Harpeth Rising Performance in Long Grove
Harpeth Rising Performance at the Long Grove Arts & Music Council Series
'Chamberfolk' trio of violin, cello and banjo continues journey through original music
Harpeth Rising has been selected as musical ambassadors for the 2018 State Department's cross-cultural exchange program, American Music Abroad Program. Out of three hundred applicants, fifteen ensembles have been chosen to perform and travel around underserved countries in the world, embarking in a series of concerts and cultural exchange programs.
Chamberfolk: Three classically trained musicians playing original music, as intricately arranged as a string quartet, lyrically rooted in the singer/songwriter tradition, and wrapped in three-part vocal harmonies reminiscent of both Appalachia and Medieval Europe. Building from the tonal depth of the cello (or is it a bass?), layer in the shimmering sounds of a violin and the strikingly natural addition of banjo to create a sound at once familiar and impossible to categorize. Unapologetic genre-benders, Harpeth Rising fuses Folk, Newgrass, Rock and Classical into something organically unique. The three musicians each hold classical performance degrees from some of the most venerated schools in the world: Indiana University, Oberlin, Eastman School of Music. Hallmarks of their music include expansive three-part harmonies, consummate musicianship and a deft, yet soulful, lyrical perspective.
Against All Tides, Harpeth Rising's sophomore album as a trio, is proof that authenticity and complexity can live in harmony. It is an exploration of spirituality in place of fundamentalism, uncertainty as philosophy, and an unwavering declaration that human connection is the ultimate force for good in the universe. The songs, crafted lyrically by Jordana Greenberg and arranged by all three members of the trio - Maria Di Meglio, Michelle Younger and Greenberg - do not intend to distract from the social and political atmosphere. They are the vehicle by which the band has chosen to add their voices to the ongoing fight for understanding and respect. Altogether, they present a picture of determined optimism: Things are not as they should be, but we will push back, against all tides.
Their previous release, SHIFTED, debuted at #1 on the Folk-DJ charts, and gained them international exposure, leading to headlining slots at festivals including Kerrville Folk Festival (Texas), The National Folk Festival (Australia), Brevard Music Festival (North Carolina), Musicport Festival (England), and Costa Del Folk (Portugal).
Harpeth Rising is on tour and will perform at the Long Grove Arts and Music Council Series on Sunday, July 22nd at 4 PM. The concert is free and open to the public, but donations are gratefully accepted. For more information, visit www.lgamc.org or e-mail info@lgamc.org. The concert will take place at Towner Green, 132 Old McHenry Road/Towner Green, Long Grove, IL 60047 (Old McHenry Road Across from the Village Tavern). More information is available at www.harpethrising.com