Folk music may not be playing on the the radio but Brigham Young University’s folk music ensemble, Mountain Strings, is changing that.
The folk music ensemble, Mountain Strings, is known to turn folk music into rock and roll, and are now preparing to go and perform in Asia.
Fiddelist, Laura Waters, said, “I am very grateful for the opportunity, it’s really rare to find a folk music program in any school in america; there’s very few. Especially the fact that we get to play with the dance, the international folk dance ensemble and travel with them, such an incredible opportunity.”
Hidden in one of the classrooms on BYU campus, Mountain Strings can be heard from far away.
“It’s a blast. I played with these guys last year and had a little bit of time to grow together as an ensemble and get a lot of great chemistry together. We have a ton of fun and there are some great musicians in this group,” Samuel Higbee said.
Under the direction of Mark Geslison, Mountain Strings made up of fiddle, banjo, guitar, mandeline, piano, base and percussion.
“Mountain Strings is one of a few different ensembles at BYU, it’s considered the top group and it’s the group that we form every year to perform and travel together with the international folk dancers. So, this has been going on for a long time at BYU,” Higbee said.
The group is traveling together with other ensembles to China next year.
Gesliason said, “Certain people in China have been communicating with people here at BYU and they said we want to bring this big epic show from BYU.”
“We want to just capture the attention of the people of China. And that’s what they want, the want us to come over and say, hey, show us what you do.”
There’s a lot to it. They have to be better than average musician and singers.
“I love being able to play music with them and I love that we are such a tight group, I think it helps you play better together and it’s such a blessing.”
Mountain strings’ next concert will be held in the Madsen Recital Hall on December 12.
