My cello and I had the pleasure of accompanying Anais Mitchell on stage while she was in town this month. (Thank you Fremont Abbey Arts Center!) Anais is a sweet, sweet lady - her voice is beautifully unique, and I was really impressed by the clarity it provides the melodies she sings.

She recently came out with her new album/folk-opera, Hadestown. Truly a beautiful collection of work. People hardly come out with real albums these days. You know, the type that really require you sit down and listen to the collection from front to back. Hadestown is just that. I've left it in my car - so I can listen to it from front to back, over and over. It's a beautiful story. Buy Hadestown here.

Here's the first song (for FREE) of the album featuring Justin Vernon of Bon Iver and Anais Mitchell. The premise of the song? Anais' character asks her musician-fiance, "How they will support each other once they're married." Justin's response? "Don't worry bout it. I'll just play my songs and the earth will take care of us."

Wouldn't that be nice... sigh...

And just for kicks (this ones not on Hadestown) Justin Vernon & Anais sing "Lovin's for Fools."

Yesterday I played with Tomo, Shenandoah, Alina, and Jacqueline of Grand Hallway (plus ~5 other musicians) live on KEXP.

For my out-of-state friends, KEXP is the ultimate indie rock station in, well, probably the whole world. It’s the kind of station that when announcing the songs you just heard, you don’t know whether they’re actually naming band names or just using incomplete sentences. (Indie bands can get pretty creative.) There’s an air of refined snobbery to KEXP, and rightly so, they’ve worked hard to get where they’re at. Plus, you’re not worth a thing in Seattle if you’re not nonprofit, so... brownie points for them.

Now, let me tell you that I’ve played in some pretty crazy stressful situations. College admissions. Recitals. Concerto performances. Auditions galore. And the caliber of stages I’ve played on would be enough to make a Great Dane shake like a Chihuahua. All this, and I haven’t had more than a twinge nervousness.

The only time I get nervous is on the radio. Every week for 3.5 years I DJ’ed for my college radio station: 88.1 FM KTXT (Rest in Peace.) And it never failed. I’d walk through the doors of the station and a flood of nerves would prick my skin right through to my stomach. No amount of breathing would suffice or settle me down. The only thing that removed the massive knot in my stomach was to just go for it.

Radio is a weird thing. Perhaps it’s because I don’t know how many people actually aren’t listening. It’s probably because I’m used to judging how the audience is receiving a performance, or how a friend is receiving my words. I’m just in a room talking/playing) away with this ghost-of-the-unknown hovering above me.

So radio... zoom from college years to yesterday. That familiar feeling of needles in my belly washed over me as I drove across the Aurora Bridge, with views of the Olympics, the Cascades, and Lake Union. It’s my favorite spot in Seattle and I couldn’t enjoy it because I was so nervous. The nerves start in my throat and melt down into my stomach, requiring my lungs to work about 50% harder than necessary.

As I arrived to the station the nervousness became increasingly elevated until the sound engineers were counting down: “You’re on in...3...2...1...” Whhoooosh... The nerves vanish after about 3 deep breaths & the whole performance went really smoothly. That’s the way it always goes. Nervousness has become that friend you never think of inviting to the party. But when they arrive, the party finally becomes ALIVE & It’s awesome.

Did you get a chance to hear it on-air? If not, have no fear - I’ve got the recording right here.

Videos & photos to come shortly.

All together now --- 1, 2, 3 --- “Wow!” Imagine 70+ musicians cramming into one half of the Fremont Abbey’s Great Hall. That alone would make anyone gasp. Our bows were almost poking eyes out. ;-)

I’m proud to say that the idea for the evening bubbled up on the 1.5 weeks Scott Teske, his brother John, and I spent traveling down to Nevada in September. Scott listened to the “Funeral” album almost nonstop. One morning, after we all zipped ourselves out of our tents he exclaimed, “You know what would be awesome?! A Seattle Rock Orchestra show that featured the Seattle Rock Orchestra. It should be a tribute to the Arcade Fire.”

Simply to finish seeing a friend’s dream and strengths be used and featured in such an inspiring way was beautiful. The journey was wonderful to experience, even if it was from the sidelines as a cheerleader/cellist... and I’d cheer/cello for Scott Teske anyday.

The Seattle Rock Orchestra has a wonderful audience. They were so close that while I was tuning my cello the lady sitting in front of me leaned across and asked me what I was doing. (We had a nice chat about the A-string and what it means to have intonation.) Not many Orchestras are capable of tearing down this great divide between players and audience.

That’s why I love playing with the SRO - all volunteers, all love music simply because they love it, not because they sit first chair and be all competitive and snobby about the quality of their own sound. Although we can TOTALLY be snobby about our sound and ironically I was honored to sit first chair. The SRO players just exude a “get up & go” attitude. They want to play together simply because they really like the music!

Both the concert and the dress rehearsal were held in the Fremont Abbey’s Great Hall (normal capacity of 235.) Our dress rehearsal kicked a Samba class of 25 out within 10 minutes. I had one of the class’ participants tell me afterwards they were “prepared for a few musicians, but had no idea there would be ~80 of them! And the way we all just knew where to stand, sit, play! So perfect it was almost hilarious!” It really was quite amazing how no one needed to say much. All of us just got out our instruments, walked across the room, & started playing...

They said “It was as if someone had coordinated a symphonic “sit-in” of rock music.” Scott simply began the rehearsal with “Okay guys, welcome to the Seattle Rock Orchestra. Let’s play the first song - 1& 2 & 3 & 4 &...” We rehearsed each song only once. Yes, we are that good.

