Author: Richard Gordon

Serafin String Quartet: Before the Rehearsal

Richard Gordon

The Serafin String Quartet: Lawrence Stomberg, Esme Allen-Creighton, Kate Ransom, and Lisa Vaupel (Clockwise from top)

The Serafin String Quartet: Lawrence Stomberg, Esme Allen-Creighton, Kate Ransom, and Lisa Vaupel (Clockwise from top)

The University of Delaware is very lucky to have The Serafin String Quartet in residence. Dedicated teachers, superb players, and gracious people with excellent insight into the music they play–a winning combination!

We caught up to them after they had just finished a class for a high school string ensemble and were preparing to rehearse works by Beethoven, Borodin, and Still.

The quartet is named after Kate Ransom’s violin, made by the Italian luthier Sanctus Serafin in 1728. Lawrence Stomberg, ‘cello; Lisa Vaupel, violin; and Esme Allen-Creighton, viola, all play Testore instruments from the same era, thanks to generous support from Dr. William Stegeman. The instruments blend together so well. But, as you’ll hear in the interview, the musicians themselves mesh and blend together into a very strong quartet.

We talked about the pieces they are going to play in a concert in the Arts at Trinity series on Oct. 25, next year’s trip to play at Carnegie Hall, other music they will be playing in the coming year, their teaching, their instruments, folk themes in classical music, and many other topics.

If you missed this charming interview when it aired on WVUD, make sure you use the link below to listen. Then visit the Serafin Quartet’s website for more information about their upcoming performances and their recordings.

The Interview

The Serafin String Quartet: Lawrence Stomberg, Kate Ransom, Lisa Vaupel, Esme Creighton-Allen (l to r)
Serafin String Quartet
Recorded 10/8/15; Initial airdate 10/13/15; host: Mandorichard
29:45
28.6 MB

The music

Artist Work Album Label Year
Serafin String Quartet William Grant Still: Danzas de Panama for String Quartet: Tamborito (1st movement) Serafin String Quartet Centaur 2010
Serafin String Quartet William Grant Still: Danzas de Panama for String Quartet: Cumbia y Congo (4th movement) Serafin String Quartet Centaur 2010

Michael Menert: Pretty Fantastic

Richard Gordon

Michal MenertWhen a nationally known producer and electronic musician is coming to the area, that’s news. When he lets WVUD interview him, that’s pretty fantastic news!

Michal Menert, coming to Coda, in Philadelphia, on Th Oct 1, and Mandorichard had a lot of fun talking with each other about Michal’s musical influences, his dad, the rock scene in late 20th century Poland, copyright, using musical samples like a painter uses the colors on his palette–and lots of other topics.

Oct. 1, Michal will be kicking off a nationwide tour with his 6-piece band, the Pretty Fantastics. He said that they are combining live instruments and mixes in a way that is different from a lot of the music he has released in the past.

We listened to “Shanghai,” a single from a new album he and the Pretty Fantastics are about to release and “Jettison” from Space Jazz–both examples of the mixture of layered sampling and live performance. His music is complex, thoughtful, experimental yet approachable.

Listen to the interview linked below. He’s great fun to chat with, and, you’ll enjoy the musical selections, too.

The Interview

Michal Menert
Recorded live, 9/22/15; host: Mandorichard
32:37
31.3 MB

The music

Artist / Song / Album / Year / Notes
Michal Menert / Your Ghost / Elements (EP) / 2014
Michal Menert and the Pretty Fantasics / Shanghai / single / 2015
Michal Menert / Jettison / Space Jazz / 2015

The Railsplitters: The faster they go!

Richard Gordon
The Railsplitters: Dusty Rider, Christine King, Leslie Ziegler, Lauren Stovall, & Peter Sharpe (l. to r.)

The Railsplitters: Dusty Rider, Christine King, Leslie Ziegler, Lauren Stovall, & Peter Sharpe (l. to r.)

The Faster It Goes, The Railsplitters‘ newest CD, starts off with a lively roller-coaster of a song co-written by our guest tonight, the band’s bassist Leslie Ziegler, with the band’s banjoist, Dusty Rider. So we started the interview by taking a ride on “Tilt-a-Whirl,” then welcomed Leslie to the show.

Leslie’s appearance on The Music Room was timely because The Railsplitters are appearing Sunday, September 6, at the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival. She was a gracious guest and shared a lot of insight into The Railsplitters’ song-writing, meeting in Colorado, and varied musical and geographic backgrounds.

What a lively and innovative bluegrass band they are. Tempo changes, hot chops and tasty licks, powerful vocals, stellar instrumental work, a camaraderie that comes through on every track, and even five-part harmony–great stuff. Listen to the interview, then get your hands on their CDs. You will not be disappointed.

The Interview

Leslie Ziegler of The Railsplitters (Recorded live 9/1/15)
30:30
29.3 MB

The Music

Artist / Song / Album  / Year

The Railsplitters / Tilt-A-Whirl / The Faster It Goes / 2015

The Railsplitters / Planted on the Ground / The Faster It Goes / 2015

The Railsplitters / Spray / The Railsplitters / 2013

The Railsplitters / Room at the Top of the Stairs / The Railsplitters / 2013