Update: Cancelled, because of to Covid: Summer months Appears | ARKAI

Sunday, July 17, 2022, 5PM
Plummer Park, 7377 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90046

ARKAI’s genre-bending new music fuses classical virtuosity with up to date technological innovation, forging new alternatives for what a violin and cello can be. Winners of the 2021 Astral Artists National Auditions, their previous engagements have integrated performances at The Satisfied Breuer, Rockwood Music Corridor, Juilliard Faculty, Lincoln Heart, Carnegie Hall, and the 92nd Road Y. Their digital debut composition, “Letters from COVID”, was highlighted at TED@PMI for a global viewers of about 30,000 individuals. Jonathan from ARKAI chatted with WEHOville for this distinctive Q&A.

I’m a record government, and I’m offering you three sentences to pitch your band and your music. Go!

ARKAI is an award-profitable violin/cello duo comprised of two Juilliard grads (Jonathan Miron & Philip Sheegog) that are charting new options for what instrumental audio can be. Our songs is a fusion of the aged and the new – via the devices we enjoy (acoustic + electrical), the technology we use, and the genres we channel (classical satisfies rock) – building dynamic and impressive musical experiences that have inspired audiences all-around the entire world. Earlier appearances involve The Satisfied, Chateau Marmont, Community Theater, Lincoln Middle, Carnegie Hall, and TED.

ARKAI … where did that identify occur from?

ARKAI will come from the Greek ἀρχαί that has many meanings including ‘source of action’, ‘leaders’, and ‘vanguard’. When we ended up initially starting out, we assumed it was a fitting name for what we ended up undertaking with our songs. The fantastic news is that we even now think it to be real a long time later!

What sets your songs aside from functions that are very similar to you?

Excellent question! I believe what sets us aside is that in a lot of methods, what we’re undertaking is unparalleled, in particular what we’re ready to realize through just a two-member band. There are string groups that have taken their classical songs training and virtuosity and crossed in excess of into the mainstream music scene with extraordinary success (2CELLOS, for case in point). There are also exceptional artists who channel diverse stylistic influences in creating original audio that transcends style (ex. Bela Fleck and the Flecktones). We consider to do it all – fusing the virtuosity of our Juilliard coaching with the incredible alternatives of fashionable technology and a really like for distinct varieties of tunes – all in hopes of making new, modern songs that displays our globe and speaks to diverse audiences. Our performances really feel significantly nearer to a rock display than a classical a person – epic in scope, sonically and visually dynamic, emotionally substantive – a journey that we hope is transformative and not like any other concert.

You fellas give a lot more functionality than your typical classical musician. How did you create your phase showmanship? How do you use it to marketplace yourselves?

The two of us have been performing given that we were young ones, so currently being on phase is in our blood. We have been trained as classical performers, but there was a minute in our faculty yrs exactly where we understood that we needed to do a lot more with our music. At any time because, we’ve led with a curiosity and wish to master from legendary mainstream performers and the transformative encounters they generate for their fans. Making our great ‘ARKAI’ practical experience is a little something that is regularly changing as we improve and our tunes evolves. As for advertising, audiences have surely taken detect of how we’re exceptional. I signify, two dudes rocking out on the electric powered violin + cello in a club with interesting lighting…don’t convey to me that does not intrigue you just a little bit?!

Tell me about your self. In which did you grow up? When did songs develop into your entire-time enthusiasm?

I have developed up living all over the earth – born in Taiwan, then Singapore, Cincinnati, and New York City (my residence for the final 16 several years). When I was a wee lad, I would sit and check out the famous cellist, Yo-Yo Ma, conduct about and about again on Laserdisc (yep, those days). Story goes that I demanded to engage in the cello when I was 4 decades aged, so my parents had one produced for me. It finished up being even larger than I was, so I switched to the violin (the tiny cello), which has been a aspect of me ever since.

3 musical artists you are at this time listening to?

Kishi Bashi, Jacob Collier, Khruangbin

Which artist would you really like to be the opening act for on a earth tour?

Jon Batiste. That dude does it all – exceptional chops, outstanding artistry that transcends style (jazz, classical, pop, you title it!), film composer, late-evening band leader, all-around form and generous human, and so a great deal much more!