Scott Teske did an amazing job of managing, coordinating the press, photographers, and especially arranging the parts. Although, the Arcade Fire does have some pretty amazing music to begin with -- he didn’t need to “doctor it up” in the least bit!

The Seattle Weekly wrote a magnificent review of the show. As well as Seattle Show Gal, who gave awards for each song. Here are a few videos from the evening... (Whoever was filming got me in most of the shots. On the left, the front-cellist rockin’ out.)

Our next show in the Spring of 2010 will feature the works of David Bowie. I’m totally gonna paint a lightning-bolt across my face..

From Matt Mesina’s recent composition performed by the Northwest Symphony Orchestra on November 6th. 280 performers were a part of the evening including yours truly, as well as Cut Chemist!!! as a benefit for Seattle Children’s Hospital. The video was taken during the rehearsal only minutes before curtain call. Can you believe it?! I played behind (literally) Cut Chemist! (I tried searching for someone’s pirated video of one of his songs, but to no avail.)

Have you spent time with someone when magic happens? You can’t explain it. You can’t draw connections to why or how it happens. You simply know something rare has occurred.

It could go something like this… You’re on a date. In the restaurant. You arrive at 6pm. You’re peeved, because the guy in the parking lot outside took your spot and you had to walk 3 miles in heels to the entrance. You’re nervous, because you don’t know how this new person will view you. You’re anxious because you really want them to like you back. And you’re curious, because you haven’t spent a lot of time with them. What will they be like? What will they wear? Will they use deodorant? Will they order vegetarian or better yet, vegan?

They walk in the door. You forget what you’re doing, why you’re there, how you got there, and what you ordered 3 minutes ago… Conversation flows so smoothly. It’s shocking how well you communicate, already finishing each other’s sentences. Showing grief over the same tragic memories. Laughing at the same jokes. Giggling until your face hurts. Oohing & aahing over the same hobbies and heroes.

A waiter drops a plate. As the plate’s pieces crash to the floor, your breath is suddenly yet quietly knocked out of you. You recognize the entire restaurant is empty. The waiters are sweeping and cleaning up shop for the next days activities. You have just spent the last 5 hours sitting and your legs are falling asleep. But both your eyes and the eyes you’ve been looking into all night are still sparkling…

---

THAT is the perfect metaphor for how last Tuesday’s Round(50) went. As we walked on stage a brilliant magic descended upon the stage. We were communicating, conversing, laughing, grieving, giggling, and crooning over the same things. Musically finishing each other’s sentences.

And for me? At the end of each song I had to take a deep breath because I realized: “[Sigh…] That was really good. Woah, that just happened. Woah, we’re on stage. Woah, this is live! Umm… Yes, let’s do it again!”

Rosie Thomas, Damien Jurado, and Jesse Sykes took turns playing their songs while Scott Teske (bass), Lacey Brown (drums), and myself improvised as their “band” for the evening. I have to say that, it was so refreshing to share the stage with each of them individually. It was an honor to share the stage with all of them together! Fantastic.

Occasionally, a poet would walk on stage and perform a masterpiece with verbs. “Putting words in your face, and nouns on your chin” said one of the poets, Buddy Wakefield. Behind Buddy and around all this musical interaction, three painters were doing their thing – giving the audience a 3rd dimension to the evening.

The richness of the evening – the sights from the paintings, the sounds of the music, and the smells of the phenomenal food – could be a source of this indescribable magic. Perhaps it was the musicianship of the Seattle Rock Orchestra, who joined us for the final half of the show. Perhaps, for me, it was getting to know each musician better than just their music – I now know them as people, as fellow Seattleites. Perhaps it was the feeling of getting out of those dreadful yet sexy high heels I chose to wear. Perhaps and probably it was something more. All I know is, it was magic – and I want it to happen more.

Still feelin’ the magic,
Emily

(Photos courtesy of Sarah Murphy Jurado - visit her website!)

Hey there,

Saturday's Bach performance went so well! It was an honor to make such an artistic contribution to the Seattle community with Karin Stevens. For those of you that came, thanks. It was so fun to experience the evening together!

My next contribution to the community is SO fun. I have long looked up to the singer/songwriters of this caliber and respect each of them greatly. Rosie Thomas & Damien Jurado both Sub Pop artists, and in the same circle as one of my favorite bands ever - Pedro the Lion. To be honest - I can't friggin' wait! We had our one and only rehearsal last night & oh how the magic was flowing! It was a gift to sit in the room with Damien & Jesse and simply do what we do best - make music.

I think The Round is one of the most thrilling contexts to create art - it's all spontaneous - the whole evening! (By the way, it's a perfect date-night. The Triple Door is super swanky, but still Seattle-casual. ) And the tickets are SO close to being sold out, I know for a fact there will not be any available at the door. I have the inside scoop... so Buy your tickets now! The concert's details are below...

Hope to see you there! If you're not, you'll be missing out on an exhilarating evening!

~Emily Ann Peterson
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The Round(50)

Music, Poetry, & Painting "in the-round"
July 7th
The Triple Door - Seattle, WA
Doors 6pm, Show 8pm
Buy your tickets now!

Emily will perform with
Rosie Thomas,
Jesse Sykes,
Damien Jurado,
& Seattle Rock Orchestra
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Jubilee: A Nonprofit Band

with Pickwick & The Globes
July 21st
The Triple Door - Seattle, WA
Cost - $15, Doors 5:30pm
Start 7:30pm
Buy your tickets now!