Trio of great talent to play at Wadsworth

Published: Friday, November 1, 1996

Friday, November 1, 1996

MUSIC:

Ma, Meyer and O'Connor combine skills in moving string performanceBy Susan Lee

Daily Bruin Contributor

Some say it's all in the family. The string family that is.

Using a cello, double bass and fiddle, musical artists Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer and Mark O'Connor will bring together a unique blend of classical, jazz and bluegrass sounds this Saturday at the Veterans Wadsworth Theater. The program, entitled "Appalachia Waltz" after their collectively produced CD of the same name, is the product of brainstorming between the three. "As I grew up, I always admired him (Ma) and I loved having a chance to work with Mark, so we flirted with various ideas about how to do it and ... there it was," Meyer says.

One of the primary influences on "Appalachia Waltz" was the natural world itself. "It's easy to get ideas for shaping a piece from something beautiful, whether mountain or tree," Meyer says. "Good ideas flow from just looking at it ... the secret to writing is to be open and discover things."

Musically, Ma, Meyer and O'Connor could not have come from more varied backgrounds but they are tied together by the strings of fate. O'Connor first worked with Meyer on an MCA records project in 1985 and met Ma a few years later. From then on, it was "a natural step for all of us to work together" Meyer says, as they became part of an extended musical family. "The nature of the project is a coming together of three people who are very different ... and it's very exciting when it works," Meyer says.

While determination and hard work have no doubt played an essential role in all of their lives, another obvious commonality is their adoration of music. "The bottom line is enthusiasm and a love of music ... at the very least it's that," Meyer says.

That enthusiasm has payed off and audience reactions attest to this. "Virtuosity" is the word often used to describe Ma's playing, and his cello performances are famous world wide. People call O'Connor's fiddling wizardry "unbelievable," while they speak of Meyer's playing as "amazing." It's no wonder that each musician has garnered numerous awards and honors, especially considering what an early start they had.

Ma gave his first public recital at age 5 while O'Connor won every major fiddle competition in the country as well as recorded four albums by the time he was in high school. Meyer, who started playing the double bass at 5, grew up inspired by his father, who also played the bass. "The simple feeling of being alive and identification with the instrument is very complete," Meyer says. "Playing is the same as breathing ... it's a simple answer; music makes you feel alive, and gives me the feeling of vitality. Without it things are a little dull."

It is lucky that he loves music enough to tote around his 20-25 pound double bass, which often stirs up many conversations among onlookers. "It's a little of an extra hassle on an airplane," Meyer says, "And then there's the people who ask you stuff like ... 'Don't you wish you'd taken up the piccolo?'"

Lured by the lush beauty of the music they create, audiences have no choice but to be captivated by their mastery of instruments. "Musicianship carries a whole lot of things curiosity of music or excitement or love of music are fundamental things that drive the engine and makes it go. Without them, then we tend to fall a little short," Meyer says.

However, falling short hardly describes the performances that these three acclaimed artists have given. Whether solo, trio, or orchestral, audiences looking forward to this performance will no doubt hear Ma, Meyer and O'Connor give heart, soul and feeling to those bountiful black notes scribbled across a flood of papers.

MUSIC: Yo-yo Ma, Edgar Meyer and Mark O' Connor perform "Appalachia Waltz" Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Veterans Wadsworth Theater. The concert will be broadcast Monday on KCRW, National Public Radio. For more info, call 825-2101.