six-string leads, the group possesses a rare blend of youthful energy and old-guy savvy.” - Alex Varty, Georgia Straight, June 2004
“Stefan displays impressive technical command of his instrument as well as a touch of flair...Stefan’s piece ‘Dancing Fox’ has a catchy blues-jazz melody and demonstrates an intrinsic understanding of songwriting.” - Tony Montague, June 2004
CBC News Online with files from Trevor Hughes, The Arts Report
VANCOUVER - An eclectic assortment of young, up-and-coming musicians will be showcased in Vancouver this weekend at the city's third annual Listen Up! New Sounds from the City music festival.
Each year, Listen Up! presents diverse musical acts, with the goal of introducing the young and emerging musicians to the professional stage, as well as offering them a paid gig that will help develop experience performing for a wider audience.
"There's a number of talented musicians out there that never really have an opportunity to showcase in a professional theatre," said Sal Ferreras, a Vancouver percussionist and the curator of Listen Up! Participation in the festival can lead to career opportunities that might not come until much later in a musician's career, after a lot more work, he said.
One of the talented artists featured at Listen Up! this year is 12-year-old Stefan Thordarson. Like many teenagers, he's formed his own garage band, but Thordarson's musical resumé also includes playing fiddle to his father's guitar in a gypsy jazz band called String Fever and playing first violin for the Vancouver Youth Symphony.
Thordarson's home schooling allows for the many hours of practising necessary to maintain his music.
"I get up and have breakfast and I practise violin: gypsy jazz, a bit of modern jazz. Then I do a bit of homework after I practise. I eat lunch. Then I probably practise with my friends," he said, describing a typical day.
Thordarson will join young spoken-word artists, singers, songwriters and instrumentalists performing everything from hip hop to Cuban to world beat music. The festival will also offer free hands-on percussion and guitar workshops. The final night will reunite all the performers and will include a closing night jam that invites even would-be musicians to join in.
"This is a place that's recognized as a place in which music ensembles are born," said Ferreras. "And we want to continue that tradition."
Vancouver's East Cultural Centre hosts the Listen Up! New Sounds from the City music festival through Saturday. - CBC News Online, The Arts Report, January 2004
Discography
StringFever’s debut release, Blue House Sessions (June 2004), celebrates the music that filled the nights of the Blue House concert series. Selections include original compositions by the StringFever members along with engaging arrangements of their favourite gypsy-jazz tunes. Selections from Blue House Sessions have been played on CBC Radio.
Buy Blue House Sessions online at www.cdbaby.com/cd/stringfever.
StringFever has been recorded live by CBC Studio One.
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Download media kit materials from the Press section at www.stringfever.ca.
StringFever is an eclectic string band with its roots in the music of Django Reinhardt and influences from Jazz, Folk, Celtic, Newgrass, Classical and World music. The quartet features Stefan Thordarson, Doug Thordarson, Ron Thompson and Brent Gubbels. Ron, Doug and Brent are the seasoned musicians of the group, who have been active in the Vancouver music scene for many years. The new kid on the block is 13-year-old fiddling dynamo Stefan. Together, their broad ranges of musical interests converge in StringFever’s repertoire of original compositions, jazz standards, energetic fiddle tunes, and rip-roaring-knock-your-socks-off gypsy-jazz!
“Stefan Thordarson is only 12 years old, but he’s a third generation fiddler and unlike most child prodigies, knows how to swing. With father Doug playing second fiddle and rhythm guitar and veteran jazzman Ron Thompson taking Django Reinhardt-style six-string leads, the group possesses a rare blend of youthful energy and old-guy savvy.” Alex Varty, Georgia Straight, June 2004
Ron has played with jazz notables such as Rosemary Clooney, Frank Foster, Joe Henderson, Fraser MacPherson, Della Reese and Don Thompson. His love of world music is evident from his recent musical endeavours. As well as leading his world-class band Gypsalero, Ron has played klezmir with Olam, African world-beat with The World Jive Big Band, and tango with pianist Linda Lee Thomas. Working with StringFever has inspired Ron to write some great tunes that are guaranteed to get people on their feet and dancing!
Doug is a popular Vancouver violinist who has played with The Casablanca Cowboys and Gypsalero. When he had a five-string viola built a few years ago, he wanted to put it to the test. He plays this instrument in the bluegrass band Great Northern and now with StringFever. In StringFever, Doug harmonizes with Stefan on a wide variety of tunes, such as the lyrical Freddie Hubbard piece Little Sunflower, Ron’s wild, gypsy tune Zalmir’s Playhouse, and his own original, fun-filled fiddle tune entitled Humerus Breakdown.
Stefan has played the violin since he was four years old and his musical interests are diverse. As well as playing in StringFever, he plays first violin with the Vancouver Youth Symphony, and is a member of the rock bands GBGB and The Click. Over the past year, Stefan has composed a number of tunes, including Dancing Fox, which can be heard on StringFever’s debut Blue House Sessions.
“Stefan displays impressive technical command of his instrument as well as a touch of flair...Stefan’s piece ‘Dancing Fox’ has a catchy blues-jazz melody and demonstrates an intrinsic understanding of song writing.” Tony Montague, 2004
Brent, the newest member of StringFever, has performed and recorded folk, roots, jazz and Latin music with many noted artists including James Keelaghan, Oscar Lopez, Gypsalero, Susan Crowe, and Compadres. Since 1992, he has toured North America and Europe extensively and played a variety of international jazz and folk festivals.
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